Class of 2020 Senior Class Presidents

Betty Xu and Cathy Zhang

Hello members of Bryn Mawr Community, our names are Betty Xu (She/Her) and Cathy Zhang (She/Her), and we are running for Co-President for the Class of 2020.

In previous years, we have had the privilege to work as International student liaisons, member of SGA Election board and Class representative. We also have experiences with event planning both on and off-campus. On campus, we have experiences working at the Conference and the Events office, The Alumnae Relations Office, and the Pensby center. Off campus, Betty has worked at the West Bund Art Fair in Shanghai, where she expanded client pool through outreach. Cathy is currently the student ambassador at Barnes Foundation, where she fosters a relationship between the Barnes and Bryn Mawr College. With these experiences, we are confident that we will plan great events for the Class of 2020.

Previous class presidents have worked really hard on making SGA more accessible. We hope to continue working on this initiative, but we also hope to bring in the voices of more marginalized student groups on campus. We aim to make SGA a real contact zone. One area of improvement would be the involvement of international students. We are both first generation, international students. We understand the challenges and we know how to bridge the gap. Like previous Class Presidents, we will hold regular office hours and make ourselves available to online correspondent, but we also believe the best way to make connections with our fellow classmates is by actively reaching out to them. If we are elected to be the senior class co-presidents, we hope to meet everyone individually. This way we will be able to get direct feedback and include your voices in the SGA.

We also understand that senior year can be a very stressful time for many students. One of our goals for next year is to focus on the mental health of seniors. We plan to organize various de-stress activities, such as meditation sessions, sunset yoga, group sessions, etc. We also aim to work with the health center to provide better support for our seniors.

We are determined to continue acting as active members in the Bryn Mawr community. Thank you for reading our statement, and we hope you will consider voting for us as the co-presidents of Class of 2020.

For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us by e-mail: Betty Xu at bxu1@brynmawr.edu and Cathy Zhang at zzhang2@brynmawr.edu.

Taysha Torress and Destiny Lamar

“Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations.” When the class of 2020 arrived, we didn’t know that we’d make an everlasting impact. We were told that we were the biggest incoming class, upholding the most diversity and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, as Bryn Mawr’s way of being more accessible to all students from around the world but that’s all we knew. Some of us came in together whether through connections of the same highschool, city, or POSSE while others made connections through their hall, classrooms, or jobs. We’ve all smiled, cried, laughed and ranted until 2 am, and now we will be graduating together in just two semesters. We are leaving together, hand-in-hand, knowing that we’ve given our all to Bryn Mawr in many different ways and despite all of our trials and tribulations, both personally and overall, Taysha and I want to ensure that we’ll have an amazing Senior Year/Week. We are excited to plan many activities and pop-up events during both semesters outside of Senior Week. As we once heard, “This is not only my senior year but our senior year” and we fully plan on incorporating all of your suggestions for events and/or stress busters.

As first generation, low-income students, Bryn Mawr truly challenged us and has played a part in who we are today. It would be our pleasure to serve as the liaison between our peers and the assembly. Thinking back to our home cities and the different obstacles that we’ve encountered yet overcame, we want other students who are both incoming or saying farewell to Bryn Mawr, to know that anything can be accomplished when you have the right support system around you, as we do and aspire to be. As the faces of the senior class at Bryn Mawr, we will be committed to not only making our last year one to remember but also to make choices at the best interest of our class. As the senior class representatives, we are open to hear and voice your comments and concerns through forums, questionnaires, and in person conversations. We will try our best to meet the needs of our classmates and do so with love and positivity.

 

Class of 2020 Songsmistress/mister/mistex

Katarina Karris-Flores 

My name is Katarina Karris-Flores and I am currently running for the position of Senior Songs Mistress for the upcoming class year 2019-2020. On campus, I have been a THRIVE mentor, I am currently a tour guide for the Admissions Office, and I also work as an Admissions Intern and coordinator for the Owl Ambassador program. While these responsibilities and jobs keep me busy, I have the organizational skills, motivation, and dedication to help me succeed as a leader and community organizer in the Senior Songs Mistress position.

It would be a great honor to be elected as Senior Songs Mistress. This job would be one of my top priorities, being one of the head leaders for traditions. I think that Bryn Mawr College traditions are essential in bringing our community together and creating a positive first year experience for both incoming and current Bryn Mawr students. The traditions are a fun aspect of the Bryn Mawr experience, and having a leader who is dedicated and enthusiastic in leading these traditions is extremely important. I remember experiencing Lantern Night as a first-year student and being in awe over how dedicated and enthusiastic the Senior Songs Mistress was for leading this revered tradition. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to be Senior Songs Mistress.

