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Carter Newman
Candidate for ACES Senator*
Hello, my name is Carter Newman. I am a freshman at UConn Storrs currently in ACES, in the Pre-Sport Management Program. As an Academic Senator, I will push to make sure all students’ voices are heard and their needs are put first. Working to create a better school environment and a fair curriculum for all students is a necessity to the growth and success of our diverse student body. During High School I had the pleasure of working on numerous committees that found solutions to issues in our school regarding academic success and inclusivity. These committees granted me the ability to work with staff and the Superintendent of schools too. This showed me the importance of uniting to work together and that building trust amongst our student body will lead us to great achievements and help us strive together toward an even better future. I would love to do the same at UConn as a Senator and address concerns that the student body brings forth. I hope to work with you all in the very near future! |
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Teresa Nguyen
Candidate for CAHNR Senator*
Hello! My name is Teresa Nguyen, and I am a first-year Pathobiology Major. As both a woman and a first-generation Vietnamese-American, I understand the struggles faced by people of color and women in STEM fields. We fight an uphill battle against discrimination, constantly striving to be included and allotted the same opportunities as our peers. I am running for the Senate because I wish to advocate for and foster an educational environment in which students of all skin colors, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities are able to feel safe, included and heard. This includes streamlining the methods for reporting sexual and discriminatory harassment and improving campus and organization accessibility.
Additionally, I will strive to make UCONN a more sustainable campus. The current pandemic has resulted in a large amount of waste being produced, particularly in the dining halls; I will push for a transition to reusable, recycled, or biodegradable containers and cutlery, as well as for the implementation of a composting system in the future.
More than anything, I wish to be your voice. I want to be a trusted representative you can turn to with questions and concerns; I want you to be heard. |
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Kirsten Zwally
Candidate for CAHNR Senator*
I am running for Senator of CAHNR because I am passionate about seeing our peers succeed and gaining invaluable experiences. As a senior animal science student, I have witnessed first hand the strength and community of our college and I plan to listen and represent each voice. My ultimate goal will be to increase the diversity and inclusivity as well as advocating for greater mental health resources. We are an underrepresented group of hard-working, successful students and we deserve to have our demands heard. I am passionate about CAHNR and my fellow students and will work my hardest to make every opinion heard. |
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Yuhan Liu
Candidate for School of Business Senator*
My name is Yuhan Liu (she/her/hers) and I am a third-year student majoring in Finance. I am seeking the role of School of Business Senator to ensure the perspectives and ideas of business students could be heard and represented in our school. My main focus is to collect and address class concerns college students may have during this unprecedented time. I also want to promote diversity by driving awareness and channeling concerns and advices from underrepresented student groups with school authorities.
I am passionate about implementing a positive change in the School of Business and further in our college with collaborative spirit and hard work. Listening to everyone, seeking out the opinion and informing people USG’s initiatives will be my responsibilities. I would greatly appreciate your consideration to vote and support for me. We can make School of Business and UConn as a whole a better place. |
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Emily Gunzburg
Candidate for School of Education Senator*
I feel as if I would make a good Education Student Senator because I care alot about the program and can advocate for my fellow student in NEAG. Additionally I am very committed to not only my extra circulars but also my school work. I have had a-lot of experiences with many different people here at UConn and hope to magnify their voices for the betterment of this school and with the interest of education majors in mind. |
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Jnanasravanthi Athina
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
Hi everyone! My name is Jnanasravanthi Athina and I am a freshman computer science and engineering major in the honors program at UConn Storrs. During the academic year 2020-2021, I advocated for students in the following roles:
– Undergraduate Student Government: Senator (USG)
– University Senate Scholastic Standards Committee (SSC): Student Representative
– Academic Affairs: Committee Member
It’s been an honor to speak for student interests in this unpredictable era. Given that the school of engineering is the 2nd largest school on campus, students given senate seats should be active, outspoken, and knowledgeable- especially in regards to academic policy. I have experience in USG and furthered the following initiatives…
– I co-authored the “Withdrawal Legislation” and urged SSC and the Provost to extend the course withdrawal deadline.
– I pushed for the inclusion of reading days and spring break in the spring calendar.
