Candidates Statements April/May 2020 Runoffs

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Candidates Statements April/May 2020 Runoffs

Traditions Mistress/Master/Mistex: 

Maggie Morris and Yael Day

Yael Day and Maggie Morris are thrilled to announce that they are running for Traditions Mistresses!

Both Yael and Maggie chose to go to Bryn Mawr for a many different reasons, but the traditions and community togetherness were a deciding factor for both of them. Bryn Mawr’s traditions are a cornerstone of the Bryn Mawr community and Yael and Maggie are committed to making sure that students of all backgrounds and identities feel welcomed by the traditions on campus and no one feels alienated. Because Bryn Mawr is home to students of a wide array of races, genders, sexualities, and nationalities Yael and Maggie hope to ensure that under their watch traditions are happy and homey events for all. Additionally, as previous Traditions Representatives, Yael and Maggie know how stressful the job can be and hope to streamline the experience with clear communication and succinct leadership.

Yael and Maggie have been friends since Customs Week and have grown even closer in the years since. They work extremely well together and their personalities mesh perfectly. Yael excels where Maggie may struggle, and vice versa, making them the ideal pair for Traditions Mistresses. They understand the time commitment involved in becoming Traditions Mistresses and are more than willing to invest their time and energy into making sure that Traditions run smoothly.

Yael is currently a member of the Traditions Committee and worked as a Traditions Representative for Rhoads North. She has also spent two years volunteering on the plenary flor as well as one year on the plenary committee. Yael can be found volunteering around campus frequently. She is also a TA in the Math Department and a dedicated member of the Crew Team. As a chemistry major she knows the importance of being on top of her work and is a master of time management. Yael excels at organization and is an intense planner. She’s extremely dedicated to traditions and wants to work with the Bryn Mawr Community to make sure that Traditions improve their diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility for all. Lantern Night is her favorite Tradition and she can’t wait to welcome the Baby Blues this upcoming fall!

Maggie is currently a customs person on Rhoads North 1st and future HA on Radnor 1st. Maggie was also the 2019-2020 President of Bryn Mawr Mock Trial, a 2019-2021 Thrive Mentor, and a Later Gator teacher at the Shipley School. She is also a Traditions Representative in Rhoads North in the 2019-2020 school year. In addition to these current roles she is also a co-chair of Thrive’s social media department and can ensure Traditions news and events are advertised and visible to all. She has lots of leadership experience on and off campus and is hoping to make Traditions as positive experience as possible. Maggie is passionate about all things Bryn Mawr and wants to make sure Traditions make everyone feel as welcomed and at home as they have for her. Her favorite tradition is May Day and while she is heartbroken that this year’s celebration was cancelled she can’t wait for next year!

Please email yday@brynmawr.edu or memorris@brynmawr.edu with any and all questions regarding Yael and Maggie’s campaign. They are happy to address any Traditions concerns!

 

Bailey Willhite and Hannah Stanley

We, Bailey Willhite and Hannah Stanley want to be your Traditions Mistresses for 2020-2021. Traditions are a core component of Bryn Mawr life. When we participate in Lantern Night, we experience a centuries-old ritual that links us to the thousands of alums who came before us — these traditions are the reason many of us chose Bryn Mawr. They set us apart as a college and bring us together as a community. We are ready to put in the time and effort to make the Traditions the best possible experiences for every one of our fellow Mawrters. 

 

We commit to hearing your concerns and welcoming your input, to make sure that every single Bryn Mawr student feels included in Traditions. In addition, we believe that disability should not stop students from participating in a tradition. We also hope to work with student-led environment groups to make the traditions as environmentally conscious as we can. When we are together again after the COVID-19 pandemic calms, and want to hear your input on how to make next year special, specifically by acknowledging the seniors who were unable to experience their final May Day. 

 

We have been friends since we met learning the Sophias. Also, our two years as members of the Bryn Mawr rowing (Bailey) and cross-country (Hannah) teams challenged us to become experts in time-management, teamwork, and communication. We want to bring these skills to our work as Traditions Mistresses.

 

Bailey is a current member of the Traditions Committee, and so fully understands the responsibility and hard work that the job of Traditions Mistress requires. She worked directly with our current Traditions Mistresses and is ready to lead next year. From her very first tour at Bryn Mawr, she fell in love with Bryn Mawr traditions and hoped that she’d have the chance to be Traditions Mistress someday.

