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Candidates Forum 9/25-9/26
Dorthy Feng 2021: Hi everyone I am Dorthy Feng class of 2021. Do you have any questions?
Sophia Bokhari 2020: What would you describe as one of your weaknesses?
Dorthy Feng 2021: I think one of my weaknesses is management with time, because I am occupied with too many things involving work, and my life. So sometimes I have to make decisions. I have to do better with my management with things in order to do better with other things.
Milan Fredrick 2020: Why are you running for this position?
Dorthy Feng 2021: Because personally I am very concerned with my working career after school. Currently I work with the career center for appointments already so I actually know something about how to make residence better and how to interview with your companies that you want to get hired. So, I think maybe I can help my classmates with that.
Clair Hampton 2021: What is the position?
Dorthy Feng 2021: LILAC representative
Sophia Bokhari 2020: what is your favorite fruit?
Dorothy Feng 2021: it used to be orange now its avocado.
Milan Fredrick 2020: what skills do you have that will prepare you for this position?
Dorthy Feng 2021: I was in a literary magazine when I was in high school, so I possess writing skills and I took computer science.
Sophia Bokhari 2020: What do you think is a unique quality about yourself than someone else that might run for this position?
Dorthy Feng 2021: I actually consider myself to be very well rounded, so I check out many company's profile from careers so I can actually help people decide on their career track and other information.
Sophia Bokhari 2020: what do you think you could offer to the SGA meetings?
Dorthy Feng 2021: in order to come to the meetings, I have to put off my other meetings and activities. SO, to prepare for those meetings I would clock information from my classmates about their intended career or anything they want to know about research.
Milan Fredrick: The next position is Pensby Rep, Deborah Ekwale class of 2021.
Deborah Ekwale class of 2021: Does anyone have any questions for me?
Clair Hampton 2021: What is the Pensby Rep?
Deborah Ekwale 2021: The Pensby Rep, is actually called the office of intercultural affairs, and I will be the Pensby Rep. I talk about how the BMC community can be more inclusive.
Sophia Bokhari: What experience do you hold that makes you think you can be affective in this position?
Deborah Ekwale class 2021: I currently do not have any experience, but I feel like my background has a lot to do with it. I am an immigrant from Nigeria, and just recently I moved here two years ago. When I went to high school here I felt like people held a lot of stereotypes
about me, so coming to BMC I have felt a piece of home. No one should ever have to prove that they are worthy of inclusion. I feel like BMC is very accepting and I feel like this community has exposed me to a lot of things I was sheltered from as a kid, whether it be movies, music, art and people or experiences.
Sophia Bokhari 2020: What do you hope to accomplish if you end up holding this position? Is there anything you would like to change about the BMC community?
Deborah Ekwale class 2021: As a freshman, I am not so sure about that. If I get the position I hope to learn a lot and with time I will be able to gain more knowledge.
Milan Fredrick 2020: Will the candidates for class president please come up!
Delphine and Carly will be running together. Clair and Saskia are running together. Abigail Benz is running a lone. Chloe Liu and Yabundu Conteh are running together.
Sophia Bakhari 2020: a lot of times there is a stigma around class president, especially when you think of high school students feel they don't do a lot. What would you do if elected to abolish this myth and what plans do you have if you are elected?
Chloe Liu and Yabundu Conteh 2021: I definitely agree with most of the stigmas around class president and when you move into freshman year these stigmas also transfer through; however, me and Yabundu may not know every nook and cranny about how BMC works as a whole yet but as freshman we want to take this and start by listening to the opinions, listen to other people. Hearing what people want to change see what can be made better and making another peoples' experience better. I want to represent our class as a whole and that's how we want to approach this. Listening, understanding and then taking that and going into action.
Abigail Benz 2021: to go off that I agree with the stigmas from high school about how it was often just a popularity contest at least in my case. Even though I have only been here three weeks I would want to implement a system of suggestions and office hours, so people can come to me with concerns. Listening to everyone and their different prospective can help me translate that into action.
Clair Hampton 2021: my high schools our class president did a lot and I feel like I would continue that. What I want to do at the end of the year is to host a fundraiser and raise money for one of the areas that were devastated by the multiple natural disasters. I feel like we are going to focus on small things throughout the year and then build on those, if we get elected. We will have smaller aspects of our presidency that we could build off of.
Carlie Hanson 2021: Delphine and I really want to make the class presidents available to the rest of the freshman class. We want to be a presence, and we want to be there. Part of the high school stigma is that most people just do this for their resumes, but Delphine and I really want to be there for out class, and be there for whatever challenges we face adjusting to Bryn mar. we want to be open and approachable, and be there for them when they need something.
Milan Fredrick 2020: What would be on your agenda if you won the position?
Yabundu Conteh 2021: I think one thing that Chloe and I share for being class president is that we want to be as inclusive as possible to the whole class. We both have approachable personalities and we like to branch out of the clique, we would be better able to get experiences and face any challenges that our first years may face. One example is that I was in student government at my high school and the premise of my campaign was focused on recognizing Muslim holidays, because some of them didn't get recognized at all. Although I am not Muslim I thought that it was important for me to speak up for the underrepresented community. So, a quality both Chloe and I both have is to uplift other voices that are the minority.
Abigail Benz 2021: I think I would mainly listen to what other people's ideas are and take other suggestions. I also think it's important to look at current event and what is happening in the world because often times it pertains to a lot of students on campus. I would also focus on those main issues. I don't want to be an over powering force where I just bring my ideas into it and not listen to what others have to say.
Saskia Holman 2021: so, I think the most important point I want to focus on is communication. I have heard a lot from our class about how they really value clear and direct communication especially over the summer when everyone was trying to figure out how to work Bionic and all those other programs that no one knew how to work. So, I think for us, our main goal would be to communicate frequently and affectively. But also, communication is a two ways street, so you also need to listen to members of our class, and be respectful and open, which will allow us to break down that hierarchy. Clair has a lot of experience planning events, I also do, so we are both very organized and responsible. We care a lot about giving back to our community. If people experience any natural disasters we think that could be a powerful movement as a class.
Delphine 2021: I think the most vital part of our plan is that we plan to be servant leaders and not just leaders. It is very important that we are working for you, that's the point of us. We are not telling you what to do, it's for you to tell us what to do. I think in this point in history we cannot afford to lose that and I think we have. That why I think it's so important that we remind ourselves that our leaders are here to serve us and that's our plan. We want to organize event and do stuff as a class to help us to grow and get through our freshman year. I think its important that you see us as open people that you can talk to and we can help you out. I was my high schools class president for four years and I was varsity captain for two, and this is what I have done for the past three years. I have always been helping my class to get things done, planning events for planned parenthood, DACA, and just help affect change. We are a small community, and I think that it is important that we know that we can still affect change and we can do something for someone.
AB 2021: I did go to Plenary and I obviously having Witnessed the old voting system I thought that voxvote was extremely efficient and can imagine how much that better it would be than the old system so I think definitely Continuing to use that or find other Technologies that will Aid the process is important and I know that we were well past quorum in terms of the number of people so I think that a pretty important part as well it shouldn't just be about getting the exact number of people for votes but getting as many people's voices and opinions heard.
?: One thing that I think was a prevalent issue with plenary and a lot of it had to do with the Freshman Class just because we hadn't experienced plenary before but I think there was a lack of knowledge of certain parts of plenary I know that a lot of people we're asking questions like what is Robert's Rules and I can explain that to them but that's me only reaching a few people and I think as a class or as class presidents we have a responsibility to communicate to the class and make sure that they are informed when they go into plenary what's going to happen what are Robert's Rules how does this work like anything that they could possibly need to know because not only would that make plenary more efficient but it's more meaningful because if you go in there and you have no idea what you're doing you don't know what the resolutions are you don't know what Robert's rules are then you're not really getting anything out of the whole experience and plenary is a big part of what makes Bryn Mawr unique and the student government and students being able to have a voice and be able to vote and so I think in the future for plenary I would just again emphasize communication and education of our class and reviewing the resolutions and asking for questions from our class members do you understand everything that's going on do you have any questions how about what's going to take place or what resolutions are I think what should happen is having a clear idea of the event and what's going to happen makes plenary much more meaningful
CH 2021: So I served as a volunteer for plenary which I thought would be a great way to kind of familiarize myself with the plenary process it was a great experience it was also very insightful two listen to the upperclassmen volunteers talk about the old plenary system and I think that all the other candidates have reiterated that implementing tutorials or information sessions
about plenary prior to the event actually happening so that we do understand a little bit more about the processes of plenary Id work a little bit and conjunction with Delphine and the rest of sGA to implement such events before plenary and get acclimated to the processes and I also think that encouraging engagement is a very important part of the government process as a whole not only at plenary but at SGA Meetings throughout the year one of the SGA members during the volunteer session training yesterday talked a lot about how student Government meetings are open to everyone and how we need to really encourage people to come to SGA meeting and that's a big part of what I want to implement as engagement between the members of the campus the SGA encouraging participation sJ meetings SG events focusing on how we can actually inform people on how sGA works
DF 2021: So going back to the transparency point I just mentioned is very important to have the organization done before meeting happens whether it's plenary or a general SGA meeting so it would be best if we could send out a clear what to expect for the meeting and then people can for interested can come to participate or send emails to any of the leaders were concerned about it continue more consciously
SB 2020: So I kind of touched on this when asking about other positions as well but I just wanted to let you know that a big part of your rolls is going to be weekly as SGA meetings as Repco member so what specific motivations or values what can you bring to SGA meetings that you think would help this kind of process of decision making the happens at sGA meetings?
