Point Park’s United Student Government is holding elections for all of its positions April 3 to 7. For the next two weeks, the Globe will profile the candidates for President and Vice President. We begin the series this week with profiles of the candidates for USG Vice President: Davion Heron and Kristopher Chandler.

Prospective USG Vice President Davion Heron likes to do things the unconventional way.

Currently a sophomore musical theatre major, Heron first entered Point Park as a freshman political science major. Now, he’s using his professional experience within the world of politics combined with the people skills he’s acquired in theater to potentially forge his way to the vice presidency.

Heron has always had two passions – theatre and government. Before committing to Point Park, Heron decided to not audition for the musical theater program — one that he knew was well respected within the area and nationally.

As a freshman and a then-political science major, Heron decided to join USG during his second semester on campus, thanks to two friends who were serving in senator positions. Heron served as a senator and then moved upwards to the position of recording secretary during the next year of his involvement.

In addition to taking minutes for the legislative body meetings and keeping electronic and hard copies of nearly every document that passes through USG, the recording secretary listens closely to the concerns of students.

“He or she is also the chair of the student concerns committee, so they take all of the concerns of students and find ways to either help students achieve their concern or explain to them why it might not be feasible at that time,” Heron said.

Having been involved with USG for three years, Heron decided that he was ready to check running for executive office off of his to-do list.

“I felt that I’ve definitely achieved goals that I wanted to way back when I first started as recording secretary, and I think I can take the next step to say that I want to move to vice president,” Heron said.

Heron said that while it would be possible to maintain his involvement with student concerns with his current position, he feels it is necessary to bridge the gap between himself, the students and administration.

“[As vice president] I would have a direct way to say to administration, ‘how can we work together to make this happen?’” Heron said. “So my main goal is to be there for the students and try to help administration see where students are coming from and help students see where administration is coming from.”

Within his position as recording secretary, Heron said he uses his dynamic and outgoing personality to relate to students, no matter what year or major.

“With my personality, it helps me because I can talk to anyone necessary who has an issue and I can help alleviate the problem,” Heron said.

Those who know Heron and attended high school with him at Norwin High School, located about 30 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh, are in agreement that he is a qualified listener and overtly friendly.

“He can be described as genial,” sophomore musical theatre major Jeremy Spoljarick said.

Having known Heron for seven years, Spoljarick considers him a close friend. Spoljarick said he will be voting in the coming USG elections, and that his vote will be cast for his friend.

“I’m unaware of any issues at the university, but I believe he’s very capable and he listens to everyone’s problems and opinions on issues,” Spoljarick said.

Also from the Norwin area, sophomore multimedia major Emily Yurchison has known Davion for four years and echoes Spoljarick’s remarks on Heron’s affable nature.

“If I had to describe Davion in one word, it would be friendly,” Yurchison said. “He’s got a knack for making people feel important and welcomed, and I think that’s important for someone who’s running for student office.”

Heron is comfortable with where USG is now, but desires to see the subject of shuttle services expand.

“There’s always room for growth,” Heron said. “One thing I definitely wanted to maintain is our new shuttle service, because we finally got students to be able to drive the shuttles so students can get paid to do that now.”

Heron expressed that if the new student shuttle method were to remain positive and he were to be elected as vice president, he would like new locations to be added in addition to the Pittsburgh Playhouse, the Waterfront and Trader Joe’s.

While Heron mentioned that the concerns of the student body have shifted from last year to this year, stretching from Wi-Fi and food service to shuttle services, he expressed the new location of the Pittsburgh Playhouse as a subject of utmost importance to the student body and therefore USG.

“Another thing are the new renovations happening around campus with the new Playhouse,” Heron said. “I want to help to see what the outlook would be, the new food system they’re putting in when it’s done, and see how students feel about it.”

Across his college career, Heron has additionally been involved in rugby club, Impulse Dance Club and has served as a resident educator through the Office of Student Life. Through this involvement, he has learned how to effectively manage his time, even though he plans on giving USG the most attention out of his work load next year.

“Next year, I’m really going to focus on USG, because I know that it would be a new schedule I would not be accustomed to,” Heron said.

Heron said he understands the significance and weight of this position and that being approachable for students will remain at the forefront of his campaign.

“I think the one thing I would make sure to stress more and more is that I’m here for students,” Heron said. “I’m also a student. Everything that affects them through any administration also affects me as well. My main goal is to just be there for them because I’m also them.”