– I advocated for pass/fail without restrictions.
– I helped bring forth the deadline extension for the current pass/fail policy.
– I argued against requiring a secondary student authentication measure during exams so student privacy would not be violated.
– I co-authored the “Uyghur Legislation,” imploring UConn to denounce genocide and reevaluate negotiations with companies using forced labor. |
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Likhitadevi Athina
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
Hi everyone! My name is Likhitadevi Athina and I am a junior majoring in Computer Science and Engineering. As a current Commuter senator, I am running for re-election because I would like to continue my efforts in making sure all students, especially students in the school of engineering, have a voice in matters of the University. I currently serve as the Academic Affairs Deputy Director of Policy, a member of Engineering Ambassadors, Students’ Collaborative Action Network and University Senate on campus.
Some of the work I’ve done this past year is the extension of the date to put a course on pass/fail as well as to withdraw from a class, advocating for a less restrictive pass/fail, restructuring of our graduation requirements, increasing student representation, changes to the SETs, and finding ways to bring academic consistency for students. If re-elected, I will continue to advocate on behalf of Engineering students, especially considering that despite being the second largest school at UCONN, we are often a represented group of students when it comes to the decision-making process on matters that affect us. If you have any questions/concerns, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank-you!
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Conor Broderick
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
My name is Conor Broderick, I am an engineering physics major in my sophomore year. I would appreciate your vote for one of the SOE’s USG Senate seats. My main goal is to create better options for communication between students and department heads/deans when problems arise with (tenured) professors not adequately teaching their classes. While this has always been a problem, I’m sure a lot of you have experienced this even more with online school. Now, we have the SET surveys at the end of the semester, but that doesn’t help YOU pass YOUR class. It is my hope that opening new lines of communication between students and our professor’s bosses will help resolve problems with classes and get our professors the training some of them desperately need to teach more effectively. |
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Aayush Chopra
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
My name is Aayush Chopra and I am currently a freshman Biomedical Engineering student. I am from Glastonbury, CT and played soccer and ran track all four years. I held leadership positions in Chemistry Olympiad and Dragon Dance club and served as the President pro tempore of the senate at Boys’ State. As a member of the Honors Program, I plan to bring my goals as an undergrad and expand on them to not only my fellow engineering students, but the student body as a whole. I hope to use my skills of problem solving and collaboration to bring issues to the table and work on them with other senators to better the student experience here at UConn. I hope to represent my peers in the School of Engineering and look forward to working with them to create the best UConn experience there can be. |
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Colby Hoffman
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
My name is Colby Hoffman, and I am a Management and Engineering for Manufacturing major as part of the class of 2023 here at UConn. I am running for the position of Engineering Senator because I want to have a voice in the governing processes that determine the major decisions regarding our education. The USG can have an incredible impact on the quality of courses, professors, and educational standards but only if the right people are involved. I believe that I can have a positive impact on not only the present students in the School of Engineering but also on future generations of students to come. Together we can change the future of engineering at UConn. |
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Samuel Pontes
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
Hello Fellow Huskies!
My name is Samuel Pontes and I will be running for a seat in the Engineering Senate during the Spring 2021 election. I am a sophomore majoring in Environmental Engineering and currently I participate in 3 different extracurricular research activities relating to different environmental sustainability issues within the state of Connecticut.
As a fellow Engineering Student I am aware of the many issues we face as a community and if elected promise to make each and everyone of the engineering student body voice heard. I can assure that I will do everything in my power to oversee legislation which will only work to improve the quality of student life and provide resources for our community to grow even stronger.
For my final remark I want to leave you with this, the idea of a senate which will endlessly work for Uconn engineers, always putting their standard of education first to unify us as a family so that we may become more than just students.
Sincerely
-Samuel Pontes |
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Guilmar Valle
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
Vote for me 🙂
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Marianella Salinas
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
As an Engineering senator, I aim to create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for underrepresented students in the School of Engineering, specifically racial minorities, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. By designing new programs that support underrepresented students in engineering academically, socially, and financially, I will be able to increase both minority student representation and student retention.