 

Hannah remembers setting up for Lantern Night this fall and being inspired by the huge effort of everyone involved to make the night magical for the first years; ever since then, she has wanted to lead the Bryn Mawr Traditions that bring joy to so many. As a cross country athlete for Bryn Mawr who has persevered through numerous injuries, she has the commitment and perseverance to take on the role of Traditions Mistress. She has the free time and passion to help lead the Bryn Mawr traditions next year! 

 

We are ready to take on the tremendous responsibility of this position. Of course, if you have any questions or want to know more about why we want to be your Traditions Mistresses, please email us at bwillhite@brynmawr.edu and hstanley@brynmawr.edu.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Hannah and Bailey

Two 1-Year Representatives to the Honor Board from ℅ 2021 [rising seniors]

Emma Ecker

My Name is Emma Ecker (elecker@brynmar.edu) and I am running to be one of the Honor Board representatives from the Class of 2021. I find the chance of being on the Board very exciting because I believe that the Honor code is an integral part of Bryn Mawr. Trust and mutual respect are very important values in our community and the Honor Codes helps to foster them. This virtual semester has increased my understanding of the importance of the Honor Code. As I watch other institutions struggle with the transition to online exams, I find myself proud of the respect and trust between students and faculty that has made at least this part of the transition slightly easier. Working on DLT, I learned about the importance of the Social Honor Code and I enjoyed having a small role in nurturing it and helping students to learn how it supported them. Being a member of the Honor Board would give me a similar but larger role in supporting the Honor Code and the community, and I look forward to the opportunity to do so. As a member of the Board, I would work hard to help the members of the Bryn Mawr community understand how the Honor Code/Board supports them. I want to work to make the Honor Board more accessible and less intimidating and I also want to work with the student body to listen to their concerns and help to improve the current system. If given a place on the Board I would work to uphold the Bryn Mawr values of respect and integrity and would strive to serve every student in the community fairly and justly. This would give me a great chance to give back to the community that I love and to say goodbye in a meaningful and lasting way.

Anushna Lahiri

Hello! My name is Anushna Lahiri (alahiri@brynmawr.edu) and I am running to be Class of 2021 Representative to the Honor Board. The Bryn Mawr Honor Code is a code of ethics that we, Mawrters, choose to live by. As a senior and into my third consecutive year in the DLT, I have been privileged to be a part of the wonderful Bryn Mawr community intimately. As a representative to the Honor Board, I would consider it to be a greater privilege to give back more to this community before it is time to say the final goodbye. As a board representative I will work to help our student body be more connected with the principles of the Honor Code. If there was one thing I could do about the Honor Code, it would be to convey the idea that it is not intimidating at all. It supports you in being true to yourself in all that you do. The Honor Board is a group effort to bring our community together by preserving and maintaining the importance of the Honor Code, and I want to widen the channel of communication between the Board and the students to help them understand the Honor Code better. The Bryn Mawr Honor Code gives control over various issues to students themselves. With this freedom comes the responsibility to conduct ourselves in a way that does not compromise our mutual trust and respect for each other. I want to encourage right-mindedness towards preserving this trust and integrity that keeps our beautiful community together.

Georgia Nelson

Hiii, my name is Georgia Nelson, and I am running for running for a position on the honor board with Divya Sundararajan. As a previous member of the honor board, I have learned how to treat each honor board case with respect and confidentiality. While my time on the honor board has been brief, it has been a fulfilling experience to have intimate discussions about what it means to uphold the honor code. In my final year, I would love to continue my service to the Bryn Mawr community.

Sara Rilatt

My name is Sara Rilatt, and I am running for 1-year Honor Board representative from the class of 2021. I decided to pursue this position because I feel that the Honor Code is one of the most important aspects of Bryn Mawr’s identity as a school and a community. During my own time at Bryn Mawr, the atmosphere of mutual trust in every classroom has lifted much of the academic pressure that I experienced in high school. I hope to reach out to incoming students to ensure that they feel just as supported and empowered as I have. Additionally, in the context of the current crisis and the shift to online classes, we must consider how the Honor Code might be altered, applied, and possibly improved. As a field hockey team captain, I have experience listening to and advocating for the needs of a group in addition to balancing multiple different perspectives in decision-making. These new circumstances are an opportunity for us to adapt and grow as we continue to foster a healthy learning and living environment at Bryn Mawr. I would love to be part of this growth process as a 2021 representative to the Honor Board. 

