Meet your candidates for the 2016 KSA Election: Faculty Representatives

Tristan Johnston, Coordinating Editor
Kier-Christer Junos, Staff Writer
Preet Hundal, Contributor
Photos by Braden Klassen, Contributor

Faculty Representatives

Faculty of Arts Representative (max. four to be elected)

Sarah Barahmeh

I am currently a student who studies English and also loves all forms of art. With that passion and love as your representative and fellow Arts student I want to ensure your voices are heard and appreciated. I am well aware of the lack of resources some Arts students face. Contact me at any given time if you ever have any questions or concerns and I will do what I can to improve your student life at KPU.

*This statement was submitted via email.

Orlando Alexander Lomelino

“There are three candidates running for four positions for arts rep. That should tell you that there’s a problem. Either the students are not aware or they’re not interested, and we really need to be doing something to change that. Whether that’s talking or meeting with students, or campaigning with the KSA to be more visible with students—we’re going to attract more hardworking and passionate individuals. That’s the KSA I want to see. Through being more visible I want students to know that the KSA is the kind of organization that is working for them.”

Alex McGowan (incumbent, current vice-president external)

“I understand the issues of arts students and I can represent those well. I’ve been involved with the arts faculty council, and as an executive of the KSA I’ve been involved with a lot of key projects that I’d like to see through. We’re getting started with a start up business incubator to help all students who want to do entrepreneurship, I’m helping to sort of expand the role of our campaigns and advocacy work. People should vote for me because I care. I’m going to vote with integrity, I can speak from experience, and I will put in the work required to make an informed decision every time.”

Faculty of Science and Horticulture Representative (max. two to be elected)

Gurkiran “Kiran” Johal

“I want to become a good representation for the science students, and I also want to know where, essentially, all our money from the KSA is going. I’ve been involved in KPU for quite some time, through volunteer work, and I believe you should vote for me because I will become a good science rep.”

Nicholas Young

“I used to do a lot of volunteer positions, leadership, stuff like that. I have been involved in quite a few clubs—I used to go to Langara, too. I was the president of the Anime club there. Along with, in high school, I ran a 60-person volunteer club. I think I need to feel the water a bit about the KSA. I don’t know many particulars about exactly what they’re doing or how it exactly works, but I guess when I join it I’ll find out, and if I find anything I don’t like, I’m probably going to go ahead and just change it.”

School of Business Representative (max. four to be elected)

Rawan Ali

“I want to help business students. I think that the school and the KSA have lot of opportunities for Business students that the students don’t know about. I want to raise awareness about these specific opportunities that can help them with their careers and their academic path. There are free workshops for business students, there are clubs that business students can get involved in that give them connections to the working world. I’m really involved with all the clubs and I’m the vice-president of the Kwantlen Entrepreneurial Students Association. I’m with the Enactus team [and] I’m the president of the Artversity club.”

Amanpreet Peter Singh Bir-Bhatti

“I’m hoping for an opportunity to work for the faculty as openly and transparently as possible. My goal is to help make your KPU experience rewarding and fulfilling to the utmost by providing a direct link between council and students themselves. I believe the role of a director is to represent their constituents as fairly and equitably as can be. I intend to remain reachable at all times, to answer students’ questions on request and work closely with you throughout the entire term.”

Argel Monte De Ramos

“I would like to help all of my fellow business students to have an opportunity to network. I would like to make other business students aware of the resources that are already available to them. I would like to be the means of communications for them to know about these things. Let’s start with improving the KSA. They already have a lot of benefits. Let’s focus on getting them to help fellow business students.”

John Shkurtaj

“I’ve been trying to get involved with more student activities on campus, trying to be a part of clubs. I started out as a guest on committees, but now I want to move up within the KSA and try to improve student life in general. As a rep I’d be involved in committees. There has been a lack of initiative from the chairpersons of committees. I’d like to see more responsibility placed on the chairpeople and, as a result, [I would] make committees more productive. With my recent involvement with the KSA and the drive I have to get work done I feel that I can help push for the changes that the KSA needs.”