Stuckey a Student Senate aspirant

By Adam Samson

Monday, April 13, 2009

Ask about Darrell Stuckey’s energy and enthusiasm for anything he does, and the answer is consistent across the board — it’s contagious.

“Twenty years from now, I wouldn’t be surprised if I got a call from Darrell asking what I thought about him running for the governor of Kansas,” said Mike Harrity, assistant athletics director. “He’s that kind of guy. Because people know that he is somebody you not only want to be around, but somebody you want to follow.”

Harrity said he didn’t think it was surprising with Stuckey’s ambition that he was running for a Student Senate seat with the United Students coalition. Stuckey, Kansas City, Kan., senior and 2008 All-Big 12 football First Team selection, is seeking a junior/senior College of Liberal Arts and Sciences seat.

His involvement, in addition to playing football, includes serving on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee executive board and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee; volunteering with the Special Olympics; being a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and other leadership organizations on campus; and even writing poetry.

“If I was blessed to have the experiences that I’ve had within our campus on different committees and organizations, who am I to keep that experience to myself if I can represent so many different people at one time,” Stuckey said.

Last week, while nominating Stuckey for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, a national leadership award, Harrity prepared Stuckey’s list of community and leadership organizations he was involved with and the list spanned four pages.

“It’s not just something he goes to and volunteers once at, it’s something he is passionate about and gives back to,” Harrity said.

Each year certain organizations receive appointed seats and don’t have to run in the Student Senate elections. In 2006, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee campaigned to Student Senate for an appointed seat and Harrity said that Stuckey was pivotal in that campaign. Student Senate granted a seat for SAAC, which represents a group of 500 student athletes on campus.

Instead of filling the appointed SAAC seat, Stuckey said he felt running with a coalition was an opportunity for him to feel out the process of a Student Senate election and give another student athlete the opportunity to be involved with Student Senate. Stuckey said that the SAAC representative voiced the opinions of the student athletes, but that he looked forward to the possibility of representing more students.

Mason Heilman, Lawrence junior and United Students presidential candidate, said Stuckey was the type of person with community involvement and campus experience United Students looked for.

“You want candidates to be well-involved and well-liked and Darrell is the whole package,” Heilman said.

Harrity said that Stuckey’s biggest challenge would be to make sure he didn’t overcommit because he was somebody who needed more time in the day to accomplish all the things he wanted to do.

“A Darrell Stuckey comes around once in a decade, and I’m incredibly fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to be a close witness to all the things he has been doing,” Harrity said.

Student Senate is new to him, but with his involvement in the community and University organizations, Stuckey said he thought running for Student Senate gave him a certain sense of ownership.

“It’s a new thing for me, but I think Student Senate is a great place to be and a great place to influence your campus and to really see what goes on your campus to voice the opinion of your peers,” Stuckey said.

If you'd like to ready Stuckey's poetry click here.

— — Edited by Casey Miles

Comments

Envision (anonymous) says...

United Students always fails to win a substantial amount of votes in the Jr/Sr CLAS division.

Why?

Because people that have been around for more than a year or two generally don't vote for an incumbent coalition that does nothing. Its one of the drawbacks of running a campaign based on empty promises.

April 13, 2009 at 2:03 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

nonsurly (anonymous) says...

@Envision. Wowzers! Hate mail. Shameshameshame.

Personally, I dig coalitions that bash on others in the forums.

Based on Stuckey's poetry, I'd totes vote for him. He digs his g-pa. Need we know more?

April 13, 2009 at 2:10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

connerm (anonymous) says...

Agrizzled, nonsurly. Let's act like adults.

April 13, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

penguin (anonymous) says...

This is not the first time a student athlete has run for a Student Senate seat and not the last.I like Stuckey, but his run is not nearly as enjoyable as Eric Chenowith's failed attempt to get on Senate. Oh but then again, what was not funny about Eric Chenowith's career at KU.

April 13, 2009 at 10:18 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

hawkchalk (anonymous) says...

I heard that the reason United Student's don't typically win the Jr./Sr. is because most of the people who normally vote, get into schools by then. You know the professional ones, (i.e. business, architecture..yadayadayada ) . For as smart as you claim to be "Envision" you have all the facts wrong. Why does United Students win Business and Journalism every year ? (you do know that you normally get into those in your 3rd year or end of your second year) ?

Put on your dunce cap, or your " i spread stupid lies cap" and get back to work. Wait, no, waste your time on here spreading lies.

April 13, 2009 at 11:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

I'm fairly certain you can be a freshman in Journalism.

April 13, 2009 at 2:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

handy (anonymous) says...

I hardly see anything newsworthy in this story.

April 13, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawk158 (anonymous) says...

We've got a guy that needs to do nothing more than finish up his senior year of college before he goes to the NFL and makes millions (He's already projected as at least a second round pick, which could definitely go up). All he has to do is stay and shape and keep his grades up and he's golden, yet he wants to help make KU a better place.

Stuckey is probably the best representative of a student-athlete and leader in the community this university has seen in ages. He's got my vote, and probably a majority of students on the 15th and 16th.

April 13, 2009 at 3:51 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

handy (anonymous) says...

Yeahhh I guess. We're all trying hard to graduate and make KU better though. I just don't see how his school + extracurricular activities + senate workload is any more spectacular than everyone else's. Our post-doc engineer and our law students have it incredibly tough - I guarantee tougher. Why not write an article on them?

My hats go off to students willing to give up their time and energy for a worthy cause - not just this guy, but all of them! :)

April 13, 2009 at 3:56 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

tj06 (anonymous) says...

I agree with Handy.
But I really don't see why this was the headlining article for this week.

April 13, 2009 at 5:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

awood (Adam Wood) says...

No offense to Stucky, but I'm pretty sure the reason that athletes don't normally get elected to public office is the fact that politics isn't really their forte. The one thing I learned talking to the Student Athletic Advisory Board last year was that athletes care about two things, athletes and athletics. We really shouldn't elect people with such a selfish and narrow-minded outlook.

April 13, 2009 at 5:21 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

BaneMaler (anonymous) says...

Why is the the UDK picking winners for the student election? I'm curious how this piece found its way on the cover of today's paper. How is this fair to Stuckey's running mates? United Students, ruining another election with their insider politics. They wonder why people can't stand them.

April 13, 2009 at 5:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

Wow this is politics at its best... "Vote United Students! We have an athlete!!! LOOK HE'S SO SHINY!!!"

Load of crap. This is maybe newsworthy but first page? really? I lawl at the UDK.

April 13, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawk158 (anonymous) says...

It's good to know all of these people are quick to trash Stuckey for being part their an opposing coalition. You've probably never even met the guy or read the many positive articles in the LJ-World, KC Star and this newspaper about things he has done in the community. Is he more qualified to run than any other student because he is a football player? No, but he's certainly nicer and more mature than anyone from Envision posting on this article and the rest of them.

If you ask, what has he done and why he deserves a vote? Look it up yourself, since you're so quick to let your own insecurities dominate this comment board.

I'm not in student senate, not involved in it any bit and was going to vote for Envision. Not anymore, and neither is anyone else I know. Time to grow up and know that people will be voting against the immature members of your coalition that post here.

April 13, 2009 at 9 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

Oh lol @ jayhawk158. Nobody but senators post on here and the only reason you would say that is a feeble attempt to get in our heads. Not like it matters though, we have this in the bag. Have fun "walk and stalking"

April 14, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jhitt (anonymous) says...

Oh god, he mass messaged the entire student body by most likely using a program and a list serve. LOL!

April 14, 2009 at 5:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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