Divya Sundararajan 

Hi! My name is Divya Sundararajan (dsundarara@brynmawr.edu), and I am running for a 1 year representative of the Honor Board for the Class of 2021. As constructed, the Honor Board doesn’t have many experienced members, including the Head of the Honor Board. In order for deliberations to go smoothly, having some experienced members are necessary, and I have more than 2 years of experience with the Honor Board. If all the members are new, it will be a big issue, especially with having to possibly run the Board remotely. One of the most unique features of Bryn Mawr is its Honor Board, and we need experienced and passionate members to be a part of it.

Claire Weeks

Hello! My name is Claire (she/her) and I am running to be a representative on the Honor Board for the Class of 2021. The Honor Code was something that initially attracted me to Bryn Mawr and during my time here I have been able to appreciate it for its strengths while still being able to see its weaknesses. I would like to continue to uphold the Honor Code as a means for reparation and empowerment of every member of our community academically and socially. At the same time, I am motivated to use the allowance of subjectivity of the Honor Board to compensate in fairness where the actual Honor Code is lacking in its explicit support for historically excluded and marginalized students on campus. I look forward to continuing to participate in and support the BMC community! <3 

 

TWO 1-Year Representatives to the Honor Board from ℅ 2022 [rising junior]

Amara Saha

Hello! My name is Amara Saha and I am running for the position of the one year representative to the Honor Board from class of 2022.

The honor code is what sets Bryn Mawr apart from a lot of other institutions and was one of the biggest reasons I applied to Bryn Mawr. I appreciate the trust that is bestowed to us as students to grow in such a rigorous but supportive environment, and to respect this trust, I want to step up and be a representative to advocate not only for the students, but the honor code itself and be a link between the both. If elected, as a member of the Honor Board, I would like to update the Honor Code to be more inclusive as well as accessible, to represent the true values of the Bryn Mawr community better. I hope to use my mediation and listening skills to be unbiased but approachable to build upon the existing values of integrity of the institution. Working between the student body and the Honor Board will allow me to contribute to making Bryn Mawr a safe space that is inclusive to all! 

Feel free to email me at: adsaha@brynmawr.edu 

Ryan McManus

Hi my name is Ryann McManus and I am running for the class of ‘22 honor board rep. I would like to be an honor board rep because I think the honor code is an important aspect of our college and I am interested in getting more involved in the honor board process. I think I am qualified to hold this position because I am a person with a lot of integrity and a strong moral compass, so I think I would do a good job at interpreting cases with my peers. To me, the honor code is an important way for us as students to have more independence and it is a way to build trust between professors and students. Having academic integrity is important not only to be proud and confident in our own work, but also to be able to learn independently. I would love to be elected to this position in order to be a part of our honor board system. Please contact me at ‪rbmcmanus@brynmawr.edu‬ with any questions.

One 1-Year Representative to the Honor Board from ℅ 2023 [rising sophomore]

Avalon Vanis

Hello! My name is Avalon Vanis and I’m running to be a Class of 2023 Honor Board representative. I believe strongly in the restorative tenent of the honor code, as well as respect and listening during discussion. These help create a safe and supportive community both within the honor board and in our community as a whole. I am well versed in our honor code and the honor board abstracts. Because I believe so strongly in what the honor code does for our community, I have read all of the hearing abstracts and have a good understanding of the beliefs and responsibilities of serving on the honor board. As a member of the honor board, I want to make the honor code more accessible to the whole Bryn Mawr community by updating the website, adding more comprehensive abstracts, and creating time for honor board members to meet with the student body. In this way, the honor board can better understand and address our community’s needs. I hope you will entrust me with this responsibility.

I am a skilled listener that approaches serious conversations and confrontations with the intention of not allowing my subliminal bias’ and feelings to cloud my judgement. I’m good at fishing the facts out of tricky situations and making decisions by examining and weighing them from an impartial standpoint. 

Lastly, I’m an advocate for restorative justice and have attended many trainings on it which focused on applying restorative justice methodologies to academic communities by relying on our peers to speak up and not be bystanders when they witness harm. I believe these principles can be translated to the Bryn Mawr community through the Honor Board and help make it more of an open and safe environment. Based off of everything I’ve stated so far, if given the opportunity I would be honored to serve as an Honor Board Representative for the class of 2023. 