? 2021: I think something we could both bring to the weekly SGA meeting many different viewpoints to bring to a problem that comes up for the Bryn Mawr community something that I found in my strength Finders was the trait of responsibility and I think that ties into meetings because I think that as class presidents and important roles to be responsible for the student body and how we are portrayed to the other classes above us so definitely having our voices be heard in the sea meetings and also being cognizant the way that we are tackling a problem as opposed to being just close minded
AB 2021 I come from a very small community in Vermont and I've grown up with the values of being a good listener and working together and always trying to have things become inside in and one of the things that Drew me to Bryn Mawr was the same small tight-knit community and so being part of the small discussions and Leadership teams I feel like I have a whole lot of experience and therefore I feel sort of well prepared to time to SGA meetings
Claire Hampton and Saskia Holman 2021 we think that what we would bring that would be unique to an SGA meeting would be positivity and enthusiasm and we think this because when you're trying to creative create change there's a lot of what can we do that is in what's not working and instead of focusing on what's not working we think we'll focus on how to make things better and instead of just being focused on the issue of not really being able to get anywhere will focus on the resolution and helping the problem and we also believe that will bring inclusive tea because Saskia and I are from different friend groups and we think that this would help because with our positivity and our reach two different commute just in general from not being both like in the same dorm like in the same situations of people that will be able to bring multiple viewpoints to meeting
Carly Hanson. Delphine McCann 2021 so dolphin and I are both student-athletes we're both members of the soccer team so we already have to have an element of time management in order to fit and all aspects of our Bryn Mawr lives so mike has a student in classes and bouncing Classworks and finding that work-life balance we're both skilled and time management and sewn will bring back and also our energy and passion that we have for the things that we do so whenever one of us that's our minds on something we we always give 110% and we don't ever put in half effort to something we're always there and present and are willing to put in the effort. Takes to create the change that are willing to see that we want to bring that energy imbalance that's positive mindset and to ask you some meetings to bring ideas and bringing the ideas of our peers and also to work constructively with the SGA as a whole team sports are team sports so not individual team can't succeed based on the actions of one person it's going to be the whole team working together and want to bring that mentality to SGA and play our part in the team
DF 2021 if I could attend weekly meetings I would ask for my classmates opinions beforehand and present them to the SGA meeting and before that I would come up with my own Solutions in order to provide some for the SGA and as an international student I actually have some knowledge about the situation that International students are facing so I will also bring that up and communicate with all the fellow International students in order to make the this environment more acceptable and more open to all the students in the school.
Haverford Representative
Liv Phillips '19: Hi, I'm Liv and I use she/her pronouns and I'm class of 2019.
Question: What do you think that your position currently does and what would you like to do to fulfill those duties and add on to them?
Answer: I think the Haverford Rep serves as an intermediary person between the two different governing bodies of the student government of Haverford and Bryn Mawr. That's something that I think is very important. But that's something that I feel like we're failing to really have a close relationship with. I know a lot of people on the student council at Haverford, I'm currently a Haverford History major, I'm on the Mock Trial team—I'm really invested in them. I'm also in a Bi-Co club and I feel like a lot of the time there's not communication between the two different student organizations and that's something that's kind of worrying for me. Also, being one of the presidents of a Bi-Co club, that makes it very difficult when there's different items that are being dispersed such as with PE credits. Bryn Mawr only gets quarter credits per semester while Haverford gets a full credit per quarter for PE club and I just don't think that's fair to either of our students because someone's getting so many credits and someone's not. I want to make sure that we can work together to have as much communication between those groups. I feel like I would be a very good person for that position.
Q: What skills do you have that you can bring to this position to help you do your job?
A: I have a Haverford college water bottle! That kind of explains who I am as a student. I more identify as a bi-college student. I'm a minor of English here at Bryn Mawr but I'm a major at Haverford so that skillset has allowed me to understand how different departments work. As I mentioned before, I'm president of a Bi-Co club and I'm the communications director of the Haverford Mock Trial club so I have really experienced being that intermediary. So, I'm kind of in charge of dealing with Bryn Mawr students on the Haverford Mock Trial team or working with Bryn Mawr students on the equestrian club. I've worked with faculty on both campuses and worked with being a major there. I think that's something that we could also make easier for students because I feel like a lot of the time people don't really understand the difference between a Haverford major and a Bryn Mawr major and enclosing the gap and making it as easy as possible. So, with these skill sets that's what I feel like I can work on and bring to the table.
Q: Do you think you're going to create any informational sessions and events that you host?
A: Yes, I would love that. Because I spend so much time at Haverford and not as much time here, I really want to bridge that gap and I want to make sure people feel comfortable going in to Haverford clubs or different things that are more predominantly done by Haverford. And the same with Haverford students coming to Bryn Mawr. I really want to make everyone feel welcome here. I think that's something we can work on. I think it would be great to have some information sessions with the SGA or student council reps at Haverford coming over and having a "meet and greet" with them. Everyone can get to know one another and have that bond and communication between two people, two student governing bodies because we are part of this consortium.
Q: What's your favorite fruit?
A: My favorite fruit is a good apple. I love them with Nutella.
Q: You mentioned having a lot of extracurricular activities. Do you think you'll be able to balance having another and do you think you'll be able to put enough time into fulfilling the role?
A: Yes. Even though I am extraordinarily busy, that's what I work best at. I'm bored right now because Mock Trial isn't in full swing, I haven't started riding, but I have my schedule filled out so I'm very good at time management and I have blocks of time that I can dedicate to this position. Looking at the schedule and also thinking about student council at Haverford, I know I would have time. I wouldn't run for this position if I didn't have time. I definitely feel that I can dedicate myself to this and work hard.
Rep to the Faculty
Julia Moore: My name is Julia Moore, I'm class of 2021, I use she/her pronouns.
Q: What does your position do and what would you do to fulfill those duties?
A: On the website, it says the positions main purpose is to keep an open line of communication between the faculty and the students and to be a liaison to the faculty. I think I'd be good at this because I've done it before. I went to boarding school and I was a prefect there for the sophomore girls. I was a point of contact between the students and faculty. So, I have experience doing that and I really enjoyed it.
Q: what other qualities do you think would help you fulfill this role?
A: I like to get things done. I feel like I do best when I am productive and I really work hard to make what needs to happen, happen. So, I have a determination to get things done.
Q: Do you know anything about what the current or previous Rep to the Faculty has done and if so would you like to change anything?
A: I know very little about what has been done previously. I know that the person graduated last year so I don't know if they started as a Faculty Rep before that year. I'd like to learn more but I have no resources to find that information.
Q: are you doing any other extracurriculars that would make you too busy for this position?
A: I'm working for Wyndham bit that's a 3-hour shift on Monday mornings so I think I can manage.
Q: What's your favorite fruit?
A: Honeydew. It's a really good melon!
To the Bryn Mawr College community,
My name is Janina Calle and I am writing in efforts to express my desire to serve as the SGA's Social Justice and Equity E-Board representative.
As the first semester of my first year at Bryn Mawr college comes to an end, I have become quite reflective. I reflect on the concern I had coming in as a freshman. Like most of us, I feared the new adjustment of simply having to make new friends, navigate through an unknown campus, and succeeding as a scholar. However, it was not until I step foot on this campus that I realized that the factors that comprised my identity made me uncomfortable in a space that appeared to differ than from what I was taught to understand as the norm. Given that I was raised in an inner-city filled with people that resembled me, I was a bit shocked to not see as many familiar looking faces on campus. But honestly, this realization demonstrates so much more. It demonstrates the impact that living in a nation that has failed to recognize and provide for people that deviate from what has been settled as being the 'standard' has created. As a consequence, being in an institution that in many ways has perpetuated ideologies that have inhibited the growth of Brown and Black people in America, has created a genuine fear that is not unique to me.
Nonetheless, I was able to find a sense of belonging at a predominately white institution. A reality that I genuinely would not have thought to be possible without the supportive, intelligent, and kind friends I have made. The transition has not been easy, but it is now more than ever that I see the importance of fostering a community of absolute inclusion not only within the confines of this campus, but through all borders both physical and invisible ones.
Certainly, inequality has existed since the beginning of time, but as cognizant people, we have the capabilities of recognizing that there is a problem and insisting for change towards combating it. The actions taken on this campus from students like ourselves and staff members should and will have a consequence to the future of this institution. Every effort to reform the unforgiving legacy of Bryn Mawr College and of the nation, should be done with the intent to not only serve current members of the community, but also for the sake of future members.
To whom may ever be chosen as the representative of the Social Justice and Equity E-board chair, they will be granted the great task of helping mend century old wounds beside a community that acknowledges the importance of this movement.