As a board member of the School of Engineering FOCUS group and the STEM Scholar Executive board, I have a passion for creating a platform for the new and diverse voices within the School of Engineering in order to address the great lack and women and BIPOC representation within the academic school.
Being a woman, Latina, and a Computer Science and Engineering student will allow me to bring a unique perspective to USG. I am excited and ready to listen, share ideas, and make UConn a more welcoming and diverse environment for all students. |
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Jacob Zakrzewicz
Candidate for School of Engineering Senator
Far too often, I feel like our voices as students are not listened to. And if they are, they are, by no means, seriously considered. Particularly during the COVID-19 era, many academic decisions are made “behind closed doors”, and we, the students, have very limited input regarding these decisions. Decisions that are made supposedly on our behalf, such as deciding which modality to offer a course, or how the course will be taught, have excluded students, and we have no say in what the outcome will be. I feel like many professors and University administration forget the entire reason why they have jobs is because of us, the students. I feel trapped as a student, like nobody cares about me. I feel unheard, with so many things to say, and nobody to say them to. Therefore, I find it extremely hypocritical when many decisions are made without our best interests in mind, and I wish to help be a part of the change, particularly within the School of Engineering. This is why I am interested in running for a USG Academic Senator representing the School of Engineering. Perhaps through this platform, my thoughts may finally be heard. |
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Kazi Iqbal
Candidate for School of Fine Arts Senator*
Hello SFA, my name is Kazi, I’m a sophomore music major from Manchester, Connecticut and I’m running to represent you in USG.
In the past I’ve held many musical and non-musical leadership roles ranging from coordinating the UCMB sound system to leading community service initiatives in high school.
I believe that an effective student government should accurately represent the views of the student body and be a conspicuous and approachable channel for students to be able to voice their issues.
My goals as Senator are to bring back that close knit feeling that we get in the Fine Arts building, albeit through digital means. I also hope to shift that tight-knit community closer to the center of campus and shed some light on the incredible work that we do. It is critical that we have the visibility to validate that hard work on a wider stage, and use our newfound leverage to secure funding for the tools that we desperately need such as Adobe Suite licenses and better printing options. I will also work to demand accountability and transparency from university leadership and work with groups like Defund UCPD and UCCO to advocate for real change. |
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Pavan Adapta
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
This past year has been very turbulent for many of us. With the pandemic and social injustices at the forefront of our minds, education has become much more difficult. As a senator, I want to help my fellow CLAS students with their struggles. College is meant to be challenging, but how can we be engaged in our academic pursuits with such turmoil. My other focuses for UConn are inclusion and environmental sustainability. I want to make UConn a better place for everyone. |
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Nicola Bacon
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
As a senator, I would fight for social, environmental, and climate justice within the UConn community. In order to address the current climate crisis that our world faces, it will take every community, including ours, to take bold steps to secure a safe future for those who come after us. USG has an opportunity to not only work on creating legislation in support of special initiatives that lead towards a more sustainable future, but using its unique platform to uplift voices, especially those within the BIPOC community who are actively facing the climate crisis at a faster rate than other racial groups. Student organizations like EcoHusky’s, Sunrise UConn, Fridays For Future UConn, PowerUp UConn, and UConn Collaborative Organizing deserve to be at the table when finding sustainable solutions for these issues within our community and I intend to be an ally and advocate for their ideas. |
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Michael Hernandez
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
I am running to represent the diverse interests of the largest college at UConn. If elected I will meet with my constituents weekly and leverage my experience in USG and the University to deliver on CLAS concerns. |
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Julia Mazur
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
Hello! Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. My name is Julia and I am currently a Sophomore at UCONN with a major in Molecular and Cell Biology. I believe that I would be a great candidate for the CLAS Senate position for USG due to my past leadership experience. I was captain of my high school’s swimming and diving team, as well as President of the English National Honors Society and Co-President of my school’s string orchestra. I was also a part of my high school’s student council, where many of the student body was heard during major votes because of the dedication my fellow classmates and I had in advocating for the interests and issues our student body believed in. I hope everyone has a great semester and thank you for voting! |
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Autumn Michels
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
My name is Autumn Michels and I am running as a Senator representing the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I am currently a freshman at UConn and this is my second semester on campus. As a Political Science Major with an English Minor, I am well-acquainted with the academic demands of a Liberal Arts and Sciences student. In addition, I am also involved with multiple clubs and associations at UConn, notably Hall Association and Ecohusky. Through my involvement in Hall Association, I have gained valuable experience in working with and listening to residents in order to create community events in accordance with our residents’ desires. As a Senator, I will use these skills to promote your interests and concerns to the larger Legislative body. Furthermore, through my experience in Ecohusky and overall dedication to protecting the environment, I will advocate for stronger environmentalism and sustainability actions to the Legislative body and demand further action on the part of UConn. If you want your voice to be heard and have heart-eyes for the environment, vote for Autumn as your CLAS Senator! |
