Anna Callahan and Bernardo de Seabra won the DASB presidential race with 512 votes — according to Callahan, the greatest number of votes in five years.
Competitor Ken Amornnopawong and running mate Robert Delgadillo received 179 votes, less than half the number cast for Callahan and de Seabra.
"My campaign focus was personal contact," President Elect Callahan said Friday. She approached students, asking them if they knew about the De Anza Student Body Senate and spending up to five minutes to talk with each person.
"This was not just a ‘vote for me’ campaign," Callahan said. "I feel like I acquired the soul of De Anza [College]."
Former opponent Amornnopawong estimated that together, Callahan and de Seabra spent six hours per day reaching out to De Anza students. He expressed confidence in Anna’s goals and abilities, and stated his intention to be a part of the new senate.
Callahan sees her role as DASB President as being a motivator, and hopes to be a model for De Anza students.
"I couldn’t even imagine being more dedicated to anything," she said.
According to Callahan, her first-hand experience with college programs helpedher to gain a better understanding of the De Anza campus.
She has participated in tutoring programs, served as an Interclub Council representative, contributed to literary magazine Red Wheelbarrow, been involved in one of the Euphrat’s student art shows, taken dance classes and covered stories as a reporter for La Voz. She says that these experiences helped her to understand what student money funds support.
Callahan said she will take few classes during the 2005-2006 academic year in order to devote more time to serving students.
She said that students should consider becoming senators.
"Any student who is willing to firmly dedicate their time and effort I encourage to be a senator," Callahan said.
She emphasized spirit and said that knowing the campus was more important to would-be members of student government than number-crunching skills.
"DASB is not a million-dollar business," Callahan said.
Callahan will be sworn into office as student body president at the beginning of summer quarter.