 

Amara Gregorek

Hi all! My name is Amara and I am running for representative for the Class of 2023. My interests are in French and English and volunteerism. I am honored to have been nominated as a candidate for the Bryn Mawr Self-Governance Association. It is my goal to ensure the social and academic community that the honor code fosters. Throughout my academic life, I have struggled with testing anxiety. When I first learned of Bryn Mawr’s honor code, it not only impressed me that students were trusted to self-schedule, but it made me feel comfortable so that I would be assessed without the additional pressure of in-class exams. Coming from New York City where I was raised to be guarded, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I could let down my guards. I could step away from my personal items left in public spaces and even have lost items returned to me. If I were to be a member of the Honor Board, I would uphold the existing honor code and introduce new ideas, such as utilizing the Thrive program as a channel to socialize the honor code for first years and/or creating an interactive Moodle forum where students can have questions answered. It is important to break the stigma that the honor code is primarily punitive rather than  a code of conduct mutually agreed upon by the community.  

Sincerest, 

Amara Gregorek 

agregorek@brynmawr.edu 

 

One 2-Year Representative from ℅ 2023 [rising sophomore]

Liz Burke

I’m running to be a representative to the Honor Board on behalf on the Class of 2023 because I know that the Honor Code is going to continue to be an integral part of what it means to get a Bryn Mawr education if we continue to learn at a distance and also as we transition back to living and working on campus. I want to ensure that the Honor Code is working in students’ favor as we continue to navigate uncharted territory. 

As our understanding of present and future circumstances evolves, I want to be a part of making sure the Honor Code is still serving the students and translates to the “new normal.” As we all now know, the effects of this pandemic are not temporary, and SGA and Honor Board will continue to face new challenges as we reintegrate our lives into public spaces, and for this reason I decided to run as representative for a term of two years. 

I will defend rulings and solutions that uphold justice and equity, and fight for the dignity of students as they are being held to new and unusual expectations. This can be expected of me, regardless of whether the situation relates directly to the pandemic. Depending on when or whether we will return to campus in the fall, I want to be a part of developing a new way to inform incoming students about the Honor Code, emphasizing what parts will be important to them and to all students in our new circumstances. 

Chloe Stapleton Gray

Hi! I’m Chloe Stapleton-Gray (she/her, class of 2023), and I’m running for 2-year Honor Board Representative for Class of 2023!

I have been a part of student government, city government, and a model government for many years before my time at Bryn Mawr. For the past two years, I was the chair of the Community Media Access Committee for my city’s government. I have also defended and prosecuted youth court cases for 3 years, and we gave sentences that were based in restorative justice and matched the values of Bryn Mawr, which gives me experience in entering this role. Throughout my four years in high school, I also participated in a program called Youth and Government, where I wrote proposals and argued them, as well as presenting legal arguments and fielding tough questions. These experiences have given me confidence in my abilities to work with others and help to lead and participate in meetings in a manner that also gives autonomy to the other people on the committee, as well as the student body as a whole.

I want to be a representative for the Honor Board because I would love to meet with others to talk about the Honor Code and work towards making it the best it can be. Coming to Bryn Mawr, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the Honor Board because of my passion for government and working with others, as well as my desire to make change within the college. I also want to make the Honor Code and everything it brings to this college something that is talked about more, since to someone that isn’t already interested in it, the Honor Code might feel inaccessible and scary. I want to encourage conversations and dialogue about the Honor Code and make it something that everyone can understand and feel a part of.

Please consider voting for me for 2-year Honor Board Representative for Class of 2023!

Chloe Stapleton-Gray

cstapleton@brynmawr.edu

 

Feb 2019 Election: Candidate Statements

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SGA President

Daniela Lopez Lopez ’20

Hello everybody, I am Daniela Lopez Lopez (aka Daniela Lopez squared), class of 2020. I am a native Houstonian, a Posse scholar, and am running to be your next SGA President. My activism began when I participated in a national action to lobby for a Clean Dream Act on Capital Hill with United We Dream. Since then I have gone on to participate in various local and national campaigns to advocate for undocumented and immigrant communities. I have brought this activism onto campus by being part of the founding board of the BiCo Migrant Rights Coalition, as well as by leading several on-campus initiatives aimed at making BMC a more welcoming home for undocumented students prior to the club’s founding. These experiences (as well as others) have let me lead and be a part of various meetings with President Cassidy and her staff, other members of the administration, the Board of Trustees, and US  elected officials and their staff. Through this extensive experience, I have learned how to recognize and resist manipulative techniques that people in positions of power use to prevent being undermined and held accountable for their harmful policies and actions. This has made me well equipped to represent the student body’s demands and concerns in an accurate and unwavering way at future meetings with President Cassidy and the Board of Trustees.