My Lantern Night was an unforgettable experience, and if chosen as Senior Songs Mistress, I will create the same experience for first-years. Being the Senior Songs Mistress requires confidence, the ability to command a large group of people, and organizational skills. Because I embody these three characteristics, I am confident that I will succeed as the Senior Songs Mistress for the upcoming class year.

 

Members of the Appointment Committee

Leila Siegel ’20

Hi, I’m Leila Siegel (she/her, class of 2020). I want to start out by saying that I understand the need for a closely knit community and developing a sense of trust and communication among ourselves, having served on three committees (Social, Traditions, Outreach & Communications). Additionally, I’d like to make the appointments process run more efficiently by incorporating a tighter schedule and timeframe for interviews. Making the interview process more informal in order to gain a holistic view of applicants is also a goal of mine. I believe in doing good for others and making our future leaders are approachable, helpful, and relatable and want to help the Bryn Mawr community as much as possible. Thanks so much for reading to the end! Hang in there Mawrtyrs, just a week ‘til the 20th!

Zaynah Moen ’21

Hey Bryn Mawr! My name is Zaynah Moen (she/her) and I am running to be a Member of Appointments because I want to be an advocate for the Bryn Mawr student body be getting more involved in SGA. This position would allow me to get a better understanding of the many groups who work to make life at Bryn Mawr so unique and aid in the processes that go into assembling different committees. I want to be one of the driving forces that makes this school even better by following through on initiatives. I want to help foster the culture of accountability within SGA committees and make sure there is better communication so events don’t overlap. I appreciate the importance of bringing a positive energy to a space and working alongside others to achieve a common goal. I will be direct in my communication and make time for my duties. I am experienced in event planning and organization. I have a genuine interest in making the most of our committees and hope you elect me as a Member of Appointments so that together we can achieve more.

Illianny Grullon ’21

Hey everyone!! My name is Ilianny Grullon. I use She/her pronouns and I am a part of the class of 2021. I am running for a position on the appointments committee. I have been apart of leadership positions in high school such as the Student Council as well as club teams/sports. During this, I’ve also worked at jobs. These clubs and jobs taught me communication, patience, compromising and responsibility. I also know how to remain unbiased and recognize all points of view in a situation. I know how to separate work, friends, and play. I believe these are strong assets to have while on the appointments committee. throughout my two years here, I have grown drastically. I’ve learned so much about who I am and what I want to do with my time here. I want to do more on campus with SGA. I want to be a voice in any way I can for the POC. If I am appointed, I look forward to working with my fellow members, the committees and the Vice President.

 

Traditions Mistress/Master/Mistex

Liz Marchini ’21 and Serena Gonzalez ‘21

We, Liz Marchini and Serena Gonzalez are excited to announce that we are running for Traditions Mistresses.

Traditions are an integral part of the overall Bryn Mawr experience and they play an integral role in building a sense of community within the school. We know that there have been problems with inclusion within Traditions in the past years and we would like to eliminate those problems. We want to make sure that Traditions are able to be enjoyed by everyone. To achieve this goal, we will insure that traditions are safe, comfortable and accessible to anyone who chooses to take part in them. We want to help facilitate the strengthening of the Bryn Mawr community while allowing others to express their ideas and concerns. As your Traditions Mistresses, we will listen to people’s idea and take input for all traditions, as we work for the students – not for ourselves. We will make it a priority to communicate effectively and often with the student body; there will be regular updates, delivered in a timely manner, insuring that everyone will know what is going on.

The roles of Traditions Mistresses are an enormous responsibility, but we are both excited to take it on that responsibility. We have been friends since last year and we have experience working together on many class assignments and other ventures, so we know that we are able to work together to get things done effectively and appropriately. We are both capable, adaptable and practical.

Liz is a current member of the Traditions Committee and is hoping to play a bigger role within Traditions. Liz is currently a Customs Person in Pem West, a future HA in Erdman, and a tour guide. She also is the musical director of the Acabellas and is on the board of Greasepaint Productions. She is hoping to take on a larger leadership role on campus. Because of Liz’s vast experience in leadership roles on campus she knows that she will be able to lead Traditions effectively. Furthermore, traditions mean so much to Liz and her Bryn Mawr experience; she wants to help facilitate and foster the same feelings in those who choose to participate.

Serena’s favorite part of Bryn Mawr is Traditions and she has wanted to run for Traditions Mistress since her first-year on campus. She does not currently hold any leadership positions on campus, but she has excellent time management skills from her past years if work and running clubs in high school. She believes that because she has free time that many people at Bryn Mawr do not, she will be able to devote the majority of her time and energy into making sure Traditions run smoothly and are enjoyed by everyone.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about why we want to be your Traditions Mistresses, feel free to email us at lmarchini@brynmawr.edu or smgonzalez@brynmawr.edu.

Thank you!