Cassandra Silva
Hey Bryn Mawr! My name is Cassandra Silva (they/them) and I am running for Social Justice and Equity Chair. I was excited that this position was established this year and hope to help Bryn Mawr be a more inclusive campus. I want to help foster a place where students are able to learn and live here without feeling held back because of who they are. On campus, I am a member of the Zami+ Executive Board where we focus on uplifting our community members and providing resources for those involved. Additionally, I help promote sustainability as a Green Ambassador. I am a sociology major with a specific focus on people who have been underrepresented in the field. I am passionate about fighting injustice and exclusion wherever it exists. I am a first generation student, a person of color, and queer and I understand how it feels to be isolated on a campus that has not historically been a place where people with diverse backgrounds are supported. In my first year attending this college, I struggled to see myself in academia at all because of who I am. Overcoming these obstacles is a constant battle and I want to emphasize the fact that everybody has something to contribute and is an important part of the Bryn Mawr community. I personally know how hard it can be and I am passionate about creating a place where more students are able to thrive. I want to make sure that students are being uplifted and their identities and origins are not obstacles in the way of their success here. I am committed to bettering our school and want to hold conversation with students about their experiences on this campus to make sure that improvements are being made for the benefit of the campus community. In this position, it is important to hear from you, the students. I wish to actively engage with you all to make sure that your voices are being heard in regards to social justice and equity on campus. I am very friendly and always up to socialize so if you have any questions or concerns feel free to approach me or reach out. I want to make myself available to you. I respond to emails quickly so feel free to contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Anu Atte
Hello all!
My name is Anu Atte, I prefer she/her pronouns, Class of 2019, and I am running for the position of Social Justice and Equity Chair on the SGA Executive Board.
As a Nigerian woman, I understood some aspects of discrimination growing up. I recognized that as a girl, I was expected to present myself in a way that didn't 'offend' people. I talked too long and too loud, I wanted to run around and play rough games with the boys, I spoke my mind and I was competitive. I quickly realized that none of these things constituted society's ideas of how a girl should act.
This understanding of marginalization grew when I moved to the United States to start college, a move which coincided with my growth into an adult. Suddenly I wasn't 'Yoruba', which is my ethnicity. I was black. For some people, I was an even harsher slur for 'black' – the 'n' word. I was suddenly poor and 'spoke good English, all things considered' because I'm African. These realizations troubled and confused me, and suddenly I was searching for answers.
Arriving at Bryn Mawr, I started receiving words for the feelings and thoughts I was having, words like feminism and intersectionality and representation and marginalization. I learned that there are so many identities that our constructed society has deemed unacceptable, like being black, being a woman, being an immigrant, being disabled, being not straight or not cisgender. I learned that some people, myself included, hold more than one of these identities and receive even greater discrimination because of it. This made me angry, and made me want fix it all.
So far, my time at Bryn Mawr has helped me center my ideas and feelings about it all. Choosing my major became easy when I found out that I could have a focus in Global Social Justice if I became an International Studies major. I found understanding and love and support in campus communities like BACaSO, Sisterhood and the Enid Cook Center. I discovered the value of creating spaces where the marginalized can be themselves and be free in a world that gives us no room.
In a time and political climate where bigotry and hate are more explicit, where we are having to question and critique the institutions and systems that we are participants of, and where are demanding that they restructure their functions to include us all, including the ones on our very own campus, the creation of the Social Justice and Equity Chair is a move that could not have come at a better time. It would therefore be an honor for me to take on this role.
Social justice is an issue that I am fully invested in and passionate about, and I believe that this passion will help drive me to do the job to the best of my abilities. Having been a student government executive in my education prior to Bryn Mawr, I have experience working as a representative of the student body to the school administration, working as a team with other executives to meet the needs of the students, and managing my time to focus necessary attention on my duties, which was a necessary skill considering that it was a boarding school, making this a full-time job. I am confident that I am well equipped to help make Bryn Mawr College a place where all of our unique and important experiences as people are considered, understood, and included. Thank you!
Anu Atte
Class of 2019
Candidates statements of September 2017:
Class of 2021 President(s):
Abigail Benz:
Hello Bryn Mawr Beings! I am Abigail Benz from the class of 2021, and I am running for the position of Class of 2021 president. After being at Bryn Mawr for several weeks now, I am finding more and more ways to immerse myself in the unique community, this position being one of them. I participated in my high school senate and also a attended a government/leadership program, so naturally I want to continue my interest in government, while also becoming more a part of my community here. As far as my responsibilities go, I view my position as a liaison between my class and the SGA. I am responsible for communicating what matters to my class and to work on solutions to the issues we feel are important. In terms of my background, my life at home very much mirrors the community and function of the SGA. I come from a very small town and community in Middlebury Vermont, where the Quaker values and close-knit community are all very familiar to me. I am accustomed to listening really well and putting a large emphasis on having everyone's voice be heard. In a similar vein, living in a small community has prepared me to live under the honor code. Believe it or not I do not own a house key, and during the day my house stays unlocked. My community trusts one another to do the right thing even when no one is looking, and that acting with honesty and creates a stronger community. I am also one of four siblings, which has taught me a lot about being independent, but also how to compromise and work together. Additionally, in high school I participated in theater by doing stage managing. This task is a feat within itself as it takes a large amount of leadership, organization, and patience. I had to collaborate with many people's visions and assess what would be best for the entire production and not simply convenient for myself. I believe that both my experiences of growing up in a small community and of my opportunities in high school, have well equipped me to take on this position. In order for my position to be effective I don't want my campaign to be about false and empty promises. While I may be the one with the official title, it is about our class as a whole. For this position to be effective I want to incorporate as many people's ideas, suggestions, and opinions into making change as possible. I recognize that I am only one person and have my own identity, so I feel that it is important to surround myself with my wonderfully diverse class to effectively take on this position. My goal will be to hold office hours so that transparency is increased and there is a fluid dialogue between the student body its representative. I feel that I bring a unique perspective coming from a small community and being a Vermonter. Nonetheless I am not the boss, my class should be the boss of me. I am here to work for them and help to lead their initiatives and what matters to them. Since I have only been on campus for three weeks, my current knowledge of SGA is limited, as I have not had many opportunities to experience it. However, the experiences that have been offered so far I have taken advantage of. For example, I am a dorm representative for Merion, and I attended my first plenary several days ago. While these are only small actions that have gotten me involved with SGA, taking on the role of class president will enable me to be an even more active and engaged member. Thank you for all of your support!
Saskia Holman and Claire Hampton
Hey Class of 2021!
We are Saskia Holman (she/her pronouns) and Claire Hampton (she/her pronouns) and we're excited for the chance to be your class presidents! Saskia is from Austin,Texas and learning to love actually experiencing four seasons. Claire grew up in a small town right here in Pennsylvania and absolutely loves PA.
Claire did everything humanly possible in highschool, except for sleeping. (If you want to know: three varsity sports, marching band, choir, musical theatre, and she was president of Mini-THON, a 12 hour dance marathon fundraiser for pediatric cancer research, which raised $60,000!). She's really passionate about giving back through philanthropy and community involvement. Claire chose Bryn Mawr because of the way it fosters community amongst its students, giving them a home for more than just four years but a lifetime.
Saskia was a theatre, band, and regular type of nerd in highschool. Some of her favorite things are working with kids, volunteering in the community, meeting new people, and Tex-Mex food (Y'all don't even know). Saskia chose Bryn Mawr because she felt like it could become a home for her (despite being 1,668 miles away from Austin).
If you haven't gotten the hint, we love Bryn Mawr. It's only been three weeks, and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else (Have you tasted Haverford's food??). But more than just loving Bryn Mawr, we love our class. And red. And owls. We want all of us to grow closer and have an amazing four years together. We understand how unique it is to have a school that actually values its students' opinions, and that's why we wanted to get involved with Student Government. You are more than just a number, especially to us. 😉 We'll be hosting dance parties, karaoke, a few rounds of Charades, casual hangouts, movie marathons, Netflix and food binges…whatever y'all are into. We'll keep you updated with all the latest and most hip happenings at Bryn Mawr through email, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and basically all of the social medias. But most importantly, we'll respect our class (you all!) and fully represent your needs, desires, and ideas for change.
If elected, we are looking forward to leading our fellow Reds in a fundraiser! We'd love to help people who live in the areas that were devastated by recent natural distasters. Claire would love to use her knowledge of running Mini-THON to make an concrete impact by uniting our class to help the less fortunate. We know that some of you or your families were affected by these disasters, so it's an issue close to our hearts. ❤
If you want to contact us you can email Saskia at firstname.lastname@example.com and Claire at email@example.com, or text/call us at (512) 838-1302 or (484) 949-1181. We're interested in hearing from you how we can make this year great! Elections will be conducted through a Google form sent through email, so make sure to vote on the 28th or 29th! If you have any questions about elections make sure to contact email@example.com, and check out the other candidates at https://elections.blogs.brynmawr.edu!
Carlie Hansen & Delphine McCann:
Hello Bryn Mawr! We're Carlie and Delphine, and are running for the Class of 2021 Class President positions on the Bryn Mawr Self-Governance Association. We are striving to be engaged, approachable, and responsible liaisons between the SGA and the freshman class as a whole. We want to bring our energy and passion to the SGA in order to best serve you, our fellow classmates.
