For strategic media junior Milena Santana, the decision to run for Student
Association president began with prayer.
During her first semester, Santana felt a strong calling to intercede for the student
body, she said.
“I just felt this urge to pray over the student body,” Santana said. “I didn’t want to just
love people as a whole, I wanted to see people individually and love them well.”
She began hosting informal Saturday morning prayer meetings — sometimes joined by
others; sometimes alone.
“Sometimes no one would show up,” she said. “But I still felt like that’s what I was
supposed to do.”
Now running alongside sports broadcasting sophomore Quinton Moore, Santana
says that same heart for students continues to shape her leadership vision.
Every full-time ORU student can vote Tuesday on Vision, where ballots will be open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The results will be announced during Wednesday’s chapel service.
A decision rooted in faith
Moore initially felt unsure about running for vice president.
“I was pretty neutral at first,” Moore said. “I didn’t know if this was something I should
pursue.”
After a season of prayer, however, he felt prompted to step forward.
“I felt like the Holy Spirit was asking, ‘Why wouldn’t you take the chance?’” Moore said.
Both candidates emphasized that their campaign is grounded in spiritual leadership,
particularly prayer.
“I don’t like to do anything without prayer,” Santana said. “There’s no better wisdom
than from the Lord.”
Experience and perspective
Moore pointed to his current involvement in Student Association as a key strength, saying it gives him insight into how decisions are made on campus.
“I’ve seen the ins and outs of how things are processed,” Moore said. “I know what works and what doesn’t.”
His experience would allow him to navigate systems more effectively and
implement ideas with a clearer understanding of what is possible, he added.
Santana, meanwhile, highlighted her involvement across campus, from working in marketing and admissions to worship and outreach, as shaping her perspective.
“I’ve always been very involved,” Santana said. “I think that’s helped me understand
students from different areas.”
Leading with love and connection
One of the main reasons she chose Moore as her running mate was his ability to connect with others, Santana said.
“No one can teach you how to love people,” Santana said. “That’s something I saw in
him right away.”
She emphasized that leadership should go beyond organization and execution.
“You can have experience,” Santana said, “but loving people well is what really matters.”
Priorities: Unity, voice, and consistency
The pair’s campaign has called for increasing unity across campus and creating more opportunities for student engagement.
“I think we want to see more collaboration between different groups,” Santana said.
“Not just being divided, but really coming together.”
They also emphasized the importance of listening to students more intentionally.
“We don’t want to wait for students to come to us,” Santana said. ”We want to go to them.”
Moore added that students should feel empowered to contribute ideas, regardless of their positions.
“You don’t have to be in leadership to make a difference,” Moore said.
The pair also highlighted consistency as a key goal, suggesting ideas like student cabinets and increased presence across campus spaces.
Their campaign slogan, “For the students,” reflects a focus on action over rhetoric, the candidates said.
“We don’t want to just say things,” Moore said. “We want to follow through.”
Santana echoed that commitment, emphasizing authenticity.
“We want to be real about what we say and actually make it happen,” she said.
