UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH-HUMBER CANDIDATES
Jasmine Bates
University of Guelph-Humber
What one qualification do you think will make you successful in the role? Why?
One qualification that will make me successful in the role is my interpersonal skills. Strong interpersonal skills are vital for fostering an inclusive and productive school environment. In various professional and school settings, my interpersonal skills have aided me in effectively leading others, building strong collaborative relationships with colleagues, and understanding and meeting the needs of those around me. Within this qualification, I highly value cultivating emotional intelligence to be a valuable leader. Strengthening my emotional intelligence has allowed me to relate to others and adapt to changing social dynamics in a manner that prioritizes making those around me feel seen and understood. Overall, interpersonal skills are essential for excelling in leadership roles, and it is a quality that would make me highly suited for a Board of Directors position.
How have you developed and strengthened your leadership skills?
I have developed my leadership skills by being an active member of the school community through working on campus! Working as a Student Transition and Resource Team (START) leader and a First-Year Experience (FYE) leader at Guelph-Humber has been vital in strengthening my leadership skills. Working as a START leader has allowed me to be an ambassador for prospective students. I represent my program and the general school community in the areas of campus life, tours and student resources. As an FYE leader, I provide guidance and support to first-year students as they transition into our post-secondary community. Both roles have come with individual tasks and challenges that have allowed me to use my leadership, initiative and collaboration skills effectively. Additionally, being a leader and mentor for students in this capacity has allowed me to become highly knowledgeable about the services and programs available to all students at the University of Guelph-Humber and Humber College.
Why do you believe it’s important for students to get involved with their student union?
It is important for students to get involved with their student union because it is an invaluable experience that will benefit them for the rest of their lives! Student unions allow individuals to represent the student body and advocate for programs and services that are important to us. It empowers individuals with bold ideas and the desire to be heard to be at the forefront of student representation. Additionally, students need to get involved because it ensures an adequate representation of all groups of people in critical decision-making processes that affect everyone at Humber and Guelph-Humber.
What one qualification do you think will make you successful in the role? Why?
I am confident that my work within the Guelph-Humber and Indigenous community validates my ability to succeed in this role. I have exhibited skills such as community engagement, problem-solving, and ambition through my work to create new initiatives, better community zones, and higher participation. My ambition for change and leadership strengthens my confidence to not only fight for what students want and need but also allow me to amplify voices that may not be heard loud enough. I have great ideas backed by a powerful ambition to engage and change our student life for the better and hope that I will get a chance to show this.
How have you developed and strengthened your leadership skills?
Leadership is a strength of mine, and I would love the ability to use it to represent Guelph-Humber students. I keep my leadership skills developed by staying active on campus and in class. One example of this is I am currently working in the Humber Indigenous Education and Engagement Department where I have been able to lead the Health and Wellness Challenge and connect with the community as well. It is projects such as these that I have been able to work on lately that have truly honed my skills. I find that acting in roles such as this help to define my skills by combining not only my leadership skills, but also my integrity, flexibility, and interpersonal skills. By actively participating in these communities I get the chance to interact and work alongside great teams who present me with leadership opportunities to learn and grow from. From these past experiences, I have learned powerful lessons including trusting in myself and having great self-confidence, which has developed me into a strong leader.
Why do you believe it’s important for students to get involved with their student union?
I believe it is important for students to get involved with their student union because these unions are an amazing way to represent and clearly conduct long-lasting change! When you become a member of a student union, you represent students like yourself. It is such a great leadership opportunity that allows you to act out the great ideas you have about improving your own student life. Whether a person has ideas about incorporating more plans highlighting diversity at our campus or maybe they want to incorporate more study-based initiatives, student unions are the way to create long-lasting change for all students, current and future. In final, as an indigenous woman, I am fighting to see more like myself in leadership positions in all locations around me, and I believe student unions are a great opportunity to be the representation that you want to see!
Kaitlynn Mcleod
University of Guelph-Humber
What one qualification do you think will make you successful in the role? Why?
One qualification I think will make me successful in the role is teamwork. There is so much to appreciate at the University of Guelph-Humber and Humber College, and I believe that through working together and being socially conscious and aware, we can create a lot. I am a student, and one with the community, and the truth is that without my campus, I would not be here right now. Without my friends, my peers, my colleagues, and my endorsements, I would not have come so far, and I believe it is important to go back to the roots and come together when we give back to the community. As a leader, I think teamwork will make me successful not only because I will gain a lot of experience and knowledge while working with the community but also because it will create connections that will better benefit the student body. Culture, Wellness, and Student Success are my main values, and I want to bring that to light when creating future events in our atrium, such as Cultural fashion shows and events around Student Well-being. Change and success to me isn’t an overnight movement; instead, it means a wave of people, a family, a support system coming together and being a team to help build a better tomorrow. These are the reasons I believe teamwork is such a powerful quality and will make me successful in the role.
