Some students dream of growing up to be president of their college class, but newly-elected freshman president Mike Cacciatore decided to run for office just a few months ago. However, he reassures students that he is very excited to begin serving as president and has what it takes to get the job done.

“Winning was a shock, honestly,” Cacciatore said. “Because I realized this is going to be a really big step in my life and I’m more than ready to take this step.”

The Lindenhurst, N.Y. native and broadcast journalism major is planning out the year and already has some big goals.

“The first thing I’m working on in office is putting together a freshman prom – or formal – committee, because I want to end the year with a big bang for the freshman class,” Cacciatore said.

His current goals also include adding copy machines in every residence hall and planning more community events.

“I want every single event to be a success. If an event is planned on a ‘New Haven night,’ then I want every freshman to go to our event instead of going to New Haven,” Cacciatore said. “New Haven is fun to go to, but I want to get everyone really hyped up on campus too.”

He called campaigning a “success,” although he admitted it was a very stressful process. Cacciatore “succumbed to the pressure” when he was kicked out of Commons while campaigning, and when a student shut a door in his face.

“I was very, very, very intimidated by my competitors. They all looked like they had a lot more experience,” Cacciatore said. “After I met them, I really thought to myself ‘There is not a person in this room who I would not be absolutely satisfied if they won the presidency.’”

Cacciatore had an inspiring moment from an unlikely source. The parent of a Quinnipiac student came up to him after a speech, gave him a bracelet that served as his lucky charm and wished him luck.

“Every time that I was really depressed with the election and I was really stressed out, I would just look at this [bracelet] and I would think ‘Wow somebody believes in me who’s not even going to be voting.’ It was just a really good feeling,” Cacciatore said.

Cacciatore was motivated to run for office during orientation, where he learned about student government from his orientation leaders, who encouraged him to run.

“When I first met him at orientation, his personality right away jumped out at me and my partner,” orientation leader Christine Burroni (associate opinion editor) said. “We could tell right away that he was going to make an impression on the campus.”

Cacciatore is known around campus as an outgoing and friendly guy.

“He’s so easy to talk to. He’s probably the most social kid I’ve met here and he’s really willing to be involved in anything,” freshman Matt Solomon said. “I definitely think he has the most school spirit out of any freshman.”

Cacciatore is taking five classes, including a public speaking course. He’s involved in at least five campus organizations: Student Programming Board, Student Government Association, WQAQ, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Rotaract Club. He hopes to rush Sigma Phi Epsilon and become an orientation leader next year.

“I think he’s going to be a great president because he actually listens and talks to everyone in the freshman class,” freshman Brian MacDuff said. “It’ll help him out since he will listen to any concerns or ideas that the class has.”

Cacciatore said he has at least 70 ideas laid out for this school year, some of which he acknowledges are unrealistic for his first year in office. He hopes to make some substantial changes around campus that will help students while also raising awareness of Quinnipiac in the greater community.

“My biggest goal is to have the entire cabinet host an event that every single freshman attends. There’s no exception to that,” Cacciatore said. “Quinnipiac feels like home to me, and I just want everyone to like Quinnipiac the way that I do.”

Photo credit: Alessia Tranfaglia