Elections for the 2020-2021 Student Representative Committee (SRC) are in full swing and you can log into your E-Services from now until Friday, February 28 to vote for the candidates you want representing you next year! Here’s your chance to know more about those who are running, so you know who to approach on campus with questions, ideas, or just to say hi.
It is worth noting that many of these positions have candidates running uncontested. Nonetheless, these students are all extremely passionate about creating an inclusive, positive student experience, that they are after students’ best interests, and will work hard to improve student life.
Presidential nominees
Running for President this election are Patrick Hickey and Jason Walsh.
Patrick is currently in his third year of the Biology-Psychology program and is the current SRC president of the 2019-2020 school year. When asked why he is running for president, Patrick stated: “I am running because I believe this campus is an amazing place to live and learn and we can continue to improve student life, services, and our campus over the next year.”
Jason is a third-year business student majoring in both Marketing and Economics, and has been actively engaged in the organization of events on- and off-campus. When asked why he is running for president, Jason responded “I want to work to revive the campus culture and help make UNBSJ an active and buzzing campus again! I have a detailed plan to start the rebirth of the campus culture, and I want the chance to make that difference for our campus.”
Vice-President External candidate
Katie Herrington is the only candidate running for VP External. Katie is in her second year of the Arts Program with a Politics Major and a History Minor. Katie is running for VP External because she wants to “make long-term, positive impacts on our student body”, and she is excited that this position will allow her to be an advocate for our students in a variety of ways.
LGBTQ+ councillor
The two candidates for the LGBTQ+ Councillor position are Kirsten Hurley and Ariel Arthurs.
Kirsten is a third-year Business student with a Major in Marketing, and is currently the LGBTQ+ Councillor for the 2019-2020 academic year. Kirsten is running for re-election because she wants to “continue to build a safe and supportive campus environment for future students, and so that every student feels accepted and free to embrace who they are”.
Ariel is in her third year of Business, concentrating on Marketing and is also an Executive Member of the first LGBTQ+ club on campus, True Colours. Ariel told us that she wants to “be a voice for the LGBTQ+ community on campus” and ensure there is an open line of communication between herself and students when navigating the resources that we have available. She also emphasized her priority of “the LGBTQ+ community feeling safe and included in campus life”.
International Student councillor
Ria Sabitry is the only candidate running for the International Student Councilor position but is determined to be a strong voice for all international students. When asked about her decision to run, Ria told us that she knows we have a very strong team of international students who excel in areas such as sports, education, music, and more. She wants to join the SRC to “represent this team and give them all the rights they deserve”, and to “lead everyone into a safe and brighter university environment”.
Mature Student councillor
Christina McLean is the sole candidate for the Mature Student Councillor position. Christina is in her first year of the Arts program but will be transferring to the Bachelor of Health program next year to major in Bio-Med. Christina wants to join the SRC to be a representative voice for mature students. She prides herself on seeing a job that needs to be done and seizing that opportunity to complete it.
SASE councillor
Kaleigh Wadden is the only candidate running for the Science, Applied Science, and Engineering Councillor (SASE) position. Kaleigh is in her second year of sciences, majoring in Bio-Psych and minoring in Chemistry. When asked about her decision to run, Kaleigh highlighted the belief that it is “personal interactions that contribute extensively to a fulfilling school experience”. After being so involved in her high school community, Kaleigh had missed that sense of community which made the transition more difficult for her, and so she is determined to be an advocate and representative for those who may be feeling similar.
Arts councillor
Emma Higdon has no opposition for the position of Arts Councillor, but after serving as Arts Councilor for the 2019-2020 academic year, she is excited to continue. She is her second year of the concurrent Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education program. Emma is passionate about being able to bring concerns of the Arts faculty to light and is eager to help create change on campus.
Business councillor
Maria Cummings is the only candidate for the Business Councillor position. Maria is a third-year business student with a Major in Human Resource Management. Maria wants to join the SRC to make sure the students in the Business Faculty are heard and to be able to open more opportunities for student involvement on campus. Maria is currently studying abroad in France and is happy to be able to take her positive experiences from France, and present new ideas to the UNBSJ campus.
Don’t forget to vote!
Every candidate is accessible through their Facebook pages and would love to hear from you about the election or if you have any ideas or concerns going forward. Don’t forget to vote in your E-Services for your favorite representatives until this Friday, February 28th and contact any SRC Member for information on how to get involved on campus!
