I AM the PRESIDENT's MOM

Matthew told us at Christmas he had decided he was not going to run for the SGA presidency in the spring at his university. We breathed a sigh of relief and decided to finally look ahead toward law school. It was short-lived. We got a call at 1:30 in the morning shortly after winter semester had begun, and he told us of how his SGA leaders and supporters really wanted him and another qualified young man named Adam to run for the president and vice president positions, respectively. We told him we'd support him no matter what he decided and he paused and said, "NO, MOM, you don't get it. I know you'll always support me, but I need yours and Dad's advice!" So we stayed on the phone until 2:30 discussing the pros and cons, then told him we'd sleep on it and get back to him the next day. We should have talked until we couldn't talk anymore, as I don't think either of us got any sleep that night.

I don't think he would have made the decision to run had his friends not shouldered a lot of the responsibility of planning and implementing an election on such a huge scale as this was. They came through like no tomorrow and next thing you know, we are on our way down to Florida to help them campaign; at Matthew's request I might add.

Campaigning was from Monday through Wednesday at 5:00. There were areas that were declared neutral and the rest of the school was open to passing out palm cards and give-aways. It was amazing how both sides stepped up to the plate declaring their platforms, colors, and strategies. All four candidates knew each other and were well-qualified to do the jobs. It finally came down to who got the most votes. I know personally, that there were many students who were not going to vote because they just didn't care. That's where experience came in. We knew that voting is a true privilege and a chance for one's voice to be heard. It was so wonderful speaking one-on-one with our future movers and shakers of the world. These kids were so polite and driven to succeed in all their endeavors. I left shaking my head and praying for them...that there will be enough jobs for all the various engineers to have; that those who opt to stay in school because they are afraid to try to get a job in this economy will have chosen wisely, and that those who will take menial jobs until something comes open in their fields, will have no regrets. More than anything, I was impressed with the directness and the politeness of the students. Their parents would be proud to see their dedication...especially those who helped with the campaigns.

The time came for the announcement and someone from the Board of Elections read the referendums that had passed and finally we heard, "With 61% of the votes..." and Matthew and Adam had won! The other side was gracious, as was ours, and now I feel I will be on my knees for the next year, intercessing on their behalf. It's a huge job, but they are certainly up for it. And that's how I became...the First Mom!