Candidate for YCC Treasurer Yanni Legmpelos ’12 modeled his campaign video after a late-night infomercial: Upon receiving a “YanniStrong” wristband, Yalies each acquire various superpowers and skills, from a muscular physique to poker-table prowess.
The YouTube spot, Legmpelos said, is modeled after the 2008 campaign video made by current YCC presidential hopeful Jonathan Wu ’11, “Yes Wu Can.” Wu’s campaign, Legmpelos said, first inspired him to pursue student government. As soon as the school year began, Legmpelos ran for and won a spot on the Freshman Class Council and joined the International Students Organization and the Yale European Undergraduates.
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By attending many YCC meetings since the end of the fall semester, he said, he has been involved in a couple of YCC projects, such as advocacy for academic minors. Legmpelos said he now wants to expand his role in serving and connecting the Yale community.
“I will be a facilitator,” Legmpelos said. “I will have my office hours, and whoever you are, you just come and say, ‘I want to do this thing.’ Tell me what you need.”
Legmpelos, a prospective engineering and economics major, said he will work on implementing a few reforms: making YCC budget allocation more transparent, providing more resources to undergraduate groups, and reaching out to and uniting undergraduates, graduate students and the New Haven community.
“I think I have the skills to be an accessible, go-to guy to manage the account and reach out to the students,” he said.
But despite his enthusiasm, two of Yale freshmen interviewed Wednesday said they have doubts about Legmpelos’ ability to serve on the YCC executive board.
“He is very energetic, and he has very good intentions,” said an FCC member who worked on the Freshman Olympics with Legmpelos, “but sometimes he gets distracted in his numerous activities and doesn’t have the time to commit.”
Yanni hails from Thessaloniki, Greece. He was class president until 11th grade, when he fought to preserve a park with a coalition of students.