How have you developed and strengthened your leadership skills?
I have developed and strengthened my leadership skills by taking action both within my school and my community. I have been a team player on many athletic teams, such as my school’s soccer team and have participated heavily on a municipal track team outside of my school. In high school, I took on the roles of Chair and Founder of an Association called South Asian Student Association and took on the role of Student Body President. Additionally, I was also a Weston Community Ambassador for three years and an ACE in my community for four years. Concerning volunteering, I have volunteered with Westdale Blooms for the Rexdale and Weston areas and currently volunteer with the John Howard Society as a researcher for the Criminal Reform Movement. Additionally, at the University of Guelph-Humber, I am a part of many on-campus extracurriculars, such as Alpha Phi Sigma, as well as being a START and FYE Leader. These experiences have not only helped me strengthen my leadership skills but have also helped me develop more soft skills in public relations, public speaking, and self-awareness, as well as developing skills in teamwork and management, which I believe are essential skills for a leader.
Why do you believe it’s important for students to get involved with their student union?
I think it is vital for students to get involved with their Student Union and Student Life because I believe Student Voice and Student Action are the core foundation of an institution. I have been to schools with many clubs before, and I have also been to schools without much student life, and the biggest difference I see is that the more Student Engagement there is, the more possibilities and the more chances of creating Student Change, which further leads to personal and social student success. Student life, along with student action, I think is essential because, at the end of the day, it is up to us on how we want our Post-Secondary experiences to be, and by getting involved it is not only incredibly fun but also allows for more connections, networking, and growth. Speaking from my personal experiences, I have been on START and FYE with the University of Guelph-Humber, and simply from that, I have learned so much from my friends in other programs. This has not only created a huge, strong bond but has also created so much motivation, creativity, and eagerness to do more and contribute more to our School life.
What one qualification do you think will make you successful in the role? Why?
One qualification I have that I think will make me successful in the role as a Board of Director would be my two years of experience as a Moot Court Participant with the Guelph-Humber Pre-Law Society. In this position, I plan, prepare, and execute oral submissions to a panel of judges consisting of lawyers, law school students, and other legal professionals. I am required to answer questions effectively on the spot and speak confidently to defend my assigned position. In addition, I collaborate with my fellow team members to discuss the best way to approach any given scenario. Similarly, as a member of the Board of Directors, one of my responsibilities would include reaching out to the student body and bringing forth any of their concerns to IGNITE. I believe that with my experience, I am able to effectively articulate the position of students at various board meetings and advocate on their behalf to ensure that any decisions made that affect the student body, are reflective of their best interests. Moreover, I would be able to successfully collaborate with other Board of Directors and stakeholders at IGNITE to develop plans and solutions that address the needs of students.
How have you developed and strengthened your leadership skills?
I have developed my leadership skills through my time as a Student Transition and Resource Team (START) Leader at the University of Guelph-Humber, by acting as a resource and ambassador to both prospective and first-year students at the University. I have done so by leading tours that foster a welcoming environment of both Humber and Guelph-Humber. Furthermore, I engage with large groups of guests to speak to my personal experience at the school, positively represent my academic program, and answer any questions or concerns students or their supporters may have. During my time as the Vice-President of Moot Operations with the Guelph-Humber Pre-Law Society, I have strengthened my leadership skills by planning and executing events for students on campus alongside my fellow executives. In particular, we provide students with the resources and connections to be successful in their current studies and post-graduation. My role entails taking the lead on shortlisting and interviewing qualified candidates for positions on our moot court team. As well as finalizing budgets for moot competitions that we attend and host. I have also developed my leadership skills by liaising with representatives from other schools to maintain strong industry relationships on behalf of the society.
Why do you believe it’s important for students to get involved with their student union?
I believe it is important for students to get involved with their student union because for many students, regardless of if they are attending Humber/Guelph-Humber for one year or four years, being a student makes up a large part of their everyday lives. Therefore, the role of a student union is to advocate on behalf of the students and provide them with a positive experience during their time at the school. I think that getting involved with a student union allows students to feel represented and have their voice heard, especially in an institution with such a large population. Additionally, although educational institutions primarily serve as an academic space, they are also a space for students to build social connections with their peers, network with instructors and professionals, and gain resources. Which is why I think that students should get involved and take advantage of the events, resources, clubs, and societies that their student union has to offer. As these opportunities prioritize the well-being of students and set them up to be in the best position to have a valuable post-secondary experience.
