Meet the Candidates for the Council!
A debate will take place this week on Wednesday, April 6th, at 6:30PM, this post will be updated with the meeting information when it becomes available.
Viktor Sarnev
Position:
VP Communications
Personal Description:
Hello everyone, my name is Viktor. I am a 3rd year Software Engineering student and one of the moderators on the Engineering and Computer Science Discord Server. I have been with the ESS for a little under two years now, first as chief newsletter editor, and more recently as VP Communications. I am an avid tech enthusiast and in my off time enjoy 3D printing, drone piloting, electronic projects (sometimes with a scary amount of RGB lighting!) and of course some casual gaming.
Platform:
For the past year I’ve been working diligently as VP Communications to make sure that the actions of the ESS are broadcasted to our student population, and I’d like to keep that track record going. If re-elected, I intend to make further improvements to the way that we inform people. Some of these improvements are listed below:
- Testing and continuing to rework the ESS website while attempting to improve its accessibility to people with disabilities
- Making our advertisements more accessible as a whole
- Updating the ESS website’s pages to improve readability on different devices
I hope you consider me for the position of VP Communications, and have a lovely rest of your day!
Sarah Keegan
Position:
VP Internal
Personal Description:
My name is Sarah Keegan and I was the First Year Representative for the ESS this past year. As the First Year Representative, I had the opportunity to collaborate with first year and upper year students and to act on behalf of students when making decisions. I am running for VP Internal because I enjoy communicating with people and working as a team to achieve a common goal of improving the Faculty of Engineering!
Platform:
As the VP Internal, I would be able to provide helpful assistance to the new First Year Representative due to my previous experience in the position. I have greatly enjoyed being a council member this past year and I am excited to continue that if I get elected. I am incredibly interested in the opportunity to meet with both faculty and students to improve the Faculty of Engineering for all parties involved. I would advocate for students from all disciplines to make sure that your voice and opinions are heard. I will meet with each discipline specific representative to discuss any issues and how we can work together to solve them.
Sam Morrow
Position:
VP External
Personal Description:
Hey! I am the current ESS Secretary running for VP External. As a member of the British Columbia Youth Parliament, I advocated for for students and built policy to back up said advocacy. I represented UVic at the 2022 Canadian Engineering Leadership Conference, where I supported the current VP External’s efforts to include CSC students in engineering conferences. I also fostered connections with other Engineering Society representatives, and will build off of those connections to facilitate policy writing and advocacy at conferences. In Highschool, I was president of Grad Council, Interact Club, and was Debate Captain. This experience will ensure I lead the charge for policy change as your VP External.
Platform:
The foundation of my platform for VP External is built around three pillars of action: collaboration, CSC/ESS integration, and advocacy & policy realization. These are predicated on supporting current movements by the current VP external while setting new precedents in working with other EngSocs (Engineering Societies).
With regards to Collaboration, I plan to:
- Work with other EngSocs in fostering the Engineering Community at UVic by bringing back characteristic Engineering events like Lettuce Club,
- Collaborate with other institutions and EngSocs such as with Camosun and UBC in hosting networking/social events, and
- Seek guidance and support from other institutions and EngSocs for UVic’s student campaigns, specifically to promote establishing a Makerspace.
With regards to CSC/ESS Integration, I plan to:
- Continue the work of the current VP external in merging the CSCU and ESS,
- Manage the people currently handling the project to ensure work is progressing,
- Support policy at Engineering conferences that allows CSC students to participate in EngSoc events, and
- Collaborate with other EngSocs who have or are in the process of integrating CSC students.
With regards to Advocacy & Policy Realization, I plan to
- Support equity initiatives through policy at conferences, especially the 30 by 30 initiative, which aims to raise the percentage of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 per cent by 2030,
- Reinforce and build policy supporting hybrid education as a high-quality alternative to in-person classes,
- Prioritize mental health initiatives to ensure that Engineering is accessible and far less overwhelming of a program, and
- Shift the rhetoric of Engineering policy and education towards combatting the climate crisis through innovation.
Eilä Hanson-Leith
Position:
VP Corporate Relations
Personal Description:
I am currently the VP of Events and had great time this year organizing BUG Push, First Year Orientation and the Order of Pie Charity
Fundraiser! Previous to my current council role with the ESS I acted as the undergraduate student representative for the Civil Engineering Department. I am also currently involved with the ESS, as the VP of sponsorship for AGMR 2022, a conference the ESS is hosting this fall. With this experience, I want to collaborate with engineering industry in creating connections and new opportunities!
Platform:
Becoming involved with the ESS I have seen the dedication and hard work that goes into connecting students with engineering industry, but I think we can make even more connections and continue to grow Victoria’s engineering community. If elected, I will bring back industry focused skill and networking events, and opportunities to connect students with industry. Among working to bridge the gap between students and industry, I want to connect students in supporting each other during co-ops and the transition into industry.
Some of my main goals include:
- Bring back networking and skill development events to support students explore co-op and career opportunities in comfortable settings
- Introducing events focused on mentorship and mentee opportunities, essentially answering the question of “how can we as peers learn from each other to develop our skills and networking?”