In my time here I have held many other roles on campus, including: being a tour guide with Admissions, Songs Mistress, and Philosophy Major Rep. One of my most treasured experiences however has been my time spent as the co-founder and President of the Bryn Mawr Speech and Debate Team, where I have gained the necessary skills to effectively communicate with and argue for my community.

As a first generation, low income, latinx, queer student, it is most important for me approach leadership from a place of service and dedication to community, as it has been service-oriented leaders and community builders that have taught me to see the beauty and power my marginalized identities hold.

As your next SGA president, I plan to:

  • Uplift marginalized student’s voices in SGA in general, as well as in meetings with admin and the Board of Trustees.
  • Ensure that the mission and initiatives led by SGA reflect the desires of the greater student body.
  • Continue the work of past SGA presidents to make SGA less daunting, more inclusive, and accessible for all students.
  • Collaborate with student leaders, the Chair of Social Justice and Advocacy, and the SGA Archivist to ensure the history of student activism on campus is well documented.
  • Work on measures to ensure credit is given to students whose labor and activism greatly benefits the school (and preventing the admin for taking credit for this labor).

I am happy to see multiple people running for this position, as after all, SGA is meant to be an empowering place for students to speak up and be heard. I hope I have earned you vote and confidence in me as the next SGA President!

Rita Sabri ’22

Hello everyone, My name is Rita Sabri, I am class of 2022, and I am from Morocco ,I’ve been nominated to be the SGA president, and when receiving the e-mail about whether I should accept the nomination or not, I told myself, let give it a shot. So, why not ? So, why am I running for this position ? My friends and my entourage in general have always told me that I am a people person, I believe that I am social person who is comfortable with demanding what she wants, and I can be pretty good at receiving what I ask for. Being in this position definitely requires someone who is willing not only to talk, but to listen, because the student body is what makes Bryn Mawr what Bryn Mawr is, an institution that must listen to its student. The SGA president won’t be only me, I won’t be the only one who speaks. If elected, I am going to be the voice of all the students together, the representative of the minorities, the forgotten, the one who love this place and the one who are thirsty for a change so they can feel home. The administration can be tough, they reject or post pone what students request for years, and they try to do it for a 4 years loop. Therefore, the students who are gone, who fought for changes, rights or other, stop demanding, and things are forgotten and brought up again with a new student committee. If I am the SGA president, I will try to assure that what students fought in the past years, is not hidden in the archives, and we are not only going to rise by beginning new changes but also by continuing. I am seeking for a better record of what the students has achieved so far, so they get the recognition that they deserve, I am seeking for the acknowledgment of the administration to their students, what they have done, what they will do, what we will do. I am running for this position because I believe that being a Sophomore next semester will not be a burden but rather an advantage,.Even though I have only experienced a few months at Bryn Mawr comparing to other candidates, I will grow while being in SGA for 4 years—hopefully. The longer we are in this position, the better we do in it. By accepting a fresh person like me, I am more likely to be experienced growing up. Also, I love this place, I love Bryn Mawr and I want everyone to love it like I do. This place has lots of flaws and I want to help change it to make it better, I am not searching for perfection, I am searching for a comfortable environment for everyone. I am ready to be open minded to all the proposition that my fellow comrades will give me, I am ready to deal with an administration that will, and I know it will , respond with disdain. I am running for this position because I believe that I am strong enough to endorse it, I believe in myself and I need you to believe in me, Thank you, Rita Sabri – 4865596 – rsabri@brynmawr.edu – 609-608-2776 –

Tori Hatchell ’20

Hello! My name is Tori Hatchell, Class of 2020, and I am running for SGA President. Currently, I am a co-Dorm President in Merion, one of the Junior Major Representatives for the Bryn Mawr History Department, and I also work in Canaday Library at the Circulation Desk. I’ve learned a lot this year from being a Dorm President, especially through attending SGA Meetings regularly, and I’ve seen all of the hard work that the current E-Board has put into making Bryn Mawr a better place, and I want to continue that.

If elected SGA President, I would work with the E-Board and other members of SGA as well as the greater student body, the faculty and administration to make our community a better place. I would provide support for those students who are pushing for change within our community, as I believe that it is the E-Board and SGA’s role to work for and support the students who are raising their voices to express their concerns and call for change on our campus. I look forward to serving alongside the E-Board in working with and for Bryn Mawr students on creating a community and institution where everyone feels safe and supported.

