23 questions with Dionne Stanfill and Bayla Fitzpatrick
Upcoming priorities for and a Q&A session with the new ASUN President and VP
Dionne Stanfill (President) and Bayla Fitzpatrick (Vice President) were elected by the University of Nevada, Reno undergraduate students as the 119th ASUN President and Vice President on March 10 with over 1,300 votes casted. They will be pushing forward their “Stronger With Nevada” campaign in 2022-2023 which is centered around these four pillars;
Stronger Community
Create a stronger: Homecoming and Welcome Week, clubs and organizations, Pack-Friendly Businesses, relationship with Greek Life, Residential Life, housing, food services, and athletics
Stronger Advocacy
Fighting for: a safe in-person year, student needs and concerns with the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, accessible parking, accessible use of wellness resources, stronger advocacy through the President’s Cabinet, fighting for a sustainable, accessible, diverse, equitable, inclusive, well, civically engaged Nevada
Stronger opportunity
Improving: ASUN services, academic success, Pack Internship Grant Program, scholarships, internships, civic and volunteer engagement, town halls, student emergency funds, Presidential Student Advisory Board
Stronger Association
Fostering: internal affairs of the Association, officer accountability, emphasis on shared governance, marketing, better communication with Nevada administration
About the new executive officers
Dionne is a first generation, third-year student studying criminal justice with a specialization in law and justice and a communication studies minor as she prepares to attend law school to practice criminal law for the state of Nevada. She has served in every branch in ASUN earning the positions of legislative intern, Senator of the year, Chief Justice, and now President of the undergraduate student body at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Bayla is a second-year student studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology while minoring in Chemistry and Business Administration. She is a born and raised Nevadan from Gardnerville. Bayla hopes to attend dental school post-undergrad and become a practicing dentist. She was an ASUN Senator for the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources this past session where she was a strong advocate for student opportunities, accessibility, and advocacy. She has also been involved with a variety of clubs and has been an Residential Assistant for Manzanita and Juniper Hall and now the Vice President of the undergraduate student body at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Fun questions and answers
What is your favorite place on campus?
Dionne: “The Fitness Center, of course!”
Bayla: “Manzanita Lake”
What is a must have in your office?
Dionne: “Candy”
Bayla: “Plants”
What do you study?
Dionne: “Criminal justice and communication studies. I want to go to UNLV’s law school to learn Nevada law.”
Bayla: “Chemistry with a minor in business-- pre-dental track.”
What is something no one knows about you?
Dionne: “I can solve a rubik's cube in 30 seconds.”
Bayla: “I was the mascot in high school.”
Favorite past-time?
Dionne: “Ooo definitely going to the gym. I’m a powerlifter.”
Bayla: “Listening to music.”
Who inspires you?
Dionne: “My older brother, Trevor.”
Bayla: “My mother.”
What is your best goal?
Dionne: “I am excited for the senior leadership committee where student leaders from all corners of campus will have discussions on how to make the experience of an undergraduate better for all Nevada students”
Bayla: “I’m excited to work with different groups on campus to bring a sense of community at Nevada”
Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Dionne: “Jacob, obviously”
Bayla: “Edward! Edward! Edward?”
Where are you from?
Dionne: “Spring Creek, Nevada!”
Bayla: “Gardnerville, Nevada! We are both Nevada girls!”
Favorite UNR tradition?
Dionne: “Mackay Sacrifice for sure.”
Bayla: “Undie Run”
What’s your love language?
Dionne: “Gifts ;)”
Bayla: “Quality time”
Favorite movie?
Dionne: “Rocky IV”
Bayla: “Legally Blonde”
Favorite thing about Nevada?
Dionne: “The people”
Bayla: “The Tahoe Sierra Mountains”
Favorite song right now?
Dionne: “Stronger by Kanye”
Bayla: “Same”
Favorite smell?
Dionne: “Sagebrush after it’s rained”
Bayla: “Like lavender”
Best restaurant in Reno?
Dionne: “Archies”
Bayla: “SUP”
What does UNR look like 10 years from now?
Dionne: “Free parking”
Bayla: “Bigger and better”
Who is your best friend?
Dionne: “Bayla”
Bayla: “Dionne”
What are you involved in on campus?
Dionne: “Wolf Pack Powerlifting club, Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, Blue Key, Liberal arts
advisory board, I work at the gym”
Bayla: “I am an RA and I am in Sigma Kappa"
Dog or cat person?
Dionne: “I am a wolf person”
Bayla: “I can’t decide”
Best study spot on campus?
Dionne: “DeLaMare Library”
Bayla: “On the quad”
What’s the first thing you want to do in office?
Dionne: “Working on getting rid of the cleaning hours”
Bayla: “Working on orientation and getting the first year students excited to join The Pack!”
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Photo credit: Rachel Jackson