Both of us have multiple years of experience in student government and student engagement, and hope to use that experience in ways that benefit the entire freshman class. One of our priorities is to reach out to you and encourage participation in SGA, and help our class familiarize themselves with the opportunities available for engagement within the organization. We are interested in exploring the development of workshops and resources to help freshman understand how different aspects of SGA operate – as a result of being new to Bryn Mawr, most of us are unfamiliar with the conventions of the organization's events, such as Plenary. Thus, we want to organize events and make resources available that demystify SGA processes that may be new to us as freshmen.
We also will set up office hours where you can bring your questions, suggestions, and concerns to us in person so that we can pass them on to the SGA for implementation, and will always be prompt in responding to emailed suggestions. On the topic of communication, we'd like to facilitate dialogue about how the college can effectively reach both incoming and current students about important items pertaining to college life. Additionally, we want to recognize the importance of coming together as a class to form new friendships. We plan to host several get-togethers throughout the year where the class can meet together for a fun event, hangout, or outing, and grow as a community.
All in all, we want to serve as the most effective and approachable representatives of you as possible, to help us grow as a class and as people. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to cjhansen@bmc or dmccann@bmc!!
Thanks, Carlie and Delphine
Chloe Liu and Yabundu Conteh
Dear Class of 2021, Chloe Liu and I, Yabundu Conteh, are running to serve together as your Class Presidents this school year. As people who value fostering and developing diverse relationships, we are committed to ensuring that our class feels welcomed and heard. As Student Body President of my high school, I promoted religious diversity on my campus by beginning a petition as Islamic holidays were not recognized. Although I do not practice Islam, I understand that the struggles of my peers are just as significant as my own. At Bryn Mawr, Chloe & I want to ensure that all identities are not only acknowledged but respected as well. I felt compelled to advocate for my colleagues because I know too well the disadvantages that inevitably follow the unprivileged. In the spring of 2017, I hosted a public forum titled Harlem Shaking: Evaluating Gentrification, which allowed 160 community members of all ages to discuss with political leaders, collegiate academics, and activists about the current urban housing epidemic in New York City. Chloe: I was involved in my high school's orchestra council and served as the President my senior year. We oversaw a group of over 300 students and hosted community events, fundraisers, and international tours. My experience has led me to acquire leadership skills and recognize the impact that a representative can have. Yabundu and I want to be representatives who you are confident in and feel that you can communicate with at any time. With your vote, we promise to voice the Class of 2021's concerns and represent our class in the best light. We are listeners and friends of the community and want to contribute as much as possible to the Bryn Mawr community
Pensby Rep
Deborah Ekwale:
Hello everyone!
My name is Deborah Ekwale, she/her/hers pronouns, Class of 2021, and I am running for the Office of Intercultural Affairs (Pensby Representative).
Being an immigrant from Nigeria, I found myself occasionally trying to adapt to western culture. While in high school, people held stereotypes about me. They assumed I lived in trees or jungles; they reduced my entire existence to hunger and poverty; and they never failed to remind me of my heavy accent. They would laugh and repeat my words and sentences mockingly.
However, being at Bryn Mawr, I have felt a piece of home. Bryn Mawr thus far has allowed me to expose myself to a lot of the things I was sheltered from as a kid. Whether it be movies, music, art, people, and experiences. This is why I laud the work of the Pensby Center for, " addressing issues of diversity, power, and privilege, with the goal of improving the climate of our campus and enhancing the Bryn Mawr community for the betterment of all."
As unique members of the Bryn Mawr campus, we should not have to prove that we are worthy of inclusion, which is why I would love to be voted in as the Pensby Representative. As your Pensby Representative, I will continue to celebrate the uniqueness of each member of the community and raise awareness of how labels are impacting our perception of and interactions with the world.
Driven by my talents, I am adept at dealing with problems. Whenever I experience a personal loss, make a mistake, or experience failure, I tend to investigate. I have an enthusiasm that is contagious. I am also upbeat and get others excited about things. I do not enjoy conflict; rather, I seek areas of agreement. By nature, I can naturally sense when a person can benefit from my support, kind words or thoughtful deeds. I periodically go out of my way to generate laughter and merriment by amusing people with stories, jokes, or comical actions. I understand that human beings need to experience moments of exuberance — that is, unrestrained happiness and delight.
For generations to come, I want my presence being the Pensby Representative to be felt. I am not plagued by uncertainty or self doubt, which means I readily embrace the challenges I may face in this journey ahead.
Embrace inclusion, defeat hate! Vote for me!
Deborah Ekwale
Class of 2021
Representative to the Faculty
Julia Moore:
Candidates Statements April 2017:
Traditions Misstress/master/mistex
We, Britt van der Poel and Leah Baker, are excited to announce that we will be running for the 2017-2018 Traditions Mistresses positions.
We are both passionate about Bryn Mawr and the significant contribution our traditions make to the character of this college. Our own decision to join this community was undoubtedly influenced by the unique traditions that Bryn Mawr offers. Our own experiences with traditions have been filled with love, support, and a sense of community. We understand the value that traditions hold within the Bryn Mawr community and our goal is to ensure that traditions are enjoyed by all students in their own ways. Traditions have a lasting impact on the students in our community, and we want to make sure that everyone's experiences are positive and lasting.
In order to foster a community in which traditions are inclusive, we find that it is most important to have open communication within the entire community. Our main priority is to ensure that everyone is enjoying the events that we are organizing. We understand the amount of work this position yields, and we are prepared to provide the student body with another year of special traditions.
We both have experience with event planning and with holding leadership positions. Britt is currently a Conferences and Events assistant, which has provided her with experience in event planning and administrative tasks. Through this opportunity, she has also been able to strengthen professional relationships with her employers, who are at the forefront of planning events on campus. In high school, she was on the Senior Advisors Committee, in which she helped plan and execute her graduating class' yearbook, senior trip, prom, and various other activities. Leah is the Assistant Student Manager at NDDH, where she is responsible for leading meetings of both supervisors and student workers, facilitating communication between all departments of dining services and student workers, and creating a positive work environment for student workers. This past year she was also the Showcase Coordinator for Pulso Latino in which she was responsible for meeting with staff on campus to plan and reserve performance spaces for their annual Spring Showcase.
Thank you for your time and we hope that you consider us as your Traditions Mistresses!
Class of 2018 President
Here for you.
We're here for you, and we always have been. We want to make your senior year amazing, and we're willing to put in the commitment, creativity, and compassion so that everyone's needs are met. We have consistently come up with new ideas for the class, gauging support by speaking with peers and figuring out what the people want. We were historically the first co-presidents to question the use SGA Co-Presidency funding solely for events. Instead, they put the money to creating things that everyone would love and benefit from, not just those who could attend socials. We have also listened to your opinions and have helped students navigate how to implement the class song's change after it was voiced that not everybody identifies with the class song Girl on Fire. We have been your presidents for the past 3 years and would love to be able to make our fourth and final year at Bryn Mawr our best year together!
Connie Lam and Ann Tran have been here for you since before Bryn Mawr, figuring out how to navigate through college together! They met as hopeful attendees of Bryn Mawr College. Living across the hall from each other on Brecon 2nd during the Posse STEM immersion the summer before their first year, they immediately bonded over their love for desserts, their tendency to randomly trip while walking, and their need to fill awkward silences with even more awkward jokes. This position means so much to them because it has been the glue to the friendship, the thing that you can always find them speaking about animatedly. Even though they come from very different majors, they have both found a similarity in the passion that comes with planning and hosting events through the Co-Presidency.
Events that work for everyone.
Since the elections as first-years, they have organized a plethora of events, from Sophomore Celebration, to handfuls of pop-ups, and more. Even if you don't spend time in SGA or have enough time to attend all out events, we try to make our events reach everyone. That's why we do mailbox stuffers, tabling, etc.
Ideas/changes for the upcoming year.
Senior year is really important, and they want to make sure that everyone in 2018 has a good time. In order to make events work for everyone, they will form an unofficial committee to hear more fresh perspectives to help come up with more ideas and so that more people can have a say in what happens.
They also want Senior Week to be as transparent and democratic as possible for the upcoming year. They plan on sending out polls to see what events the majority of you guys want to do so that our Senior Week will be what you want to do.
As well, they will definitely host events that have been hits in the past, hoping to carry on the "traditions". These include the Jazz Night before the Battle of the Bands, more pop-ups, photo-shoots (LinkedIn and Senior Year Robes), and a Bread and Roses sticker.
If you are curious to learn more about our platform, please head to annandconnie.weebly.com.
Hi Class of 2018
Farida Ilboudo & Anita Ntem will be running for class of 2018's senior class presidents. Farida has the experience of being
Co-dorm president of a dorm and attending- SGA meetings, so she is aware of the bi-laws rules & regulations. Anita is a hall advisor who also knows how to navigate situations as she has been a great resource to her residents. She is also the co-president of the Mindfulnes Meditation Club & Business Initiatives Group thus have leadership skills that are equipt & ready for any and everything.
Farida & Anita had been the current social-cultural heads of BACaSO, so they have increased participation of events from 60 people to over 250 people. Their jobs have the consistency of planning events and getting people excited about celebration and learning and that is what we hope to carry as your presidents!! We have been very efficieny in making sure that over $13,000 in an academic school year has been used to best represent and celebrate members interests.
