On the way back from a visit to his hometown last year, Hogan Medlin and his friend Emma Din stopped to explore an ostrich farm, only to be met by the owner, wearing overalls, chewing tobacco and toting a shotgun, clearly dismayed by the intruders’ presence.
“I thought for sure he was going to shoot us,” Medlin said.
But the junior kept his cool and explained that they were not trespassers, but rather UNC students who like to try new things.
After a few minutes of talking, the owner insisted on giving them a tour of the farm.
To those who know the candidate for student body president, this example of Medlin’s ability to relate to people would come as no surprise.
Medlin, a political science major from Eden, has a clear lead in the number of both Facebook group members and petition signatures in support of his candidacy.
He has 1,726 members in his Facebook group and gathered more than 1,800 signatures of support to get his name on the ballot for the Feb. 9 election, significantly more than any other candidate.
He has been considering a run for the executive branch’s highest office since his freshman year, and has worked in student government since arriving on campus.
His campaign reflects this extensive involvement, presenting no radical ideas but continuing many initiatives presented by past student body presidents.