Liz and Serena

Alix Galumbeck ’21 and Marcia Adams ’21

Hi BMC folks! We are Alix Galumbeck (she/her) and Marcia Adams (she/her), and we are running for Traditions Mistresses for the 2019-2020 academic year!

Traditions form a huge part of the community here at Bryn Mawr. We have felt so welcomed and accepted through our own experiences with traditions over the last two years, so we want to give back to this community to ensure that our fellow Mawrtyrs and incoming freshmen can feel the same.

To do this, we aim to act as a liaison between the student body and the administration, working with student activities and other areas of the administration to address student concerns and areas for improvement. We want to make traditions as inclusive and accessible as possible, building upon the amazing work of our current traditions mistresses. Not only do we want to communicate with the administration, but we also want to communicate better with our fellow students, too! Whilst continuing to use online surveys to gain feedback, we also want to facilitate in-person conversations about traditions through regular office hours and general meetings throughout the year. The more we learn about traditions from the different experiences of others, the more it can be improved for the rest of the community!

We are current sophomore traditions representatives in Rhoads North and Denbigh, and thus have had a lot of experience helping to coordinate events like Lantern Night and WTF Week. Both of us are Archaeology majors and best friends, with experience working well together both in and out of the classroom. We also have a lot of individual experience, too!

Alix is involved in activities sponsored by the Classics and Archaeology departments, where she has built relationships with faculty, staff, and students. She wants to take on this role not only to improve traditions for the current student body, but also to provide more opportunities for those who have graduated to be involved in traditions. Her mother graduated in the class of ’85 (her class color was red, too!) and they have bonded over their shared, though different, experiences. Marcia is a Customs Person for Denbigh 1st, and has helped to coordinate and shape the first-year experience here at Bryn Mawr. As a DLT member, she has worked with both upper and underclassmen in building a dorm community that she hopes to translate to the wider student body. As an international student thousands of miles away from home, she found a home here at Bryn Mawr through the community built by traditions, and wants to ensure that other students, both international and domestic, can find a home here too.

Although at the core traditions stay the same for decades, we believe that it is necessary for them to evolve and adapt over time, to reflect the ever-changing, diverse community here at Bryn Mawr. By helping to facilitate this evolution over time as Traditions Mistresses, we aim to enhance every student’s experience with traditions at the level they want to participate. If you want to hear more about our aims and ideas for Traditions 2019-2020, or want to learn more about us, you can email us at agalumbeck@brynmawr.edu and madams1@brynmawr.edu!

Bryn Mawr Love,

Alix and Marcia

 

Head of Residence Council

Sarah Gu ’20 and Kat Mallea ’20

Hi, our names are Sarah Gu, Class of 2020, and Katherine (Kat) Mallea, Class of 2020 and we are running to be ResCo Heads. For the past year, we have thoroughly enjoy being a part of the DLT as Dorm Presidents of Pembroke East and participating in the weekly ResCo meetings.

As ResCo Heads, we both understand how it is very important to be in constant communication with the Residential Life, Campus Safety, Housing, Grounds Keeping, and the rest of the dorms. With the background knowledge and experience as Dorm Presidents of Pembroke East, we believe that we are more than prepared to take on this role.

For the future of ResCo Head, we have talked to the current ResCo Heads about improving the effectiveness of this position, such as ideas of setting up more resources for each of the dorms. We will not only look to the previous heads, but also seek out any recommendations from the Dorm Presidents and DLT. Overall, we acknowledge the amount of commitment and responsibility for this role and will work hard to ensure a smooth and effective transition as the ResCo Heads of 2019-2020.

Natalie Kogan ’21

Hello! My name is Natalie Kogan (she/her, 2021) and I am running for Residence Council Head. I am currently a Dorm President of Pem West, and I have loved learning a lot about the college through attending the weekly SGA meetings, attending Residence Council Meetings, and through leading the West DLT meetings. It is because of my time as a DP that I feel confident in working with other DPs as well as facilities, housekeeping, ResLife, SGA, and anyone else I need in order to provide a safe and comfortable residential experience for all students.

As a DP, I have seen certain issues such as theft become incredibly prevalent this year. If I am lucky enough to be elected ResCo Head, I will work with Campus Safety and the Honor Board to address this issue. I also want to work with DPs to make on-campus parties as safe as possible. There were a few issues this past year, and I hope to work with ResLife, DPs, Campus Safety, and party hosts to figure things out such as who to let in and what to do when certain situations arise. Finally, as ResCo Head, I want to make sure that every student has the accessibility features that they need. Whether that is air conditioning, a room without carpet, a central dorm, or anything else that a student may need, I want to make sure that every student has their needs met without having to sacrifice comfort. I realize that this has been a challenge for some students on campus, and I hope to be able to work with all of you to address these issues.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at nkogan@brynmawr.edu. Thank You!