UPUA presidential candidate Samantha Miller officially received endorsements Monday from former greek officials, just days after the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils jointly endorsed current UPUA President Gavin Keirans.
With little more than a week until the University Park Undergraduate Association's (UPUA) April 1 elections, Miller also received former Interfraternity Council (IFC) Vice President of Finance Mark Willauer's endorsement.
"I'm definitely letting members of the greek community know that she can help the greek community," said Willauer (senior-finance), current member of Zeta Psi fraternity. "She will do what she says."
Last year's Panhellenic Council President Anna Marie DiPietro has also endorsed Miller, according to a list of formal endorsements provided by UPUA Head Elections Commissioner Alex Goodstein (senior-information sciences and technology).
DiPietro said she decided on Miller based on her platform.
"If she needs help with something, I would be happy to help," she said.
Though no longer an active member of the greek community, she said she still loves and cares about the greek community.
"I guess she feels more strong for her," current Panhellenic Council President Mairys Joaquin said of DiPietro's endorsement of Miller. "The presidents of each chapter were the ones who approved our endorsing of [Keirans]. Those are the ones who are immediately in contact with each chapter."
Joaquin (junior-journalism) said the council thinks the other candidates have "strong points," but Keirans' (junior-business management) views correspond with those of the greek community.
Another notable endorsement is the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council's endorsement of Keirans, as Miller's running mate, Matt Smith (junior-international politics), was last year's president of the organization.
The council's current vice president, Geoff Halberstadt, said the group was impressed by Keirans' platform.
"He was far above the other candidates running for president," Halberstadt (sophomore-political science and history) said. "Frankly, the scope of [Keirans'] platform is amazing."
Smith said that while the endorsement would have been "personally gratifying to receive," he was never invited to speak about his and Miller's platform to the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council.
Other endorsements filed for Miller include the Information Science and Technology Student Government, Penn State Quiz Bowl and the Undergraduate Art History Association.
Keirans also got the Eberly College of Science Student Council's endorsement. Keirans received 22 mutual endorsements from UPUA members, and Miller collected 10. A mutual endorsement is when a candidate for a representative position and a candidate for another position endorse each other.
Miller said the two greek-related endorsements show there are members within the greek community who support her.
"Individuals within the greek community can still make their own choice," Miller said.
Keirans said he and running mate Hillary Gupta, former Delta Zeta president, are the best candidates to represent the greek community.
"We appreciate all their support, and all we can do is continue to hope that they support us," he said.
The other UPUA presidential candidate Nick Borsuk (junior-political science) did not file any official endorsements and had no comment on the matters.