As active members of the community, not only do we hold memorable and active roles on campus but we are constantly involved in the exchange and updates on what improvements or change we think are mecessary on campus whether that is with the board of trustees or with general walk in hours of administartion. We are adamant about well students feel represented and welcomed into the community.
We have already started creating a database on possible events that would be great for the senior class ! We know how hard it would be to thesis, apply for jobs and grad school, so we want our senior year to be as least stressful as possible. We have already started creating a database on activities for students to get involved in, we have asked current seniors what they are excited for and what they wish were different. We also asked a few current seniors for their perspectives on what they would like to see and we would use that as a way to guide what our senior year should look like and focus on.
Once again, Farida & Anita have known each ither for years! They have travelled to Ghana and worked on outstanding projects and still continue to do so and thrive. If anyone would be a great candidate to make your senior year amazing it would be Farida & Anita. We would love to live, laugh and love our senior year!
Thank you!
Anita & Farida
Dear Class of 2018, Hello! Our names are Lydia Sanchez (she/her pronouns) and Jessica "Jubs" Breet (she/her pronouns) and we are running for class presidents. We would like to serve as class presidents to create a memorable and exciting senior year. We are running on a platform of necessary change. These changes include town hall-style meetings regarding senior week, transparency in graduation plans, and a Class Presidents' Facebook page to encourage open dialogue. This is in addition to the event organization portion of the position – four Senior Cocktails, Senior Week, and smaller hangouts – which we are committed to making enjoyable, memorable occasions that are exciting, helpful, and accessible. As a current member of the Representative Council, Jubs is an active voice at weekly SGA meetings, and works to serve the needs of the greater Bryn Mawr community. She is highly committed to being involved in SGA and working with the new executive board to foster positive, productive change both within the association and on an individual level. Lydia has served as a Student Representative on the Board of Trustees for two years, and is well-versed in the nuances and intricacies of communicating and working with the administration. Lydia's strengths in organization, planning, and experience working with "higher-ups," coupled with Jub's knack for interpersonal connections, enthusiasm, and experience on the SGA RepCo, make us the ultimate complementary "dream team" for the position of Class President. Together, we would have the responsibility to ensure that the feelings of our classmates are voiced and acted upon in ways are the best for us all. As members of varied groups including people of color, queer people, international students, and low-income students, we represent a diverse pool of identities. We are interested in serving as class presidents for a number of reasons and have several key issues that we are committed to. Because of Lydia's time on the Board of Trustees, going need-blind as an institution has become a high priority and cause for her. High participation in the senior gift is directly related to larger fund raising, and thus financial aid and the ability to admit students solely on academic performance. Jubs loves people, the class, and hosting bombass parties. Thank you for considering our candidacy and we hope to be given the opportunity to lead our class in an unforgettable senior year! Yours, Lydia and Jubs
Class of 2019 President
Hello everyone! Lillian and I are excited to have reached the halfway point of our Bryn Mawr career and would love the opportunity to re-represent our class as Class Presidents for our Junior year! Both of us have grown together as friends and leaders both on and off campus these past two years, and have channeled that positive energy into our positions. Lillian is a double major in Biology and History while I share the same love for the sciences except with a touch of Psychology.
After two full years of being your class presidents, we are excited at the chance to do it again in the upcoming year. From bringing together our class and the rest of the community through bud and roses teas and sister class socials, to celebrating the holidays of different cultures, to coming together to battle finals, Lil and I cannot imagine not being involved in SGA. We know first hand what comes with this position: the budgeting, the planning, working with traditions, and also communicating with the E Board. With us, you get experience and a true love for this position. Our main mission is to bring together the class and try to get each member of the class to at least see each other before senior year! The great thing about Bryn Mawr is having a small class size of 450…so why not make the best of it with the incentive of free food, great music, and a guaranteed good time.
We've both had experience managing our course loads, extracurriculars, and jobs with this position. Therefore, Lillian and I can surely handle a third year with this responsibility. Additionally, since we'll both live in New Dorm next year, communication will be highly effective and accessible to not only each other but to the whole class. We understand that email can sometimes be less personal than a face to face meeting, so if you ever need us, we'll be in the same location!
Aside from running for this position, we both share a love for country music and sushi! Lillian also is a highly active member in the college; Whether she's leading the swim team to its next victory or making breakthrough discoveries in her research lab, she's always ready for the next challenge! I myself, have a passion for Indian classical dance and music, so you'll usually see me embarrassing myself at a class tea!
We cannot wait to help guide our class through our third year here at Bryn Mawr. Between strengthening our bonds with other classes to creating new friendships with the incoming class and transfer students, the upcoming year has much to give us. We hope to increase attendance to class events while also increasing the number of events we have throughout the year. By an increase in our budget, we hope to increase the opportunities we have in planning. We can't wait to celebrate the milestones that come with our third year: from writing cards for study abroad students, pre-planning senior cocktails, gaining leadership positions in other clubs, declaring our majors and minors…we hope you'll ride this amazing journey with us!
-Lillian and Nikki, email@example.com email@example.com
Kamara Simms & Yeidaly Mejia
firstname.lastname@example.com // firstname.lastname@example.com
Junior Class Presidents
We are very much trying to carry out an unconventional year as class presidents. We appreciate change and seek to adapt in order to work in the best interests of 2019, which means truly listening to what our class year has to say and making our hangouts representative of our interests. We love the complexity and energy of our class year, and really want to honour that in this role.
It is especially important in junior year to promote cohesiveness and community within our class, because a large majority of our class year will be settling into our majors and/or traveling abroad, so naturally we will be very introspective and self-focused. We want to ensure that we are still enjoying ourselves and feeling supported by one another. Juniors aren't as directly involved in traditions and college-wide activities, so it is important for us to inspire and uplift each other. We are committed to doing that, and making junior year fun and carefree for us all.
Additionally, it will be our first year being a part of an upperclass sister class. It would be great to engage with the first years and incorporate opportunities to get to know them throughout the year.
Together, we have both worked in or have been closely affiliated with many departments on campus, and will use this experience to be able to direct fellow juniors to resources that will be useful. Along with connecting fellow peers with resources, we can connect and rely on our resources to make our junior year as fun, enjoyable and productive as possible.
We have complicated feelings about Bryn Mawr, but what we both agree on is that we need community in order to thrive and survive here. We want to make sure that holds true in our junior year. We want to be honest and transparent with you, and make sure this feels like a collaborative effort in making our junior year as great as possible. We will strive to exceed your expectations and truly value the confidence you have placed in us.
Class of 2020 Presidents
Zainab Saeed and Dilesha Tanna
zsaeed@bmc and dtanna@bmc
Class of 2020 Co-Presidential Candidates
To begin with, we would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take a look at our candidate statement. We are interested in being Co-Presidents of the Class of 2020 because we feel that we can work to accurately reflect the wishes, concerns, hopes, and ideas of our class.
Sophomore year can be challenging and eventful between declaring majors and the possibility of studying abroad. Our mission is to be there for you and make the process as smooth and fun as possible. We hope to plan events such as ice cream socials, insomnia study breaks, smoothie & juice bars, and therapeutic spa days. We want to serve as the voices for your class and represent you all in the weekly SGA meetings.But, most importantly, being co-president means serving as a resource and friend that students can feel comfortable talking to about anything, whether it is classes, current events, or personal matters.
Dilesha: Being Bryn Mawr Class of 2020 Co-President during the 2016-2017 has been a privilege and has taught me a lot about the school and the amazing people I interact with on a day to day business. Furthermore as a director of the Mayuri Dance team and a board member of Owl Investment, I have worked to bring together groups of students from a variety of backgrounds and create a comfortable space for all of us to thrive. Especially since I went to an all girls' school for high school, I know what it is like to maintain strong relationships between one another and create that family unit away from home. I have facilitated such a community in high school through my role as Class Vice President in 9th grade and Class President in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Additionally, I worked to foster overall growth in my school as student council treasurer. I have also worked in positions such as student ambassador, member of National Honor Society, Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper, and captain of the Varsity Tennis team that have taught me valuable skills in leadership and bringing everyone together. Furthermore, I know what it takes to be a member of the community both on a local and global scale. I have served over 120 hours in a local hospital, taught dance to kids of all ages for two years and have volunteered at a school for the underprivileged in India. My experience has helped me grow as a person and encouraged me to help others overcome their own struggles. I want to extend that same sense of community and assistance to all of you during our sophomore year as well.
Zainab: Being an active member of the Bryn Mawr Community has been an amazing experience for me as an international student. Debating against large state schools and Ivy Leagues a competitive attorney on the Bi-Co mock trial has allowed me to continue my passion for debating. Having been a Debate Head and a private MUN debate trainer has allowed me to travel all over the world and argue policies with people ranging from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. This experience has allowed me to develop my communications, team working and team building skills. Furthermore, having founded TASK, a program that provides a safe space for the street children of Karachi to learn and thrive, and having been the lead volunteer at the Red Crescent Society (Red Cross) has heightened my need and want to give back to the community that I am blessed to be a part of. When it comes to event planning experience, I have learned a lot about the organization, financial planning and management that goes into events via my work as a consultant and program manager at the School of Leadership, where I was handed the task of organizing and planning nation wide conferences. My work in the professional field and inside the bounds of my school have allowed me to grow as a person and has helped form connections with a range of people. It would be an honor to put form those connections within the Bryn Mawr Community and help people as I have done internationally and in my home country, Pakistan.