Thank you for your consideration, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at thatchell@brynmawr.edu

 

SGA Vice President

Junie Sok ’21

Hello! My name is Junie Sok, and I am running for SGA Vice President. As a member of the Class of 2021, I have enjoyed being involved and learning about the community through the Appointments Committee. This committee has taught me the importance of collaborative work when it came time to interview potential applicants. In which, I was able to solidify those skills and ideally use them as SGA Vice President. Through the support of my peers, I hope to make SGA more accessible and even more transparent. I would like to stand back and for once have the voices of the students on campus be heard, but also be the one to aid in making their solutions become a reality. In terms of accessibility, I possibly would like to redesign the SGA office and aim to make it a more open space for individuals to visit and truly get to know all E-Board members. I believe it is important to open up dialogue for students to express their concerns and I would love to see this grow through the appointments committee and other groups on campus. If I am elected, I look forward to using my position to work with not only the E-Board, but other students to demand and work towards building a better institute that feels both safe and comfortable. Despite how daunting the role and expectations may be, I am more than ready to put up a fight and push forward through each encounter that crosses my path. Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

SGA Secretary

Chloe Liu ’21

Hi Everyone,

My name is Chloe Liu and I’m running for SGA secretary. For the past two years I have had the pleasure of being a co-class president for the class of 2021. The exposure has allowed me to recognize the influence that SGA has on Bryn Mawr’s community, and how it can be used for the benefits of students. I’m running for secretary because I want to be more involved in SGA and I believe that my experience, drive, and strong communication skills make me an ideal candidate.

Sophia Bokhari ’20

Hi! I’m Sophia (she/her), class of 2020, and I’m running for SGA Secretary! The most important thing the SGA Secretary does is manage communication. That means sending out emails, making sure people know what’s going, and getting back to people. Through my time at Bryn Mawr, I cannot overstate the importance of sending out emails and maintaining contact with people. I’ve done a lot of communications work in the secretary and publicist positions I’ve held in clubs I’ve been a part of. I know what’s it like to feel like you’re really being heard and how important that is. That’s why I’m running for secretary. I hope that as secretary I can make sure people feel heard and welcomed to SGA. I want people to know that they are part of SGA and their voices and concerns are important.

 

SGA Archivist

Laney Myers ’20

My name is Laney Myers (Class of 2020 she/her) As SGA Archivist my priority will be to uplift and preserve the narratives of historically excluded folks and groups on campus.

Some of my goals for this position include initiatives to set up an SGA-specific archive that can be accessed by students more easily than Special Collections. The fact that the entire student body turns over every four years is a huge barrier to passing on information, especially around activism and social justice issues on campus, so setting up a living archive is meant to support that kind of work and labor.

I would also like to be more expansive of the types of materials we aim to collect into that archive, by spearheading that can be replicated in the future. For example, I would want to set up a collection program, for clubs and AMO groups on campus to enter their ephemera—posters, flyers, and photos—into an SGA archive, which can then be accessed by future classes for inspiration. Collecting the stories of SGA officers is especially crucial at this moment when SGA is changing so profoundly, and I’d like to document that as closely as I can. The SGA archive will hopefully extend further back into the past. I would like to set up programs to reach out to alum and specifically alum of color to collect their stories of activism on campus. This would require a coordinated effort to tap into alum networks as well.

As a member of the Telling Histories Working Group, which has sought in the past to involve students and SGA especially into its initiatives, I will work closely with members of faculty and administration to further these aims. Specifically, the THWG hopes to install permanent media screens in Old Library that will, hopefully, be a way to center the voices of AMOs and marginalized community members, alongside telling the full history of racism in Bryn Mawr’s institutional history. In the fall I will also be working on a Praxis Independent Study, in connection with THWG, to collect the oral histories of the most recent wave of campus activism surrounding the name of Old Library.

Ruby Irani ’22

Hi! My name is Ruby Irani, I use she/her pronouns, I am a current sophomore, and running for the position of SGA archivist. The preservation of the documents of the history of Bryn Mawr is essential, but if students can’t regularly access this information, I feel there is a large disconnect between the value of the archives. The main problem I see with the archives in present form is the difficulty to find information. At present, one has to physically go to the special collections in Canaday and search through the archive documents themselves or go through the archivist website, which is somewhat disorganized. In both of these methods, you have to spend a fair amount of time to find the information you want! There are so many important things on the SGA website, archives blog, and in Special Collections, but right now the average student can’t access this without spending lots of time working for it. My goal as archivist is to digitize and organize documents and projects, mainly by making a new, efficient website or online database. By digitizing the documents and projects SGA, and specifically the archivist, has done, anyone can access the online files instantly (instead of searching or waiting for Canaday to open!).