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Braden Migneault
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
Hi! I am Braden Migneault, I am a sophomore political science major. As your Senator, I hope to represent all of us in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the very best of my ability. While most of you don’t know me, the ones that do will tell you that I live and breathe politics; I’m a self-proclaimed “political junkie”. You can be assured that I would work incredibly hard for all of us. Thank you for supporting my campaign for USG Senate. |
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Athanasios Montemarano
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
I am Athanasios Montemarano and I am running for CLAS senator during the Spring 2021 academic semester. My goal as senator would be to facilitate Covid-19 related communication between the student body and UCONN. Over the past year, I have found a schism between the university and the student body when it came to Covid-19 and related anxiety that emerged during this pandemic. Many of my peers have voiced their concerns over this issue. It is my intention to alleviate the stress that CLAS students are feeling during these troubled times. |
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Aryan Naik
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
I, Aryan Naik, will advocate and work endlessly on your behalf to ensure your voice is not only heard on the senate floor, but is used to drive change. As a senior in USG who has spent the past 3 and half years working to make UConn a better university for all students, I have the experience and knowledge required to strengthen and advocate for the students within CLAS. My passion for community service and student rights will help me tackle key issues regarding our education in order to create and implement real and innovative solutions on campus. I hope that you consider, and vote for me to represent you as your CLAS Senator on this year’s spring 2021 ballot! |
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John Powell
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
I am running to bring progress back to this university, to elevate students up from this troubling time, to show that this school still looks out for its own. I will be running to bring accountability back to USG, to put the spotlight on our leaders and show that they work for us, not the other way around. |
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Irene Soteriou
Candidate for CLAS Senator*
Navigating life is hard enough as a college student. Now, more than ever, you deserve representation that is always prepared to listen and never afraid to act. In my one year since being elected into USG, I have worked day in and day out to make that my very mission: meeting with faculty to convey student concerns, authoring legislation to change the institutions that students find problematic, and most importantly, meeting with all of you. My door has remained open every day of this year, and in that time I’ve worked to reduce college costs, improve our gen eds, and create the spaces for connection that students have repeatedly asked for. Being your Senator has been both an honor and a privilege, and if you choose to elect me again this spring, I guarantee that I’ll continue to do that and more. |
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Damani Douglas
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
I am a sixth-semester junior running to represent every student who doesn’t feel represented. This year I served you as USG’s first-ever Chief Diversity Officer. It was an incredible honor and responsibility, I have decided to return to the Student Senate to pursue D&I initiatives at all levels of the University. I wish to be a resource for you my peers and constituents and the Student Government that represents you. I will be a leader in the Senate and a champion of the student voice to both Admin and USG. I in my core am a guy who cares about those around me. If you find this statement compelling I ask that you consider sending be back to USG to be your voice. |
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Josianne Hamilton
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
I have always had a passion for diversity and inclusion, and I am active in various positions on campus (BSA social media coordinator, McMahon Resident Assistant, AACC programmer, etc.) that have allowed me to interact with many different groups of students on campus. This involvement furthered my desire to create a more inclusive space here at Uconn. I believe that being a Multicultural and Diversity senator on USG would be the best opportunity to really assert and execute my dream to make Uconn more inclusive. Not only would it be a great opportunity for me to push the idea of diversity, but I also think that it would give me the opportunity to find like minded individuals on campus who truly want to see social change at Uconn. It would allow me to find people who are not preformative in their intent, but passionate in their mission. It would be an honor to be elected and given the chance to be a part of the vision to make Uconn a more inclusive environment. “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization” (Gandhi). |
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Neha Kataria
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
Hey y’all, my name is Neha Kataria. I am a Sophomore Political Science major and a Women and Gender Sexuality Studies minor. One of my main focuses in my daily life and academic life is making sure everyone feels welcomed, included, and heard, especially those in marginalized spaces. I want to make UConn more inclusive while also highlighting the programs and resources we have. Two of the initiatives I want to work on is more workshops for students, organizations, professors, and advisors, while also making short videos/social media posts to spread awareness on UConn’s resources for every and all groups.