In conclusion, it would be a great honor for us to help make your sophomore year as smooth, fun and relaxing as possible. Both of us, will always have your backs and whether it be an academic or personal situation we will always be there to guide you and support you to the best of our abilities.
Hi everyone! Our names are Lauren and Juliet (we both use she/her pronouns) and we are running to be co-presidents of the class of 2020.
Just a little bit of background info about us: although this is our first year of college, we have been best friends since we met during our sophomore year of high school. Knowing one another extremely well is one of the reasons we think we'd make a great pair to represent the class of 2020. Having co-led the English as a Second Language program in high school, we know we can both contribute to a leadership position distinctly, but in equal parts.
Our goals for the upcoming year are simple: to bring a fresh perspective to SGA, represent the interests of our class, ensure that everyone has a voice, and above all, to help you have fun! As the SGA is making efforts to usher in a new era specifically geared towards inclusivity, we hope to contribute to the diversity of thought that will ultimately make SGA more representative of the entire Bryn Mawr community.
As much as this position is about collaborating to improve SGA, our primary responsibility is to help you enjoy your experience at Bryn Mawr. That means working toward improvements on an institutional level, but it also means affecting your day-to-day. We work hard. Let's repeat that once for emphasis. BRYN MAWR STUDENTS WORK HARD. We see you in lusty at two in the morning, and we know you're getting ready to declare your major, so let us plan your sophomore celebration and some mixers to help you out.
Let us buy you insomnia, put together a good playlist and help you find your chill.
Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Bokhari (she/her) and I'm in the class of 2020. I am running for class president and you can contact me at email@example.com. I'm interested in being class president because I was nominated and find the work the presidents do to be very valuable to the Bryn Mawr community. This position requires high levels of organization, leadership, independence, and teamwork as well as the desire to reach out and listen to the Bryn Mawr community. I have been fortunate enough to have a lot of experience relevant to the above. During my time at Bryn Mawr, I have started two different successful organizations and become an officer in other new organizations. My leadership in these activities on campus, as well as my involvement in other activities, require a lot of self-motivation as well as the ability to work cohesively with other members of the Representative Council.
To improve the effectiveness of this position, I would continue to make SGA more accessible. I strongly believe that motivating students to voice their opinions and participate in SGA will come through reaching out to said students and making sure they feel represented. As president, I would implement office hours throughout the semester. This would make myself more accessible to the Bryn Mawr community and make SGA more transparent in that students could inquire about progress and SGA in general throughout the course of the school year. Also, I'd like to better communication between SGA and students by making how I improve SGA and work with administration on behalf of the students clearer through weekly emails and putting students interested and concerned with how things are in touch with myself to communicate at length on how best to represent their concerns at meetings. The Class President's role on the representative council needs to be emphasized and expanded in being more of a representative voice on campus at SGA meetings concerning issues other than just popups and mixers.
I want to be representative of students' voices as a leader within SGA. I have been involved in SGA in the form of appointed positions such as Access Services Co-coordinator and Elections Board member. I would like to continue to serve the Bryn Mawr community as a representative and class president. Thanks for your vote!
Residence Council Head
Hi everyone, our names are Michelle Fleuriot '18 and Courtney Given '18 and we are running for the position of Residence Council Co-Heads!
We have both previously been involved in ResLife through several positions over our time at Bryn Mawr. We were initially introduced to ResLife sophomore year when we were both customs people. Additionally, we were both members of the customs committee for the 2016-2017 school year, which involved training the new customs people for their duties and planning customs week for the incoming first year students. Being on the customs committee gave us valuable experience in working as part of a team, something that will be beneficial as Heads of the Residence Council, and experience planning and running meetings. In this role we also gained experience worked closely with members of the administration.
We would like to be ResCo Heads because we are excited about working closely with the Dorm Presidents over the next year. Additionally, heading into our senior year we are excited to take a more active role in SGA by attending SGA meetings and acting as their representatives to several committees and groups. If elected, we look forward to collaborating with the other members of the Residence Council and acting as liaison between the Dorm Presidents, the Administration, and the rest of SGA.
If you have any questions you can contact us email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com
Representative to the Honor Board from the Class of 2018
My name is Meagan Mulkern and I'm running for a position as a Representative to the Honor Board from the Class of 2018. I'm interested in this position because I see the Honor Code as an integral part of Bryn Mawr and would love the chance to make sure that it functions smoothly in the next academic year. I also value community education and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to learn about and understand the Code and the Honor Board, especially in terms of demystifying the process of being sent to the Board. In terms of credentials, I think I am well-qualified for this position. Having spent close to three years at Bryn Mawr I am familiar with the Honor Code through experience. I also well-versed in the academic side of the Code, particularly in terms of academic honesty and citation. I am confident that I have something to bring to the Honor Board in the coming year. I can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.
My name is Hayley Johnson, and I am running for Class of 2018 Representative to the Honor Board. I have been on the honor board for one year, and it would be a privilege to continue that work. As a student representative on the honor board, I believe my biggest responsibility is to advocate for the student perspective. Each honor board case is unique, and each case requires the board to empathize with the student's situation as if it were our own. Although faculty do this to the best of their ability, they have been out of college long enough that it is incumbent on student representatives to ensure that the student's voice is clearly heard.
There are two areas where I see the greatest room for the honor board to grow: institutional memory and student empowerment. Because the members of the honor board cycle in and out every few years, the resolutions upon which the board decides lack standardization. To ensure that students are held fairly and equally accountable throughout the years, it is necessary to establish some sort of institutional memory of honor board cases. Although case abstracts are produced after each trial, these abstracts need to be compiled in a more straightforward and easily accessible way. That way, honor board members have an easy reference guide, and community members can understand what should go to the honor board and what to expect out of a hearing.
The other area where the honor board can aid community growth is in student empowerment, especially with regards to the social honor code. Because the honor code was intentionally written to be vague, many students do not feel justified in speaking up even when they have seen something that warrants confrontation. Confrontation does not need to be a hostile interaction; rather, it is meant to be restorative. Perhaps through outreach to dorms, I want to use this position to help students feel more empowered to speak up both to fellow students and to professors. Confrontation is a healthy and necessary part of living in an honor-bound community. By growing more comfortable with confrontation in our day-to-day lives, this community can hopefully grow to be a healthier and more open place.
Representative to the Honor Board from the Class of 2019
Hi everyone!
My name is Sofia Colosimo (she/her) and I'm running for Junior Representative on the Honor Board. I'm running for this position because I want to continue the work that I started this past year as Sophomore Rep. Serving on the Honor Board has taught me a great deal about how the Honor Board interacts with our daily lives as students not just on paper, but in reality. I am interested in making the Code better fit the realities we face at Bryn Mawr now and work to find solutions to pressing issues like theft in the dorms. Just as many students know, I know that the Honor Code needs reevaluation. I am committed to making the policies and processes of the Honor Board more transparent, more accessible, and more just for all Bryn Mawr students.
Despite juggling multiple extracurriculars this year, I was able to make the Honor Board a priority in my schedule, and I am ready to continue that commitment next year. I look forward to another year of collaborating and learning! If you have any questions, you can email me at firstname.lastname@example.com!
Thanks so much!
Sofia Colosimo '19
Representative to the Honor Board Class of 2020
Hi! I am Taylor McClain. I am a first year (she/her) and I am running to be the Class of 2020 Representative to the Honor Board. I want to join the Honor Board because I think the Honor Code is a central part of the Bryn Mawr community. Without the Honor Code, Bryn Mawr would be a less welcoming, less cohesive environment. The Honor Code contributed greatly to my decision to enroll at Bryn Mawr and it has been a major part of my college experience. It is important for me to see that the Honor Code is given the proper respect and acknowledgement. I hope that by joining the Honor Board I would be able to help maintain the integrity and respectability of the Honor Board, that I have known and experienced. I think as students here, we have the potential to take the Honor Code for granted, but it is a privilege that must be respected and upheld with integrity. The Honor Code is one of those things that will forever be a part of Bryn Mawr, but I think that the Honor Code needs to continue to be enforced and students and faculty need to continue to be informed of it.
In high school, I also served on the Honor Board equivalent and it was extremely rewarding experience. I appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the upkeep of the community at my school both while I was there and for future students. The honor code at my school allowed us the freedom to challenge ourselves in a safe environment. Here, the Honor Code has a similar effect. It allows the Bryn Mawr community to thrive and it allows us to challenge ourselves so that we may become independent thinkers and doers. Additionally, I think that I am qualified for this position because I am a great listener and a reciprocative communicator. I hope these qualifications will extend into my future position as a honor board representative on the Bryn Mawr campus.
Taylor McClain
Class of 2018 Songsmistress/master/mistex
Hello everyone! My name is Paige Weber and I am running for the position of class of 2018 Senior Songs Mistress. I believe I am qualified for this position as I am the class of 2018's current songs mistress and I am one of the co-pitches in Counterpoint A Cappella. As songs mistress I will work hard in making sure that all classes are enjoying the end of traditions step sings. This includes making sure that the new first years have fun during Parade Night and continue to come to all other step sings. I will also be helping some of the juniors and seniors learn how to swing lanterns for lantern night as well as teaching them Pallas. I believe I am capable of handling this as I have worked with and watched how the current senior songs mistress ran the rehearsals and I feel as though I could run them myself. Over the past year I have really enjoyed being the class of 2018 songs mistress. I enjoyed singing and dancing with everyone and I would be very honored to lead our class in the first singing of Bread and Roses.
