Katherine Soad Bellini
GSCE Council Candidate
Greetings everyone, my name is Katherine Soad Bellini and I am an Electrical Engineering student in my last year, running to be a Councillor representing the Engineering Department. I was elected as the VP Clubs and Internal Affairs of the CSU for the academic year 2014-2015 and it has been an exceptional experience. I have been an active member of several clubs, notably the President of the National Society of Black Engineers. I am experienced with the CSU Council, as I chaired the Clubs & Space Committee, while being a member of several other committees, such as CCSL.
As the VP Clubs and Internal Affairs, I always valued the importance of supporting clubs as it is the closest link to benefit each student individually. Throughout my mandate, I have revamped the clubs financial system in order to increase transparency within the institution, as well as documented and organized the digital archives. I worked a lot with internal groups as a mediator, in order to dissolve conflicts, while continuously providing support and assistance to all club members although not under the CSU umbrella.
I currently work as a math tutor for the student success center and Otsenhakta Center of Concordia. I have always been active doing volunteering work in various fields; with disabled children as well as regularly donating blood. This also includes volunteering with students around Montreal to promote higher education and to support my peers. While I was the President of NSBE, I created a program providing workshops and tutoring sessions with students at high risks of dropping out of high school through the Boys & Girls Club.
I continuously work towards increasing the relevancy of CSU with regards to each student, and increasing transparency by providing an open agenda of the CSU projects, and budget.
I am fascinated by the ways in which we can positively impact our environment by using renewable energy, and encouraging sustainable food systems such as our greenhouse. This is represented in my area of studies, as well as all my extra-curricular activities. I will continue to contribute in simplifying the involvement of students to reduce their ecological footprints as well as educating the mass on sustainable alternatives.
Together, we go further, and as an elected CSU Councillor representing the engineering department, I plan to continue to make a positive impact on our community. With your vote, I will be honoured to use what I’ve learned to support and represent the students of Concordia University.
Olivia Integlia
Arts & Science Council Candidate
My name is Olivia Integlia. I am first-year Journalism and Political Science student. I believe that my qualities and experience make me an excellent candidate for the Concordia Student Union (CSU).
I am determined to pursue my passions and academic goals against all odds. I have learnt first-hand of the academic challenges that students face. I have a passion for securing education for all and ensuring equal access to resources for marginalized communities.
My ultimate passion is debate which I have taken up as a serious commitment since 2018. As former President of the Dawson Debate Union, I learnt the importance of preserving equity. I implemented policies to promote accessibility, including opening the club’s doors to all students, regardless of skill.
Currently, I work as an instructor for Debate Camp Canada, a debating organization for primary and secondary students, where I teach debate, public speaking, and Model United Nations. I also work as a debate coach for the English Montreal School Board. These positions have given me a greater understanding of the different challenges that students face and have allowed me to become adaptive.
I am also part of the Development and Underfunded committee within the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID). As Deputy Chairperson, I assemble resources and organize events that promote the growth of underdeveloped debate clubs. These skills are transferable to the CSU as I intended on equally implementing policies catered towards underdeveloped clubs, thereby increasing accessibility, inclusivity, and equity.
During my short time at Concordia, I have taken part in numerous para-academics which has allowed me to get to know many students on campus. I was appointed as the first-year director of the Political Science Student Association. I worked on a resource document to help students navigate university. I am also a member of the Concordia Debate Society.
In my free time, I volunteer for the Yellow Door – an organization that connects the youth with older adults in Montreal. My tasks include visiting individuals weekly to aid them in day-to-day tasks such as purchasing groceries and accompanying them to medical appointments. My role fostered an interest in community affairs while I hope to shed light on if elected.
My accomplishments thus far are reflective of my endless curiosity and drive to help others. I will apply my experience to represent the needs of students and advocate for their rights.
Caleb Woolcott
Arts & Science Council Candidate
I’m running for Council because I want the CSU to use its power and resources to promote climate, social, and economic justice.
I have experience in student organizing at Concordia that will make me an effective Councilor. I have sat on ASFA Council, so I understand the responsibilities of sitting on a student federation Council. I am also on the board of the Concordia Food Coalition and I work closely with SEIZE, the Solidarity Economy Incubator.
I want to work through the Student Union to build the social and solidarity economy on campus. The CSU has a strong history of supporting student-run projects like the Woodnote Housing Co-operative and the Hive Solidarity Co-op. Projects like these give us as students democratic control over the campus economy and help us build an inclusive community at Concordia. I will use my position on Council to continue supporting transformative projects like these.
For example, I am actively involved in developing a student-run cooperative to take over cafeteria meal services from Aramark, a prison food provider and the multinational corporation which currently has a contract with the administration.
I am also working to help set up a Solidarity Economy Incubator at Concordia, which will provide training, education and material support to new student-run nonprofits and cooperatives. This incubator will equip us with the tools we need to build a democratically-controlled, local, and truly sustainable economy at Concordia! I strongly encourage you to vote yes to the referendum question about funding the Solidarity Economy Incubator.
I am running for Council to ensure the CSU continues to be an active partner in building these kinds of truly game-changing student-run initiatives at our school.
Another important part of the Student Union’s job is advocating for students’ interests with the administration. I take this part of the role very seriously. For example, we need to work with administration to improve the campus sustainability plan. It currently completely ignores that racial justice is an essential part of sustainability and the crucial role Indigenous knowledges must play in building a sustainable campus and city. There can be no climate justice without social justice.
Wan Hua Li
Fine Arts Council Candidate
Hi, I’m Wawa. I’m a first year Computational Arts Major running for council as a Fine Arts representative. As someone in the process of growing into an emerging artistic industry, I understood the importance of creatives of ancient and new artistries in voicing ourselves as a collective, especially BIPOC’s, as people who have the power to challenge mainstream industries, institutions, and social systems. A seat at the council is a first step towards realizing this goal.
In addition to this, I am also an active community organizer for the preservation of Montreal’s Chinatown in order to preserve its rich cultural heritage. In doing so, I strongly believe in promoting solidarity among different communities as a collective effort to fight for shared interests, particularly for our cultural heritage and community livelihoods.
As a result, I believe that: There is power in bottom-up change. Changing a system often requires doing so within in addition to bottom-up change. Finally, it takes time.
I am running because I’m interested in knowing our power as students in influencing and executing decisions and in promoting transparency in how these decisions are made within institutions. Most of all, I’m here to learn from peers and colleagues in order to discover ways that I can contribute to this big complex world. I believe that coming from a place of openness to learning and actively listening to others is the fairest and most productive way to represent a group of people with different needs and realities.
As a Fine Arts student, I will do my best to represent the realities and needs of fellow artists. Over the years, I’ve come to learn that we have more power as individuals within a community than we often realize. I hope to be able to act as a bridge between these needs and our power to meet them and I hope that this resonates with you as well.
Hassan Nabeel
GSCE Council Candidate
I’m a 2nd year engineering student looking to get involved. I’m great at listening and hope to work with the csu to make a positive difference for students on and off campus