I am currently the Parliamentarian of the Senate and I have been an MCD Senator for a year. I will continue to push these agendas that I have started while listening to the student body to do more. |
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Aanya Mehta
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
Hello! My name is Aanya and I’m excited for the chance to collaborate with you all on issues of multiculturalism and diversity within the UConn community. I’m a queer woman of color who’s grown up in Connecticut and I have been involved in social action since my freshman year of high school. Prior to attending UConn this August, I was appointed to serve on my hometown’s Equity Council, which analyzed areas of inequity in our public school system and worked towards long-term solutions. In addition, I was accepted to my high school’s Diversity Committee, which focused on inclusivity and celebrating differences. My collaborative work in these groups was very rewarding and I am eager to make an impact on a larger community here at UConn. I plan on engaging my fellow Student Government members, our student body, our university’s Executive Cabinet, and our Cultural Centers to catalyze positive change to represent all of UConn’s students. I believe issues of multiculturalism and diversity are closely intertwined with those of social justice and anti-racism. This is a matter that UConn has recently been focusing on and I would love the chance to represent you all in this critical ongoing dialogue. |
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Winta Luel Mekonnen
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
My name is Winta Luel Mekonnen. I am a sophomore studying Physiology and Neurobiology. During my time at UConn, I have noticed how a lot of students of color have not been treated with the respect they deserve. I plan to change that. I, along with a fellow UConn student, have worked hard to make the voices of BIPOC students heard with our @BlackatUConn page. As the former president of the Northwest Resident Hall Association, I plan to utilize my skills and the things I’ve learned to provide a voice for those unheard. I plan to use this senate seat to make long-lasting and impactful changes that benefit all of UConn students and especially students of color and the LGBTQIA+ community. I will work hard to make the implicit, explicit. |
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Isabella Warren
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
My name is Isabella Martinez-Warren, and I am a freshman at the University of Connecticut. I’m a psychological sciences major as well as currently considering a double major in political sciences. I’m Native American, a member of the Navajo Tribe. The Navajo tribe is an indigenous group residing in Arizona and Colorado. There are few Native Americans left from a terrible history of genocide, and many Native Americans today are mixed ethnically. I identify as mixed, with Native, Black, and Mexican heritage. I’m a campus correspondent for the Daily Campus, a part of Mu Sigma Upsilon Concordia, and a founder of Newtown Allies for Change in my hometown of Newtown, Connecticut. I’m a socially extroverted person who loves to meet new people. I moved frequently when I was younger, so I know how to strike a conversation with strangers and potential new friends. I have a passion for social justice. Overall, I’m a person with many interests and passions who can’t wait to express them with other like minded people. As a Multicultural and Diversity senator, I will dedicate myself to promoting diversity, inclusion, and a focus on BIPOC issues. I hope to help USG become an accessible, anti-racist organization.
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Daniel White
Candidate for Multicultural and Diversity Senator*
Hey Huskies! My name is Daniel White and It is with great pleasure, passion, and privilege that I submit my application to run for and serve as your USG Multicultural and Diversity Senator. As a member of the USG, I will diligently work to advocate for inclusivity on and off UCONN’s campus. I’ll seek to work with UCONN’s administration in order to make resources more available for minority students. Moreover, I will pursue coordination with the campus law-enforcement in order to not only make the campus more comfortable for minority students, but to also hold them accountable, guaranteeing that they “protect and serve”. Over the years I have learned that being a leader is being authentic, accountable, and accessible, and as your senator I will promise to be exactly that. Vote Me! Change begins with us! |