Student Curriculum Committee
My name is Dezirae Gomez and I am a member of Bryn Mawr's Class of 2020. I am currently looking forward to next school year and opportunities that align with my educational and career goals. I plan on becoming a lawyer and focusing in educational law. My aim is to be involved in education reform, access, and equity. In high school, I was afforded the opportunity to work with an array of educators and administrators that have solidified my knowledge of the Houston education system, but I know virtually little about that of Philadelphia's. I want to be a part of the Student Curriculum Committee because I am interested in higher academia and I think I would be a great liaison in the meetings. I am professional, organized, and talk to people in order to be the voice for the students at Bryn Mawr College.
Committee on Public Safety
My name is Phoebe M. Dopulos and I am running for the Public Safety Rep. The relationship between the student body and Public Safety is continually tense. Better channels of communication between students and psafe officers and leadership alike is lacking and can be created with the existing committee. Streamlined questions, increased integration with BMCEMS, and better communication with DLT surrounding dorm issues can and will be achieved in the upcoming year. PSafe is a part of Bryn Mawr's day to day life, and there is potential to imporve this somewhat fractured relationship.
Thank you for your support.
SGA Archivist
My name is Sasha Rogelberg, and I am running for the position of SGA Archivist. As an editor for *the college news*, I am concerned with institutional memory. The newspaper not only aims to preserve narratives from Bryn Mawr students and community members, but also reflect on changes of this institution through the lens of our publication. I hope to extend my interest and investment in institutional memory to the SGA.
It's very clear to me that in order to have conversations about Bryn Mawr as a historically and inherently racist and classist institution, we must first understand how this came to be, how it has manifested differently over time, and how racism and classism continue to pervade the experiences of so many here. By making archives more accessible through their digitalization (an initiative that Cassidy Gruber Baruth started and one that I would like to continue), I hope we can begin to learn more about Bryn Mawr as an institution and ways in which Bryn Mawr the institution impacts Bryn Mawr the community.
As far as I know, SGA archives and the Committee for Institutional Memory have little to no online presence. This is a small, but concrete first step to letting the community know that 1) there is information about Bryn Mawr and SGA that need to be uncovered 2) there is a means of uncovering this, and 3) they can access this information. By forming greater connections between the Committee for Institutional Memory and the study body, I hope for more people to gain interest in Bryn Mawr's history and to the history they are creating as students here.
You can contact me at email@example.com. Thank you!
CPD Representative
Nolan Julien, Class of 2018
Candidates Statements Fall 2016
SGA President
Hi, everyone! My name is Rachel Bruce '18 (she/her pronouns) and I am running for the position of SGA President.
I am running for President because I want to ensure that SGA is a place where students can come together and make their voices heard, regardless of beliefs, background, or class year. Now more than ever, Bryn Mawr students need a body on which they can rely for transparency, representation, a listening ear, and action.
As the current SGA Secretary and a member of the SGA Executive Board I have had the pleasure of advancing these initiatives of transparency and action. This included creating accessible summaries of the minutes sent out each week, the creation of the SGA Snapchat account, updating the SGA website, and getting more student input on the planning of our most successful Plenary yet. As SGA President, I want to take them one step forward ensuring the most optimum SGA experience for Bryn Mawr students. If elected, I plan to help make this possible by:
- Creating a strong line of communication and transparency between SGA (the students) and the BMC Administration that advocates for the interests of the students and the students alone.
- Working to diversify SGA's Representative Council and attendees by meeting face-to-face with affinity/AMO groups, international students, McBride Scholars and newer members of our community (including first-years and transfer students during Customs Week).
- Hosting weekly office hours to listen to and work to resolve issues facing students.
- Creating a committee devoted to ensuring communication from the Administration in times of crisis both outside of and within Bryn Mawr.
- Working with the SGA Webmistress/master/mistex to combine the various SGA websites (Honor Code, Appointments, Elections, etc.) to one accessible center for information on SGA.
- Hosting events and working with the Assembly on initiatives for the Representative Council to interact more with their constituencies.
- Creating a hands-on approach to give students the tools they need to become more politically active and confident by starting in a smaller political environment (such as getting speakers and organizing events will have the opportunity to learn ways to become more politically involved).
As a rising senior, I have taken the last two years to reflect on my place in our community and ways we can all work together to improve it. If elected, I promise to do my very best to work alongside the rest of the Executive Board and the community to help SGA reach its full potential as a voice for all students.
I am always reachable by cell phone, email, or Facebook message. If you have any questions about my candidacy, platform, or ideas, please email me at email@example.com. Thank you so much for your consideration!
Alisha Clark
My name is Alisha Clark (she/her) and I am running for SGA President.
As president, I hope to systematically enact change. After speaking with many students, I feel like the foundation of SGA is fundamentally flawed. I want to create a space to include community members who constantly feel outside of it, specifically marginalized identities. I want to change people's mindsets to feel empowered enough to participate and create a stronger government.
Bryn Mawr has an undercurrent of problems that arise because Bryn Mawr's issues are outdated. I want to ensure people receive help if they need it. I want to increase accessibility. I want people to believe that they are part of the community in a tangible way.
It is not a one person job. Metaphorically I want to act as a vessel. This is not something to be done alone. Let me be a resource for the student body, to channel the student body, into something positive.
I have a plethora of higher position for the past few years, from working with Communications, to Dining Services, to communicate actively and acting as a liaison for Pensby, Res Co, Admissions, etc.
Although I have not held an active position in SGA, I believe that this has benefited my own ability to become a leader without the bureaucratic weight, from speaking with directly administration to being a listener of other students' problems. My work has been local.
-Alisha Clark '18
Genesis Perez-Melara '19 (She/her)
Running for SGA President
Hey Guys,
It's a privilege to be running for SGA president. I see this position as me representing the Bryn Mawr Student Body. I understand that I will be the line of communication between the students voices of concern and need and the administration/faculty. I will use my best judgement to make decisions and push what needs to be done by administration and faculty that will improve the students time here at Bryn Mawr. I have heard many complaints and concerns on social media that must be addressed by the SGA Executive board. I want to make SGA a welcoming presence on campus where every student feels comfortable enough to share what they have to say in person or through electronic communication and know that the input they give will be taken into serious consideration. I have been head of elections for the past year and half. I was thrown into the position not knowing much about SGA. There were individuals who were not supportive of me but I cannot forget the ones who helped me get through every challenge of holding this position. Those supportive individuals were the ones who have shown me what it means to be part of SGA and the power I have as a student on this campus. I want to extend this warmth to incoming students and students who have yet to participate in SGA. I plan to uphold these goals by doing the following:
- Schedule meetings with AMO groups to discuss about how the executive board can better serve them
- Holding office hours
- Discussing with the previous e-board about their goals for the next year and what they have done this past year that work and didn't work
- Reach out to underrepresented students in SGA, such as McBride's and international students
- Check in periodically with the representative council
- Have a suggestions box outside my dorm so that students can express concerns anonymously
- Facilitate discussion about what we can do as a student body regarding the current political turmoil and what we can do to ensure our safety. (I understand that there is a lot of controversy about this but I believe our nations politics has reached to a point where there is a human's rights crisis)
I have received many criticism in the past regarding my position but I have learned to take them in a positive light where I improve serving the student body. Because of this, I ask that students who have serious concerns and needs regarding radical change within the SGA representative council to contact me. I want to sit down and listen to what you have to say. So please, feel free to send me a text, call or email.
SGA Vice-President
Hey y'all! My name is Nanda Bhushan, and I am running for SGA Vice President. My previous experience on Social, Plenary, & Appointments Committee has allowed me to recognize the ways in which committees can be used to implement change and give a voice to students. If elected, I hope to make SGA more accessible, politically active, and collaborative. In terms of accessibility, I intend on making the SGA office in the campus center an open space for students to express their complaints and explain visions for future events. Also, considering the political climate of systems and the nation, it is up to SGA to be an active and present participant in conversations and events in the community. Furthermore, there is a distinct separation between AMO groups and SGA, which undermines how people's identities are personal, and how personal identity is political. To help alleviate this rift, I believe there should collective Hot Topic events and discussions between affinity groups and student government. The vice-president primarily works with appointments and the specific committees that provide a platform for addressing student needs. For example, the Financial Aid Advisory Board could provide a space for students who receive aid to express their concerns, to draw guidance in filling out forms, or to settle misunderstandings of tuition costs. Also, the Health Center Advisory Board could be used to advocate for voiced demands like the need for more counselors of color. My previous experience with being Customs and a co-leader of Zami has allowed me to discuss and understand different viewpoints. Furthermore, being on the Appointments Committee has generated situations in which collaborating with others was critical. Especially when we interviewed potential applicants and were asked to choose not only a good person, but the right person for a certain role. If I am elected, I look forward to using my position to work with other students on demanding what Bryn Mawr needs in order to be a better institution. I also look forward to possibly working with fellow committee members, the representative council, and the rest of the E-board. Thank you for your time and consideration!