I believe the archivist should importantly fill this administrative aspect of the job but should also be invested in discovering new information. The archivist should be able to work with and support any initiatives to discover more about the history of Bryn Mawr from the ideas of other groups on campus, committees, or the e-boards. I believe I would be able to work well with and organize any new projects that groups are interested in presenting. The archivist cannot tell history by only doing research themselves, and I think the aspect of teamwork is an essential quality to the position. I plan to do the work to make sure projects get started and completed.

Overall, although I do not have much experience with archiving and looking up historical documents, I am excited for this position! I feel I have the organization and dedication to learn more about researching and be able to effectively organize new and continuing projects. I look forward to seeing the accomplishments of SGA in the coming future and hope to be a part of them.

Jennifer Nguyen ’22

Hello everyone,

If you don’t know me already, my name is Jennifer Nguyen (she/her), and I am a first year from Chicago running for the position of SGA Archivist!

In the time I’ve been at Bryn Mawr, I’ve been lucky enough to serve and get to know the community through my positions on SGA as a Member at Large, a member of the Social Justice Task Force, as a barista making you lattes at Uncommon, but most importantly, through my relationships with you all. The community of Bryn Mawr has come to be one that I care for, and I see my role as Archivist as a continuation of the community building I have been part of so far. As I look back on my first year of college, a big part of campus conversation has been around the idea of institutional memory. Bryn Mawr, as an institution, is by no means perfect but in documenting our experiences and highlighting often disregarded voices on campus, we can define Bryn Mawr by our own terms instead of ones given to us.

My goals for my time as Archivist are to focus on capturing the everyday of students on campus, specifically, that of marginalized students and students of color. Often, it feels like the mainstream narrative of Bryn Mawr overlooks our experiences, yet it is thanks to the hard work of many AMO groups and Black and Brown individuals that the community is able to celebrate so much of life on campus. Being able to witness and attend different events on campus, I see a common thread in the community- our desire to create a more inclusive and welcoming campus. Collecting the narratives and work of everyone together through the position of Archivist, I hope to be a resource to connect and further unite our school.

Best,

Jennifer

SGA Treasurer

Yesenia Mendez ’21

My name is Yesenia Mendez, and I am a currently a second year studying economics and Spanish, and I am running for SGA Treasurer. Being a first-generation, low-income student, my parents and my community became my motivation to involve myself in economics and finance. With a financial and economic background, I can help and support people who lack this knowledge to understand how taxes, financial aid, insurance and corporations work.

Initially, I had a fear towards the complicated financial language in dealing with taxes. However, I took that fear and turned it into motivation and joined the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program where I became a certified IRS tax preparer. This is my second year volunteering to prepare taxes for Norristown, PA residents. During this experience, I developed strong communication skills in both English and Spanish and learned to adapt to a fast working environment. In intervals of 30 minutes, I finished a whole tax return and was able to immediately tell how much each household will get in refunds.

As the current Mujeres* Treasurer, I actively work with the President and other executive board members to create a budget and present it to the Student Government Association board for approval and ensure that club activities adhere to the budget. I am also responsible for collecting receipts for reimbursements and communicating with the Student Finance Committee to make sure that members who have made payments with their own money get a full reimbursement. Having to previously work with the SFC is very important because the SGA

Treasurer heads the Student Finance Committee (SFC) and appointed committee that manages club and other student funding.

The duties of the SGA Treasurer aligns with pragmatic personality due to its fast-paced and fast-learning environment. Personally, I enjoy doing meticulous work and produce tangible products in calculated time periods, which is important when dealing with reimbursements. If elected to be SGA Treasurer, I will be as transparent as possible when communicating with club presidents and treasurers. I will also guide clubs towards ways in which they can work with other departments in case they need more funding. My only goal is to help every single club obtain the resources they need for events and other activities because student-run clubs are a vital part of student life at Bryn Mawr.

Sarah Gu ’20

Hi, my name is Sarah Gu, Class of 2020, and I am running to be SGA Treasurer. For the past two years, I have thoroughly enjoy being a part of SGA as a treasurer for various of clubs and as a current Student Finance Committee member (SFC) in the weekly meetings.

