Get to Know Your New Associated Student Executives

Danielle DeVries || Asst. Feature Editor

Votes are in and USD’s newly elected AS student body executives are here

T.J. Hodges
Position: AS President
Year: Incoming Senior

Hoping to Accomplish: “My greatest goal is to grow AS into an even greater role of student advocacy. A priority for AS this coming year is financial awareness, which means keeping USD costs low for all students. By addressing the costs of living, dining, and parking, AS can begin to tackle the issue of affordability at USD. I also hope to boost community spirit at USD by using AS and TPB resources to encourage student attendance at sporting, theater, greek life, guest speaker, and other events. Assisting our administration in creating a bigger national name for USD in the coming years is also a long term goal that will be set in the Associated Students this year.”

Fun Fact: “Both of my parents attended USD; this is where they met.”

Danielle Priore
Position: AS Vice President
Year: Incoming Senior

Hoping to Accomplish: “I want more people to be able to know about AS as a resource and what we do! I hope to fix student issues with registration and advising. In addition, I really want to make mission beach trams and tailgates for 21+ happen!”

Fun Fact: “Doug the Pug (a celebrity pug on Instagram) is my Spirit Animal.”

Matthew Smith
Position: AS Chief of Staff
Year: Incoming Senior

Hoping to Accomplish: “I hope to work together with the exec team and the rest of AS to leave USD in a better place when I graduate. I think a good goal to work towards is simply more participation in all activities around school.”

Fun Fact: “I am the men’s cross country team captain along with president T.J. Hodges. We will also be living together next year so you could say things are getting pretty serious.”

Tabitha Plummer
Position: AS Finance Chair
Year: Incoming senior

Hoping to accomplish: “As Finance Chair, I hope to better educate the student body as a whole about where our student activity fees go as well as how to access them! One of my initiatives I’m currently passionate about is improving finals study spaces, and I can’t wait to see what other large-scale initiatives our new exec team will dive into this coming year”

Fun Fact: “I got a kitten this past week! His name is Sebastian and he is 9 weeks old.”

Shalin Shah
Position: AS Speaker of the Senate
Year: Incoming Senior

Hoping to Accomplish: “I have a few things in mind that I hope to accomplish. First, I wan to make Senate stronger and more connected to the student body, ranging from how to run trainings to how we can change the structure, and to include representatives from areas of campus that seem to have less of a voice. Some of the initiatives I would like to push forward next year include school spirit such as re-envisioning the mascot and implementing student tailgates with 21+ areas. I also want to push forward transparency, with specific ideas such as publishing details about the University’s budget to make available to the student body.”

Fun Fact: “I really like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and also cinnamon toast. I also enjoy singing while driving.”

Danny McConville
Position: AS Communications Chair
Year: Incoming Senior

Hoping to Accomplish: “I hope to bring a better understanding to the USD students about what AS does.”

Fun Fact: “I can whistle while smiling”