– Nanda Bhushan
Hello my name is Delia Landers. I am a current sophomore and I hope to be your SGA vice president for the next year. I believe that I have the qualifications and connections to various aspects of the community to fully act out this role. I previous served as a Member-at –Large my freshman year and then as a member of the Appointments Committee for the past year. As Vice one of my main roles would be to organize the Appointments Committee. I have seen how the outreach and planning process takes part and I am very comfortable with the interview process as well. I hope to increase the amount of people applying for certain appointed positions by publicizing for those which do not often receive many candidates. I think that especially reaching out to majors and clubs that correspond to those areas would be a good way to do so. I think that as a member of Executive Board I would be able to improve SGA. I am a member of the Volleyball team, I hold a couple of jobs on campus as a tour guide, at Pensby center, and at Wyndham. Through these various roles as well as my other experiences on campus I feel that I will be able to reach out to many people on campus and represent them well. I hope that SGA can become a more accessible place and a resource for students on campus. I think that if we had more SGA sponsored workshops and trainings surrounding activism and politics that would help students to feel more comfortable representing themselves at Bryn Mawr and in the world. I hope that we are able to create more open and respectful spaces for dialogue. I really see a lot of potential for SGA to become truly a space for students to lead and have their voices heard. If you have any questions for me please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
SGA Secretary
My name is Megan Pemberton (Class of 2020 ; firstname.lastname@example.com), and I would be delighted to serve our SGA as Secretary. Tentatively, I intend on majoring in English and Political Science, and currently act as the secretary of the TEDx initiative at the College. During high school, I also had the privilege of working as the secretary to a state probation office. Suffice it to say, I am no stranger to the duties that befall this role.
Reflecting on my previous experiences, I believe that the skill set that I've acquired makes me qualified to fulfill the demands of this position, despite whatever prerequisites I might lack in age. As the secretary of TEDx, I have learned how to take efficient, succinct records of our meetings, disseminate those minutes to other eboard members, and assist the co-presidents with managing schedules and deadlines. The formalities of the position come second nature. My experience working for Corrections taught me office organizational skills, such as coordinating between different government entities, summarizing parolee meetings for officers, compiling summaries of cases, and managing unpredictability. I believe that these are highly applicable to the role of SGA Secretary, whose principle charge is to relay information between the body she helps manage and the individuals she serves.
I view getting involved in SGA as an effective means of dissidence in the era of a highly-authoritarian America. Now more than ever, the future of our country will depend on the actions of the many brave and willing. We can endeavor to do so by engaging with our peers at SGA meetings, Plenary, and various other events. The Secretary has a uniquely special role in uniting the student body with the institutions it has formed to advocate for itself. I will facilitate clear, transparent communication between students and SGA by continuing to include summaries of the minutes in weekly emails, using new platforms to notify students of SGA events, and coordinating with the rest of the eboard to ensure accessibility. Above all else, I promise you that I will listen, that every voice and motion will be recorded and readily available to the students.
It would be my absolute privilege to act as the SGA Secretary. Thank you for your consideration.
SGA Treasurer
Anna (Anran) Huang
Hey everyone! My name is Anna Huang, and I am in Class of 2019. I am running for SGA treasurer. I didn't expect I would participate in SGA when I first came here. But one thing happened in my freshman year changed me. I missed my budget interview because I was sick and didn't hear the alarm clock. I literally cried in front of my hell mom because I thought my club wouldn't get any money. Though from helps of other upperclassmen, I finally got a make-up interview. But from this experience, I knew how important money is. It supports all our events on campus. Thus I applied to become a member of SFC in my sophomore year. Combining with my experience of participating in 15 clubs during freshman year and running 2 clubs as board members, in SFC, I started to think about the current problems in budget allocation and the feasible improvement. I know that some clubs really need money and some clubs do not spend all their money. This does not mean that they are lazy, but that events are hard to organize. Like in one of my clubs, even if we want to spend money, we can't find a speaker for it. Even because of the pressure of budget, some clubs tend to spend money at the end of the semester for not well-prepared events. That's a waste. To allocate the resource of school more efficiently, I think the current system is not flexible enough. Usually after the first application of budgets, the budgets do not change much for the whole semester. Although we have the midterm review and reallocation, that's not enough. As far as I know, people do not utilize them frequently. To solve this problem, if I am elected, I will hold weekly office hour to enhance communication and provide guidance for budgeting and reimbursement process. The procedures are not simple and I think the conversation in person is more efficient than email. In the mid of the semester, I think I will email the clubs who do not spend a lot of money to ask if they are willing to give back some money so that I can give it to clubs which have higher expense. Other than that, during the budgeting process, I will consider multiple aspects to allocate the budget. Not just the past budget history of clubs, but also some other factors like leadership teams, daily activities of clubs, etc. I am a math major so I think I am pretty sensitive to numbers and good at analyzing from multiple aspects. Hopefully, I can really serve the community, bring some good changes and help everybody enjoy their college life. If I am elected, I will try to make the budgeting process more human, and focus on everybody's happiness. If you have any more questions, please contact me via firstname.lastname@example.com.
SGA Archivist
My name is Cassidy Gruber Baruth and I'm running for SGA archivist. Ever since I started at Bryn Mawr, I've been fascinated by its history. During the first semester of my freshman year, I would go into Special Collections and look at the scrapbooks of former students. Since the summer after my freshman year, I've been working in Special Collections on a variety of projects, including working directly with the college archivist to edit and compile finding aids for the collections. I find the Bryn Mawr collections both informative and fascinating, and I want to share them with the greater Bryn Mawr community. If I become the SGA archivist, my primary goal will be to share as much of the SGA archives as possible with the Bryn Mawr community. I hope to achieve this through a variety of means: through the SGA archives blog begun by Nora Dell and the SGA Archives Committee, an exhibit, and possibly a podcast or video series. Knowledge of Bryn Mawr's past can aid both SGA and the Bryn Mawr community at large in making more informed decisions that will impact the college's future. Through a deeper understanding of the past, we can work to improve the future. If you have any questions, you can contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Cassidy Gruber Baruth
Head(s) of Elections
Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Bokhari (she/her) and I'm in the class of 2020. I am running for head of election and you can contact me at email@example.com. I'm interested in being Head of Election because I am currently on the elections board and find the work the heads do to be very valuable to the Bryn Mawr community. This position requires high levels of organization, leadership, independence, and teamwork as well as the desire to reach out and listen to the Bryn Mawr community. I have been fortunate enough to have a lot of experience relevant to the above. During my time at Bryn Mawr, I have started two different successful organizations and become an officer in other new organizations. My leadership in these activities on campus, as well as my involvement in other activities, require a lot of self-motivation as well as the ability to work cohesively with other members of E-boards.
To improve the effectiveness of this position, I would continue to make elections and SGA more accessible. I strongly believe that motivating students to run for elected positions and participate in SGA will come through reaching out to said students and making sure they feel represented. As head of elections, I would implement office hours throughout the semester. This would make myself more accessible to the Bryn Mawr community and make SGA more transparent in that students could inquire about elected positions and SGA in general throughout the course of the school year. Also, I'd like to better communication between SGA and students by making the role of elected positions more clear on the blog and putting students interested in positions in contact with current officers. I feel that the Head of Election's role on the representative council needs to be emphasized and expanded in being more of a representative voice on campus at SGA meetings concerning issues other than just elections.
SGA stands for Self-Governance Association and I want to be representative of students' voices as a leader within the organization. I have been involved in SGA in the form of appointed positions such as Access Services Co-coordinator and Elections Board member, which I strive to make representative of students' voices. I would like to continue to serve the Bryn Mawr community as a representative and head of elections. Thanks for your vote!
Milan Fredrick mfredrick@bmc
Sophie Goldstein sgoldstei1@bmc
Milan and Sophie are interested in running for the positions of co-heads of elections because we are interested in getting more involved in student government on campus. We think that the role of head of elections is extremely important for the Bryn Mawr community. The heads of elections hold a vital role in bridging the gap between students and the SGA. The SGA can be a frightening and far-away program for many but the Heads of elections is a good way to let students have a more personal experience with SGA. Milan and Sophie have also held leadership positions in the past, have effective communication skills and a passion for student government. We feel it is important for students to have a voice on campus, and make Bryn Mawr feel like home to them. Milan and Sophie are both dedicated students that have a passion for learning and getting more involved in the Bryn Mawr community.
Member(s) of the Appointment Committee
Ruby Zeng
Members of Appointment Committee
I think I have this dedication and passion to anything I'm doing, like how I did with violin practicing and all the classes I take in Bryn Mawr. I love playing the violin so I always invest about 14 hours every week on it. And even though sometimes the classes are not as I expected, I try to do it well because I feel there's the sense of responsibility and respect not only for myself but also for the others people and their efforts. I will apply the same mindsets to the SGA work as well.
Also, I like keeping daily routines to make my life more organized and try to have good habits. I believe that being organized is crucial to any kind of work, such as responding emails timely and getting work done on time.
Although I don't have exactly same experiences or in similar positions but I have been the head monitor of my class all the way till high school. I did mainly the administration and coordination work between the students and teachers, also between the students and the school. I also helped organize some class activities like class trips.