BY LUCAS HUTTERI
The votes are in and Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) has announced the winners of the 2018-2019 CSI board of directors election. A total of 881 valid votes were received and the winners are Jack Gaudet, Sharan Kalsi, Kevin Lewis, Andrew MacNeil, Martha Prada, Angela van Stee and Scot Wyles. Aimee Calma remains the CSI president. Brittany Greig is vice-president, external and Porter Oleson is vice-president, internal.
Two returning faces on the CSI board are Lewis and Wyles. Lewis has spent one year on the board, and Wyles has spent three years.
Lewis said in his campaign on www.conestogastudents.com, “One year later, I have experience on the board, which enables me to continue the momentum I have built up and served students from day one. I have experience talking and listening to students to know what they would like CSI to do for them as well as taking that feedback and putting it into action. This past year there has been great challenges and progress but there’s still more work to be done.”
Wyles said, “Ever since my first year of college I have been a part of CSI in some capacity. The last three years have been the best though, by being on the board. I am a person that is easy to get along with, funny at times, kind and caring. I am the type of person now that enjoys walking around from our Venue all the way to F-wing communicating with students about everything and anything. This will be my fourth time running for the board and I am super excited to have the chance to work with amazing leaders and communicate with fellow students.”
The other five members are all new faces raring to go. They also outlined their goals in their campaigns.
Gaudet said, “Over the course of my three total years being enrolled at Conestoga, CSI has taken many big steps to improve student life and I would like to become part of this positive growth. Conestoga has given me so much over the last couple years and I believe it’s my time to give back and make a difference. My end goal is to make a positive change to our school’s atmosphere.”
Kalsi said, “My ambition is to improve the school in ways that benefit the students’ wants and needs. I believe that Conestoga should be a place where we all feel safe and respected. My hope is to achieve this by creating a transparent atmosphere within all campuses by engaging with students. I am a strong advocate of integrity, mental health awareness, the inclusion of international students and the creation of safe spaces. If given the opportunity to be a CSI director, my aim is to provide the best learning and social experience for all of my peers at Conestoga College.”
MacNeil said, “Having experienced Conestoga’s excellent counselling facilities/services, my goal is to improve the health services of our school. Thus, not only ensuring the physical health of my peers, but also ensuring that students feel welcome, confident and mentally strong, allowing them to achieve their full academic potential. A healthy and strong-minded school will benefit the students’ surroundings and help Conestoga stand as a pinnacle of strength, wellness and welcoming to any and every potential student, regardless of their future path.”
Prada said, “A regular campus event attendee, you might have seen me as one of the photographers for CSI capturing the ambiance through my lens within the student community.”
Prada is a strong advocate of equality, environmental causes and the importance of the student experience. She also values the power to convey ideas and meaningful messages; this is why she hopes to gain future opportunities to apply her creative drive addressing fundamental concerns efficiently.
Van Stee said, “My own experience has given me the drive to run for the board of directors but it is what led me to take initial action. In a position as a student leader my stance will be to be a voice for students and their own vision for what Conestoga can be and should be. I will strive to be available to student concerns and take these concerns seriously to effect change both big and small to create a school that supports students and creates space that students can be proud of.”
According to Justin Mclaughlin, CSI’s primary electoral officer, the new board will most likely meet for the first time in May. “The newly elected members have only met all together once during the election process during a pre-election meeting to explain the rules and such of campaigning. They were all very friendly and eager to participate in the elections. They have not all been together since the election concluded and most likely will not be until their positions begin in May,” he said.
For more information on how to get involved, go to CSI’s website, www.conestogastudents.com.
What is Journalism?