The Quill: What do you feel most qualifies you for this position?

Dylan Hoppe: [What] most qualifies me for the position of president would be my extensive background in finance in business. Not only am I in my last [year] of a degree in business, I have three years of experience working as a financial advisor for a big bank. Being a financial advisor meant being an expert in helping people manage their finances, but it also meant being creative in offering solutions and providing top notch customer service. It is this experience in working with people and identifying solutions that most qualifies me as president

TQ: Please explain one goal that you would like to achieve in the position, should you be elected.

DH: A main goal of mine as president would be to increase student engagement. Often times, being a student, I would read or see things being done by BUSU where I noticed a lack of consultations or general engagement. In order for BUSU to be effective it needs to reach out more to students. While there are many efforts made to get students involved, there’s still more that could be done. I would look specifically at how to increase student engagement and input into BUSU decision making. Implementing something like an online mass emailed poll to students would be a great example of a way to increase student input.

On a side note, given my previously stated financial experience, I would make it my goal to have financial reviews completed on BUSU operations. This could be something such as having business students draw up a business plan for SUDS. Students have to pay student fees every term, and so it would make sense that they’re used appropriately [and] also effectively, in a way that benefits them.

TQ: What is your greatest personal accomplishment?

DH: My greatest personal achievement so far in life is that I have been a hockey referee for over 10 years. Being a referee has brought lots of challenges, but it has also taught me many lessons that have allowed me to grow as a person. Reffing hockey has taught me a lot about being responsible, and most importantly being able to manage stressful situations. Not many people stick with the job for a long time but I’ve been able to stay committed to it. Now I find myself reffing year after year as a passion.

Republished from The Quill print edition, Volume 107, Issue 23, February 28th, 2017.