As SGA Treasurer, I understand how it is very important to ensure all SGA Funds are administered properly to the clubs and organizations, and partially to Bi-Co clubs and organizations. In addition, I also recognize this role has other aspects to it such as Budget Workshops held at the beginning of each new semester, Budget Interviews, and heading the SFC during their weekly reimbursement meetings. As a first year, I was treasurer of one club, which sparked my interested in becoming treasurer for four clubs as a second year as well as a current SFC member. With the background knowledge and experience, I believe that I am more than prepared to take on this role.

For the future of SGA Treasurer, I have talked to current and previous SGA Treasurers about improving the effectiveness of this position such as ideas of setting up more resources for the incoming and current treasurers, getting rid of Budget Interviews, having more transparency and consistent communication with SGA and the clubs and organizations, etc. I will not only look to the previous heads, but also seek out any recommendations from the SGA Board as well as the treasurers from the other clubs and organizations. Overall, I acknowledge the amount of commitment and responsibility for this role and will work hard to ensure a smooth and effective transition as the SGA Treasurer of 2019-2020

 

Chair of Social Justice and Equity

Natasha Porter ’20

Hi everyone,

My name is Natasha Porter (class of 2020) and I’m running for Social Justice and Equity Chair. I’m running because I recognize that there is much to be done to improve the quality of student experience at Bryn Mawr and I would like to be part of the change to create a more equitable community. I hope to help make SGA a space where students who are often side-lined can have their voices and ideas heard and respected. If I was elected as Social Justice and Equity Chair I would like to:

  • Collaborate with AMO and activist groups on campus to make sure that their views are being represented in SGA, and ensure that the space is welcoming for them to represent themselves
  • Help institutionalize programs that were created to support students of color, first generation students, low income students, and other marginalized students so that these programs will be able to continue for years to come and do not dissolve when the students organizing them graduate
  • Improve student knowledge on Bryn Mawr’s history of exclusion while also promoting our history of activism and how students before us have implemented change
  • Advocate for compulsory diversity training for all incoming faculty and staff, and retraining for current faculty and staff
  • Advocate for an increased number of Community Days of Learning that are rooted in understanding the history that made CDL necessary, and focused more on how to implement concrete change in the lives of marginalized students after the discussions are over

Thank you for reading and if you have any questions please email me at nporter@brynmawr.edu

Aaliyah Joseph ’22

My name is Aaliyah. I am running for Chair of Social Justice and Equity.

I come from two full black parents and a lifeline of other black people who were native to the Southern region of Louisiana and Texas. But I also come from Portland, Oregon the whitest city per capita in the United States of America. Although Portland is literally as white as a city can get I have, ironically, been able to make Portland more than the city I was born and raised it also is the city that I started my passion and dedication for social justice.

Through leading conversations with people from rural areas, low income communities, and across ideologies I feel as if I am well equipped to be a social advocate on campus. I have been privileged enough to be surrounded by people who do not look like me but, are fighting to give me the opportunity and at a chance. This space has allowed me to understand and witness first hand the importance of being an ally and advocate for people.

Being Chair of Social Justice and Equity at Bryn Mawr would be the start and institutionalization of a norm and culture that prompts understanding, compassion, and allyship. I want to stand in my position and encourage Bryn Mawr to engage in difficult conversations, encourage one another to grow, and lastly re-establish Bryn Mawr’s commitment to social justice and equity with the intent of bettering our shared community.

Thank you,

Aaliyah

 

Head of Honor Board

Taylor McClain ’20

Hi, my name is Taylor McClain. I am a junior and I have served as an Honor Board rep for the past two years. I am running to be the head of the Honor Board because I admire the work being done by the board, I would like to continue to be a part of it, and I enjoy working with faculty and students in this unique way. The Honor Code is one of the best parts of our college and I want to continue to use it to help students feel empowered. One of my goals for the future is to make the Honor Code and the Honor Board less scary. I envision this happening through a continuous dialogue between the students and the Honor Board. I believe that being head of the Honor Board would offer more opportunities to work with SGA’s eboard and allow for more of the conversations I envision.

 

About

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This website is meant to serve as a resource for students of Bryn Mawr College regarding Self-Governance Association Elections. It is also meant to keep them updated with currents election and how they can get involved. Within, you will find information regarding the elections process as defined by the SGA Constitution and the Elections By-Laws, how to get involved, as well as Candidate Statements and Candidates’ Forum Minutes.

Comments? Problems?
To report a bug or technical issue with this website, contact the Help Desk at (610) 526-7440 or help@bmc. To report a problem with meeting minutes or factual errors on content, contact the SGA Elections Heads, Bharati and Shreya (bganesh@bmc; sbhutani@bmc) or at elections@bmc.