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UAISA 2021 Board Election Candidates
Chanpreet Singh
Running for : President
I am Chanpreet Singh and I am running for the President of ISA again. Last year has been really hard for all of us and your ISA has been responsive to student needs and always acted in international students' interest. In the last year under my leadership, ISA has proactively reacted to students' issues, for instance, in the UPass situation, ISA worked with ETS to make international students eligible for the ride transit program, advocated boldly to the university administration to address the online learning issue, engaged with Ministry of the Advance Education to safeguard international students interests under Alberta 2030, created dedicated support service for Nigerian students, and the list goes on. Student's needs have always been my priority and I pledge to continue it. Within one year of restarting ISA, we became the largest association on campus and a student representative as well, a lot of work has been done and there’s more to do. I have built this association from almost nothing and I want to continue the work that I have done last year as your president and thus don’t forget to vote for Chanpreet on Feb 9 and 10. Vote for me based on my work and help me build an ISA that lasts for over 100 years.
Abigail Ameley Quaye
Running for : VP Academic
Abigail Ameley Quaye is a Ghanaian and 1st Year PhD Student. With special interests in Activism, Gender, Social Justice and Representation of Women, Children and marginalized persons, I understand the plights of international students. I believe in the power of activism. I believe that the voices of International Students matter a lot within the university community.
Mohit Sinha
Running for : VP Communications
My name is Mohit Sinha and I am the current director of marketing strategies at ISA.
Being at ISA for a few months, I realized we were lacking in many areas when it comes to effectively communicating new changes and opportunities to our international students.
And that’s why I decided to step up this year and run for VP communications for International student association.
As VP communication, I will be handling ISA’s social media posts, emails, website and all other communication with our students.
Changes I plan to bring are -
(1) Fast communication about changes and opportunities
Has there been times when there were regulatory changes or new opportunities available for international students but you missed them or were confused about them?
As the VP communication, I will work to improve our communication channels so that you can get informed about new changes and opportunities fast and effectively through emails, social media and our website.
(2) Promote diversity
Our ISA represents many different languages, cultures and experiences. My second agenda is to promote the diversity of our international student community. I plan to do that by sharing experiences and stories from our diverse international community. And also by sharing different events, festivals and cultures from different regions of the globe.
(3) Ban mandatory 2 am classes and online proctoring
As an ISA VP, I will be advocating to ban mandatory 2 am classes and online proctoring. Online proctoring discriminates against people suffering from disability and people of colour. Being awake for 2 am non-recorded classes have caused great difficulty to many of our students who are currently not in Edmonton. It affects their grades, health and learning capacity. University has failed to provide us a solution for it.
Rama Taha
Running for : VP Communications
I aim to run an impartial and transparent communications department that the international students are well aware and up to date about everything they need to know including but not limited to events and recent developments
Ishan Arora
Running for : VP Communications
Hello everyone! I am Ishan Arora, a first-year international student from India. An enthusiastic person who is passionate about people and finds joy in connecting with others through feeling the subtle beauty of exchanging experiences and telling stories, I plan on offering my sincere help by running for the post of VP Communications at the ISA. I humbly propose my candidature at the ISA in hopes of getting an opportunity to strengthen the International Students’ community at the University of Alberta, and augmenting their experience of studying at this prestigious institution. You are always welcome to contact me in case you want to share your story with me. I shall be obliged to have a word with you.
Contact details-
Email- iarora2@ualberta.ca
Instagram- @ishan_arora2
Whatsapp- +91 7838220718
Gurbani and Lucas
Running for : Co-VP External
Hey, this is Gurbani and Lucas! We have been your VP External for the last year. Re-elect us so we can continue doing amazing work for you!
Dhir Bid
Running for : VP Finance
My name is Dhir Bid. I am an international student from Kenya pursuing mechanical engineering. I was a Students' Union delegate to the ISA last year, and I was instrumental in having the ISA recognised as a Special Representative Association, which gives the power to ISA to directly represent you and to advocate for your concerns and rights. I currently sit on the Council on Student Affairs (COSA) of the General Faculties Council (GFC), where I had the opportunity to support ISA in bringing concerns related to online learning and lectures not being recorded to the university. I am someone who is very approachable, and in my role as VP Finance, I would love to serve you, to make your voice heard, and to put your money in the right place for you.
Sanhita Pal
Running for : VP Graduate Affairs
Hello Everyone
I am Sanhita, a Master Student from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. I from India and have been associated with the ISA since October 2020. I am the Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator and also a council member of the ISA. This time I am contesting for the position of Vice-President Graduate Affairs and I am counting on you all for your kind support. If I am allowed to work as the VP Graduate Affairs I am hoping to deal with issues relating to finances and personality development. I would work actively to try reducing the differences between the international and national students in terms of opportunities (like scholarships) available. Different departments have a different base pay for the graduate students some of which is not sufficient, I am hoping to initiate a campaign for similar and sufficient payments in all departments. Besides, I plan to organize workshops and mentoring sessions especially for the graduate students which will better equip them to meet the demands of the future job market. So, if you like my agendas, please vote for me.
Thanking you in advance for your support (^_^)
Warren Leung Kam Tsang
Running for : VP Internal
Hi everyone,
I'm Warren and I'm from Mauritius island. For the past few years, I was involved with Residence Services and the Students' Union working as an resident assistant and the HUB Community Association President respectively. The experiences nurtured through these involvements will help run a more accountable and transparent board council while helping the international student community at large.
Charvi Dhamija and Mobashhir Khan
Running for : VP Internal
Our motivation for running for a board position at the ISA is helping students who are new to the university, just like we received help from the ISA. As freshmen, we had lots of doubts and ISA helped us with that. Since it is the biggest club at the University of Alberta, it gives us a chance to interact with lots of people, something which we have enjoyed a lot in our time with the ISA. If we become board members, we would be able to take up their issues and help them, in whatever they need.
Nikita Adekar
Running for : VP Student Life
A bit about me:
- I am from Mumbai, India. Best known for its street food and night life.
- I am running for VP Student Life because I am tired of hearing the negative experiences students, especially international students, face and as VP Student Life in ISA I can finally do something about it.
- Lastly, I also have a cat named Rio. :)
My Agendas:
- To conduct more events for socialization, networking, and information
ISA hasn't been conducting events for a very long time. My plan is to change this and conduct primarily for socialization, networking, and information.
- Promote Mental Health Awareness
I plan to create schemes/programs that will help students not only during this pandemic period but even after the restrictions are lifted. University is tough for all of us, so I want to help the ones in need.
- Advocate Students’ Issues
As a voice for international students, ISA should listen to every international student’s concern. We have to start making conversation in order to understand how we can make UofA students’ lives.
If you like the changes that I plan to act upon for our community, then please Vote for me, Nikita Adekar for ISA VP Student Life.
. Safwan and Valencia Das
Running for : VP Student Life
We wish to ensure that the mental health and the international experience is at its best at the University of Alberta. We wish to create a home away from home. For a better future.