- Supporting students and clubs connect with industry on long term projects and career development
We’ve missed out on valuable events and time together as an engineering community and I want to start off the next year running! Overall, I want your input! While the ESS and engineering faculty has many opportunities for students, many go unnoticed or unutilized. How can we make opportunities more accessible, what are current barriers between industry and students?
Cord Corcese
Position:
VP Finance
Personal Description:
Hi, I’m Cord, an upper software engineering student who has been involved with the ESS since I was in first year and am ready to step into a council role. Over the years I have worked as a DAL volunteering at events, as newsletter editor, and as secretary. Outside of the ESS, I grew up playing games like Roller Coaster Tycoon and SimCity meaning I literally played with budgets for fun as a kid.
Platform:
My goal as VP Finance is to continue the strong financial management of my predecessor. I will ensure that cheques are signed in a timely manner, and that ESS funds are properly managed. I will put my Excel skills to use. The ESS deserves clean, legible spreadsheets for our Semesterly General Meetings, and I will make that happen. As VP Finance, I will work to ensure students are spent on what students want and need.
Kye Gillespie
Position:
VP Student Life
Personal Description:
I am a 5th year Civil Engineering student, pursuing a career in construction and project management. My previous involvement in the ESS constitutes my time as Director of Publications, where for 8 months I operated the newsletter. During this time I’ve learned a great deal about the ESS and its operations. This has inspired me to get involved as much as I can to give back to my community of students. My university experience has been dominated by help and collaboration of fellow students and it’s that exact sense of community I’m hoping to continue developing in the ESS.
Platform:
As VP Student Life I intend to work hard for the benefits of the engineering students and their clubs. Some of my goals are:
- To speak-out at ESS meetings regarding the extra Covid-19 semester funds and fight to allocate a portion of this money towards clubs and their major projects
- Renew the rate at which ESS jackets are ordered, allowing students to get their jacket in the same semester they order it and avoid inconveniencing those on co-ops or alternative schedules
- Revitalize the office / lounge space by organizing and removing clutter, as well as performing a deep clean to maintain comfort and sanitary measures
- After the Computer Science student merger with the Engineering Student Society, quickly and efficiently leverage the new campus space to optimize student society operations and student space availability
- Help plan and run small student wellness events, such as hikes, movie nights, board game nights, etc.
- Get the office a gumball machine
Through these goals I hope to continue fostering a positive student atmosphere and enable the amazing engineering clubs to continue working hard on their large scale goals.
Tim Al-Saudi
Position:
VP Student Life
Personal Description:
I am a first-year student hoping to declare into software engineering. I got involved with the Engineering Student Society in the fall 2021 term as the social media coordinator and I am currently standing as the director of IT in the spring 2022 term. I have maintained the locker registration form, decorated the office with some of my art, and designed buttons for the Engineering Student Society.
Platform:
My priority is to get more students involved in the engineering student society. I am planning on doing that through:
- Cleaning up and decorating the office.
- Building up the exam and assignments bank by encouraging students to donate their past exams and making it easier to contribute them to the bank.
- Running small, frequent events such as game nights, movie nights, paint nights, etc online and in-person to ease off the stress of school and build community.
- Design more merchandise such as discipline-specific stickers and pins
Samyukhta Prasath
Position:
Equity Officer
Personal Description:
My name is Samyukhta Prasath and I am a first-year engineering student. Having managed several teams and overseen projects throughout high school, I feel that I am prepared to undertake this leadership role. Through my active involvement in the first year council, I have improved my skills in collaborative work and event planning that would allow me to smoothly transition into this council position. I am excited to continue to further my involvement in the ESS as the Equity Officer, and look forward to making a positive change in the UVic engineering community.
Platform:
As the Equity Officer, my overarching goal would be to make UVic’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science more diverse and accessible. I aim to combine my personal experiences and those of the student body with research to assess current limitations and how these may be improved. This information would allow us the opportunity to make improvements to the faculty’s current level of equity and accessibility. I hope to work closely with other members of the council to design and plan accessible events that equally benefit all students. I am keen to use my position as the Equity Officer to promote equity, diversity and accessibility in UVic’s engineering community.
Abdul Abuelazm
Position:
VP Events
Personal Description:
I have been in charge of many ESS events, from small game nights and paint nights in the ESS Student Lounge to massive operations with dozens of volunteers like the Order of Pi and First Year Orientation. With these successful events under my belt, I have the experience, knowledge, and leadership abilities to be able to run the best events the ESS has ever seen.
Platform:
- A semesterly events calendar that is posted on our social media and website within the first two weeks of each semester. This will help the ESS plan ahead, start advertising early, and make students more aware of events.
- Students are incredibly busy and rarely get a break from the constant assignments, projects, and midterms. If those breaks don’t happen around the time of an ESS event, students can just miss out on great socialization and networking experiences. I will run more events and have them consistently spaced throughout the semester to allow students many opportunities to enjoy what the ESS has to offer.
- A larger variety of events. Not everyone wants to jump into a stressful competition or get involved with a pseudo-cult and that is fine. I have planned many events in the past that are very different, from more formal industry mixers to relaxing movie nights with snacks, a good movie, and a good time.