Bridging the Gap from Me and You

As a student’s VP Events, I’m a resource to everybody. I am resource to clubs when they require expertise for planning events. No matter how small an event is or how big, I want to be your student advocate when it comes to event planning. I wish to continue to act as support to clubs and students and provide the training that is necessary in the beginning of the year. I want clubs and students know I am just an email away. I’m available and accessible to serve my peers. With a year of experience, I am confident that I can enhance the events portfolio by continuing to act as a support. To focus on the quality of events rather than quantity. To continue to get student feedback about events and to address those needs every event.

One of the most popular method for communication with our students is social media. If re-elected, I hope to include a new form of communication with students. I hope to be able to spread event promotions through student ambassadors. These student ambassadors will walk around the classroom and around campus to remind students about the monthly events we offer. Social media is a great idea however when we have student council members walking around spreading the word, it allows us to put a face to a name. To bridge the gap from student council members and our peers. It's an action that shows willingness to get to know the student body and to build relationships. 

New Initatives I want to Implement!

Mental Health

Mental health is a big concern at the Brescia Campus and as a student I believe we should strive to enhance the school environment. This year, Brescia has a research team whose been doing extensive research in how can we can improve Brescia’s mental health. As a student, I see the needs of my peers and the things that are lacking. It’s a big project but is an initiative we need to do. I would like to work closely with the mental health forum group and work towards in creating a safe space for students.

A space for students that they are able to sit down and relax either by watching TV or a quiet place to nap between class. I want to work on this initiative to see how feasible it is to make it happen. I don’t want to make empty promises saying this space will be done by winter term, but a promise to put in effort to look into and think of the possible ways.

Initiative: Creating a Meal Plan Card for Off Campus Students

For Brescia, we are very privileged to have a wonderful food service that provides the best for us. Ingredients that are local and fresh to support the local farmers and the community. As students, we are always on the go and the use of cash can be frustrating. My goal is to create a meal plan card for students. This meal plan card will allow students be able to load money into the card and every time they purchase a coffee or food from Mercato they can use the card to swipe. It’s convenient and easy to use. As well, the perks of purchasing a meal plan card can possibly be saving money. For example, every time the card is used, you save 5%. Just like the flex dollars at main campus. 

Bridging the Gap from Campus Life to London Community

As students, it’s very easy to be stuck in the campus life bubble and only see London from a student perspective. As a student and someone out of town, I’ve discovered the joy and beauty of London. There’s so much more to do than just campus activities. I hope to bridge the gap from campus life to the London community by working to create a board on Brescia that promotes local London events.  Social life can be expensive so I hope to work with different organizations in London to work on student discounts rates. Some fun annual events in London is Western Fair, Wine and Food Tasting Show and many charitable fundraisers.

Academics are important but I hope to encourage and engage students to volunteer in London. To encourage students to discover by experiencing. As a current VP Events, I am changing the constitution for Charity position. I hope to change the constitution to have this position provide more of a service towards students by engaging them in volunteering events throughout the year. To create charitable events that directs goes back to students. By fundraising money to services on Main, Brescia, Kings or Huron that benefit the student body such as the Food Bank service on Main.

I hope to promote the Brescia co-curricular record that began this year at Brescia. This record keeps track of all the students’ volunteer experiences in their undergraduate. Since Academics is only shown on the transcript, the Co-curricular record can be used as reference when applying to jobs. This tool is a great networking resource especially for those who are doing job searches.

Platform: Bridging the Gap from Academics and the Workplace

Over the years being on BUCSC, the VP Events portfolio have always created events that’s been extraordingary and tremendous. The past year, looking at the BUCSC survey, the need for students is just more than social events. Students wants to learn how to network and how to integrate their academics to the workforce. As VP Events, I believe to address this student need. I would like to create and help with networking events for students. To work with Student Life Centre and promote those “How To” events. As well, to work closely with the VP Academics to create more academic events for students from all faculty. There’s been a raised awareness there are lack of networking opportunities for the students in the science field. The past following year, Alumni Brunch was held during Homecoming and it was a great event for 1^st year students to meet Alumnae. I hope to continue this tradition and improve it with the communication and organization. To also allow this event be a networking event that allow students and alumnae share experiences. I believe the life experiences from other generations and the wisdom they have is gold. To past on leadership so we can continue to grow and move forward. 

Platform in a Minute

Bridge the Gap

Bridging the Gap from Academic & the Workplace
• Create more networking events for students
• Partnership with Student Life Centre
• Partnership with VP Academics
• Enhance Alumni Brunch

Bridging the Gap from Campus Life to London Community
• Promote local London Events
• Student Discounted Events
• Discover by Experiencing
• Provide volunteer experiences
• Brescia Co-Curricular Record

Bridging the Gap from Me and You
• Accessibility
• Availability
• Advocate for YOU
• Be YOUR resource

Initiative: Off Campus Meal Plan Cards
Mental Health Initiative: Create a Safe Space

I will be expanding on each theme every day for you to learn more about it through social media. 

Once Again?

The past year on council as Vice President Events (VP Events) has been a journey that have challenged my thinking and skills. Every day I leave the school telling myself there is so much to do but so little time. There’s so many great ideas but it’s never always being in placed. I love the adrenaline rush when it comes to event planning and the stress that comes along with it. But importantly, I love Brescia and I love serving my peers. I love being able to help students make their events happen. 

With a year of experience, everyone has trained me the logistics works of VP Events and I finally got a hang of it. By the time I got a hang of everything, my term is already done. One year is too short to for me to make the changes I hope to do. One year is too short to serve my peers through the VP Events position. I want to be able to have another opportunity but this time with a networking perspective and being YOUR ADVOCATE. The platform I've created is not just my own ideas but ideas from the student body.

If you believe in my platform, I would like to invite you to vote for me. To vote for these changes to be in place and to enhance your Brescia experience. 

Feel free to come and speak to me about the changes you would like to see. I stand here to not just push my ideas onto you but to ADVOCATE for you. 

To be your ambassador and to serve you. 

I will post something about my platform every day! Check daily to see my ideas:) 

"Yours works will only go so far but your passion will take you far beyond your imagination." 

-Carmen