Archivist note: Originally published on the Elections WordPress site. Feb 8, 2014 @ 00:10, “The President of SGA”
Miriam Ahmed
To my Mawrters,
My name is Miriam Ahmed and I am posing my candidacy to be your 2014-2015 SGA President. Why am I am running for President? Simply put, because I truly love this college. I knew since my freshman year of high school that I wanted to be a student here. When senior year rolled around, I applied Early Decision and I am certain that it was one of the best decisions of my life. I chose Bryn Mawr for its amazing sense of community, self-governance, and strong social and academic honor code. The fantastic academics are undoubtedly a selling point, but the student body is what truly drew me to Bryn Mawr; and that was just the beginning. All of you, the most inspirational, driven, passionate, and intelligent students I have ever had the privilege of getting to know, are the reason that I continue to choose Bryn Mawr every single day.
My experiences at Bryn Mawr thus far have accorded me a wide-ranging perspective on student life. Being a Peer Mentor in Rockefeller has given me a hands-on experience in this arena, in which I have been able to personally interact with dozens of residents and help them academically, socially, and emotionally. And as a Tour Guide for the Admissions office, I have been able to show potential Mawrters this beautiful institution and how truly phenomenal it is. To say it has been a wonderful experience is a severe understatement—I have loved every second of talking about this college and its self-governance and honor code system in every nook and cranny that we explored of the campus.
My current position in SGA as one of the two undergraduate representatives to the Board of Trustees is another catalyst that sparked my desire to get even more involved in SGA. This position has allowed me to see the inner-workings of what makes this incredible institution flourish to the degree that it does daily. It has also opened my eyes to how many intricacies are necessary to run the system, and I realize how difficult yet enjoyable, detailed yet all-encompassing, and demanding yet manageable it is to serve in SGA. And this is just from the administrative level. As a Board of Trustees representative, I essentially serve as a liaison between the Board and SGA I have enjoyed serving in this role immensely, and it has inspired me further to get even more directly involved with the student body.
Again, I realize the position of SGA President is extremely demanding—and yet, I also see how truly worthwhile it is. I yearn to get as involved as I can at Bryn Mawr, and I simply ask for your confidence. Put your confidence in me to be the President you seek for the future. I believe that the most important things a President can do is 1) listen and 2) react. That is certainly what I plan to do as your SGA President. Thank you so much for your attention and I would truly appreciate your vote when the polls open this Monday.
Sincerely,
Miriam Ahmed
Syona Arora
Hi! My name is Syona Arora and I am running for President of the Self-Government Association. I am an Anthropology major with a concentration in Gender and Sexuality Studies.
I want to be President because self-governance has time and time again demonstrated that the Bryn Mawr community is unique and empowering. My continued involvement in SGA, as class president, member of the Plenary and Customs Committees, and most recently as Secretary of SGA, stems from the fact that I have seen self-governance improve the experience of individuals and groups and continuously strive to perpetuate that positive influence.
As current Secretary of SGA I have become familiar with the ‘inner workings’ of SGA, be it communicating effectively with community members or relaying information to members of the staff, faculty, and administration. Additionally, I have been able to hone my organization and communication skills, which will serve me well as President of SGA.
My goals for the 2014-2015 term:
-Encourage and integrate constructive criticism from the community at large regarding what is and isn’t working in the practice of self-governance at Bryn Mawr and strive to meet the needs of the entire campus
-Increase awareness of SGA among the student body, which will allow for students to more easily access various platforms through which they can voice their opinions
-Keep all positions accountable within SGA and amongst themselves
-Collaborate with other organizations on campus and demonstrate how self-governance has in the past and can presently and in the future prepare Mawrters for personal and professional success
You can always contact me at sarora@brynmawr.edu.