The possibility of unity and togetherness is what inspired Jesse Nichols to run as a write-in candidate for Student Association president.

The idea came to him in a dream, he said — a vision of students coming together on the quad, meditating with one another, enjoying each other’s company.

“Whether or not I win or lose, this entire campaign is becoming an opportunity for togetherness,” Nichols said.

Togetherness, as well as mindfulness — the ability to focus on the present moment — are two things Nichols takes very seriously as a practicing Buddhist and two things he would like the Syracuse University campus to work on.

In fact, those characteristics are even what inspired the campaign’s short-but-sweet slogan: “Om for SU.”

In the Buddhist religion, the “om” symbol stands for interconnectedness, he said. With the help of his running mate and Vice President of the Student Buddhist Association Moke Hein, Nichols further dissected the “om” symbol to create the four guiding principles of his campaign: equality, togetherness, compassion and dedication.

“I encourage everyone, whether or not they vote for us, to learn about this idea of interconnectedness and building contentment as a community,” Nichols said.

As a part of Nichols and Hein’s “Om for SU” campaign, the pair wants to create a holistic stress reduction center. Sponsored by the Office of Health Promotion, the center would act as a one-stop shop toward feeling better. Services provided will include yoga, meditation and art therapy.

Furthermore, Nichols and Hein would like to add an eighth working group to the seven others already in existence dedicated specifically to wellness and student happiness.

Nichols and Hein would also like to see more organic, healthy options in the dining halls and easier access to information regarding the nutritional content and sourcing of the university’s food, they said.

All of these initiatives come back to one thing: mindfulness. And that is the main takeaway of the “Om for SU” campaign.

“We believe that everybody has the ability to be mindful, they just need a little guidance to do so,” Hein said. “And by spreading this idea, everyday interaction will become much better.”

Nichols’ journey into Buddhism began in high school in his hometown of Vienna, Virginia. After reading “Siddhartha” for English class, Nichols felt touched and inspired by Buddha’s words and lessons at the end of the novel.

He began officially practicing in college while studying abroad in Italy. With no way to relax in this period of change and personal growth, Nichols said he turned to Buddha’s teachings for guidance.

“Buddha’s wisdom was so incredible to me and so timely, even though he lived thousands of years ago,” Nichols said. “His quotes were so relevant to something I was going through. I had never read words that were so beautiful as the ones from Buddha. I think that really helped me.”

Today, Nichols is president of the SBA, a result of his getting involved with the weekly meditations at Hendricks Chapel upon returning to campus from studying abroad.

His presidential responsibilities include planning events, overseeing meditation leaders, planning and running meetings and designing promotional materials, among other things.

“He’s responsible and he’s reliable, and he’s very social and engaging in a way that is informal. He just makes people feel comfortable, and he certainly has a great grasp of what needs to be done,” said Jikyo Bonnie Shoultz, the chaplain and adviser for the SBA.

Nichols also works as a resident adviser for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender learning community in Flint Hall. He can also be found behind the counter at Strong Hearts Cafe, a fitting line of work for the practicing vegan.

“I think veganism is one of the few things in life that’s good for everyone: good for the animals, good for the planet and good for my body,” Nichols said.

Being so heavily involved on and off campus has never hindered Nichols’ academic pursuits, he said, even though he is a triple major in international relations, public relations and citizenship and civic engagement.

Nichols said his favorite aspect of his citizenship and civic engagement major is the emphasis on a self-designed action plan, where every student must work individually to do something to positively alter his or her community. Personally, Nichols is working to find new ways to implement solar energy in a collaborative manner with the Onondaga Nation.

Nichols said all of these activities and majors are the driving force behind his campaign.

“Everything I’ve done up until now has led me to this point. This is a chance for us to promote mindfulness and how incredible it is to cultivate those practices for inward health and happiness,” Nichols said.

But regardless of the outcome, Nichols said he believes all-around improvement for the university is the most important thing.

Said Nichols: “We hope whoever wins is able to make this university a better place.”

Published on April 14, 2015 at 9:30 pm

Contact Brigid: brkenned@syr.edu