By The Editorial Board
As student government elections begin today and last through tomorrow, The Baylor Lariat Editorial Board is endorsing Nick Madincea for external vice president. This decision was made after candidates participated in debates hosted by The Baylor Lariat on Saturday.
The Baylor Lariat is honored to endorse The Woodlands sophomore Nick Madincea for the position of external vice president for this election. Out of the four competitors (Clay Jeha, Harrison Williams, Nick Madincea and Shea Berthelot), Madincea won the Editorial Board’s favor through his preparedness, professionalism and what he has already put into practice.
Don’t let Madincea’s sophomore status fool you; he is a nontraditional student who is 24 years old and started his own drone company before coming to Baylor. In addition to that, he is the founder and president of the Startup and Innovation Club at Baylor and serves on Student Senate. Although he is fairly new to Student Senate, he has not wasted any time. Some of the legislation he has worked on during his time includes the SE 69-15 bill, which adjusted the Student Senate opening procedures to include a chaplain’s prayer and the reading of the student government mission statement in order to solidify Baylor’s Christian mission, values and vision. Additionally, he authored the SR-04 bill, which passed unanimously and pushed for Baylor to recognize Veterans Day as an official school holiday.
Madincea’s level of professionalism arises not only from knowing how to act but also from his ability and drive to actually take action. His resume is a testament to the hard work and dedication he appears to apply to anything he sets his mind to. His clear platform has allowed his campaigning to be extensive and effective, and the entire process has been aided by his engaging personality.
The three major policies leading his campaign simply make sense for the university and its students. Madincea has proposed the Christian Action Bus (CAB), transporting students from campus to areas around Waco that are in need of service, thereby enabling Baylor to connect with the surrounding community while giving students more opportunities to serve. His second major proposal would create airport transportation from campus to DFW for students during holiday breaks. Finally, he wants a mental health crisis training program put in place for students to learn “how to care for others in their hardest moments.” Madincea sees these policies as an extension of Baylor’s Christian mission, and we see them as practical ways to improve the campus community.
During the debate, it became clear his heart is not only for the university but also for the community of Waco. His entrepreneurial attitude will be a major asset to the external vice presidency and student government, as it should allow him to continue to form relationships with small businesses and other groups off campus, with the goal of bringing them into the Baylor community. Madincea referenced Shamica Evans, the owner of Waffle Chic, using her as just one example of the great stories and businesses that he does not want Baylor to miss out on.
All four candidates for external vice president are well qualified and care very deeply about the university, but Nick Madincea has earned the endorsement of The Baylor Lariat for a reason. His professionalism, entrepreneurial outlook, work ethic and drive speak for themselves and make him the right choice to be Baylor’s next external vice president.
Voting Information:
The Editorial Board appreciates all of the candidates participating in the debate and wishes them the best of luck in the election. All undergraduate students will receive an email allowing them to vote in the student government elections on April 26 and 27. To learn more about each candidate, watch the debates hosted by The Baylor Lariat on our Youtube channel. Happy voting!
