Treasury Board Member Candidate

John Pesarchick

John's photos were captured by:

Fischer Schluessler / The Avion

John Pesarchick

Senior, BS Aerospace Engineering

"I am an AE Senior. When I am not at school, I can be found shredding down some mountain bike trails in North Carolina or Tennessee. My other hobbies include backpacking, camping, running, and photography. Currently, at Riddle, I am the President of the Riddle Mountain Biking Club and hold a position on the Student Treasury Board. I am running for reelection to the Student Treasury Board to continue working on improving the RSO funding process along with being able to help RSOs succeed in their financial endeavors. I feel that my experience as an RSO Treasurer and President with 100% collections for the past 4 semesters and counting, along with being on the student treasury board currently, makes me a good fit for the board again."

  • What makes you a qualified candidate for this position?

    "I am currently the president of Riddle Mountain Biking Club, where I have been an officer for the past 4 semesters, from treasurer to President. For my entire time as an officer, I have been involved in the funding process, from creating budget packets and reimbursements to going through the capital expenditure process to buy a trailer for our club. During my time, I have been able to maintain perfect 100 percent collections on multi-thousand-dollar requests.

    I am also currently on the Student Treasury Board, which I have been on since May of 2022. Since being on the board, I have been a part of the funding process for all of the current RSOs, from analyzing budget packets, professional development requests, appeals, and capital expenditure requests. While also on the board, I was a part of achieving the highest collections rating in treasury history of over 91 percent across all RSOs."

  • What is the purpose of the Student Treasury?

    "The Student treasury is a branch of the student government that is overseen by the elected treasurer and run by 6 elected treasury board members. The purpose of the Student Treasury is to provide reimbursed type funding to the different SGA divisions and to all of the On-campus registered student organizations (RSOs). This is mainly done through semesterly budget packets in which RSOs can request funding for mission-specific events, trips, and equipment.

    The Student Treasury also provides funding for individuals for professional development needs. This includes professional attire, events, and trips where one might be representing the school and presenting, or furthering educational and professional development. The Student Treasury is able to do so by analyzing each funding opportunity with the same standards and rules across the board to remain unbiased and fair for all. Without the student treasury, we wouldn't have the amazing divisions we currently have, such as The Avion, ERT, Touch 'N Go, and WIKD. RSOs would struggle to get funding and would have to resort to solely just fundraising and sponsorship from outside providers. Lastly, the student body wouldn't have the amazing events they currently have, such as the homecoming concert, or the conveniences, such as free coffee in the SLS."

  • How would you define risk management, and how would you relate this skill to your position as Student Treasury Board Member?

    "Risk Management is defined as the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling potential risks that could impact an organization's ability to achieve its objectives. It involves analyzing and evaluating the likelihood and potential impact of various risks and taking proactive steps to minimize or mitigate them.

    As a Student Treasury Board Member, risk management is an essential skill to use as it enables us to identify and manage the risks that are associated with giving over 200 RSOs funding. This involves assessing each organization's budget packet in a way that is not only fair to everyone but also in a way that doesn't put us at risk. For example, even though we approve items or funding for trips that might be dangerous, these items are made sure to be in accordance with each organization's mission and purpose. On the other side of things, we, as Student Treasury Board Members, asked upon when an RSO has a financially related question, the answers that we give must be accurate and within accordance with our bylaws, and if the information is false, we could harm the finical stability of an RSO. This is why it is critical to practice risk management to ensure that RSOs remain finically sound and well managed."

  • How do you plan to ensure the organizations you represent receive the funding they need without putting others at a disadvantage?

    "As a Student Treasury Board Member, my primary goal is to ensure that all organizations receive the funding they need in accordance with the Student Treasury funding guidelines to ensure that no organization is put at a disadvantage. In order to ensure that this happens, any bias towards or against RSOs will be eliminated. If I have any affiliation with an RSO being deliberated on, I shall abstain from any votes that occur. As for funding, all organizations must follow the guidelines put in place, like required training for each of the RSO's treasures and presidents, to ensure they are financially educated on the process. Next, all of the organizations will be evaluated based on the requested funding and financial histories, such as collections history and the amount of money they have in their bank accounts. Lastly, all of the requested items and events will be evaluated to determine if they are in accordance with the requesting RSO's mission statement. Lastly, any and all information regarding restricted items and caps will be announced ahead of time in training to keep the playing field level and fair so that everyone is on the same page."