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

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