It's 6:55 a.m. and Student Government Association presidential candidate Matt Whitlock hears the song "Tripping Billies" by the Dave Matthews Band as he hits the snooze button on his cell phone. He falls back to sleep right away. He will hit snooze at least three times before finally getting out of his top bunk at the Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) fraternity house.
The rest of his four roommates are sound asleep as Whitlock prepares for his morning workout. Although he may not be competitive in the gym, his political aspirations are affected by this trait.
In the evenings, Whitlock, a sophomore public relations major with political science and French minors, usually has a meeting or two for SGA, the International Fraternity Council or campus council. He is also a tour guide for Ball State University, walking backward for potential students and their families during the week. Once everything is over, he returns home to the Fiji house, does his homework and goes to bed between 1:30 and 3:30 a.m.
Whitlock agrees that he's very busy, but says he's always been able to keep his schedule straight.
"I do not have a planner or anything like that," he said. "I find them to be redundant. I do use Google calendar, which is amazing. Otherwise, I just kind of remember things. I am waiting for the day that I get that Blackberry with a calendar. Until then, it's me and my memory."
Student Connection
Whitlock and his slate, Student Connection, are the only ones running in this year's SGA election.
"To be honest, I was not completely surprised," he said. "Usually you hear of who is running about a week beforehand, and there hadn't been any word of someone else. You really never know until everything is finalized, but I had a good inkling that we were going to be the only ones who ran."
Whitlock said he wouldn't have minded having some competition.
"I think that we would have stood as the best option in any sort of election," he said. "I will say that I would have loved some competition. It's always nice to try and beat someone, but we have had an opportunity to be more relaxed and some more time talking with individual groups, which has been nice."
Sarah Bergsieker, sophomore journalism education major, has been a friend of Matt's since they were 9 and said Whitlock can be competitive in certain aspects of his life.
After first becoming active in SGA during his first semester of freshman year, Whitlock was told he should run for SGA president by two of his friends.
"I think just my involvement in the university governing systems is something I'm familiar with and I love being a part of," he said. "On a more leadership-style basis, I'm a talker. I like to communicate and I think the best way to run for an office is with communication."
White House Inspiration
Whitlock said he's been interested in politics for some time and one day hopes to get involved in the government and become a press secretary.
During his junior year of high school, he lived in Washington, D.C., for the summer and worked on the House floor as Rep. Mike Pence's page. It was during this time he met Dana Perino, who gave Whitlock and other pages a tour of the West Wing and press area.
"She pretty much inspired me to be a press secretary and to look at that [as a career]," he said.
Bergsieker said if Whitlock becomes SGA president, the experience will prepare him for after graduation.
"I'm really excited for him," she said. "I definitely think he'll do a good job with it, he's got a good vision for it. He'll work hard to give the student body what they want and need. It gives him awesome experience for what he wants to do later on."
Faith and Family
Another aspect of Whitlock's life important to him is his faith.
"I find my faith to be something very personal," he said. "I have been brought up with a Christian background and it's something that stays with me as I am living my day to day life."
Whitlock said along with his religion, his family has had a huge impact on his life.
"They have always been there," he said. "When the going gets tough, I know that I can count on them for advice or just to be an ear to listen. I think more importantly, [my parents] have instilled in me a humble desire to achieve great things. They have taught me to do the best I can and be grateful for what I have."
His father, Dane Whitlock, said he and his wife have been keeping up with Matt's election via the Student Connection Web page and the Daily News Web site.
Dane said his son has had a vision of what he's wanted to do since the fourth grade, and his drive and focus continue to inspire him today.
"I've gone back to school myself and hope to finish up my master's degree here in a few months," Dane said. "He's very focused and when he puts his mind to something you pretty much have to stay out of his way. That, even as a parent, is motivational and inspiring."
In one more day, Whitlock and his slate will discover if their work and vision have paid off, with the election Wednesday night.
Getting to know your SGA presidential candidate
Hometown: Columbus, Ind.
Year: Sophomore
Major: Public relations
Favorite Music: Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay
Favorite Professor: Jason Powell, assistant professor of history
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