Meet The Slate
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Maggie Kennedy
For President
Hello! My name is Maggie Kennedy and I am running to be Pitt’s Student Government Board President. I am a junior Political Science and Communication Rhetoric major, with minors in French and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies and I am the current SGB Wellness Committee Chair. Besides SGB, I am a RA in Tower A, a member of The Songburghs A Cappella Group, and a Peer Educator with the SHARE (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education) Office. I have been passionate about advocacy for sexual assault since high school, but through the opportunities I’ve had at Pitt, I’ve gotten to add my voice to the campus, city, and state conversations.
If elected, I would work with the Title IX Office and the Office of First Year Experience to revamp New-Student Orientation to be more comprehensive, particularly regarding sexual misconduct. I would also work with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to support the addition of a Diversity General Education Requirement to the Dietrich curriculum and to push for the same requirement in our other schools as well (Business, Engineering, Health and Rehab, Nursing, etc.) so that all Pitt students, regardless of academic field, have the opportunity to take such courses and expand their perspectives. Lastly, I’d like to work with the FT&T committee to improve the campus shuttle experience and music practice facilities to match student needs, which we can assess by adding a “Fix-It-Pitt” Tab on the my.pitt.edu student portal.
Pitt has given me so much and now, I want to give back. If elected President, I would work hard to ensure that all Pitt students feel welcome and supported in their paths to success. I am so excited to potentially represent our student body and to leave a lasting impact. If you have any questions or concerns, please to reach out to me at [email protected]. Thank you and Hail to Pitt!
If elected, I would work with the Title IX Office and the Office of First Year Experience to revamp New-Student Orientation to be more comprehensive, particularly regarding sexual misconduct. I would also work with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to support the addition of a Diversity General Education Requirement to the Dietrich curriculum and to push for the same requirement in our other schools as well (Business, Engineering, Health and Rehab, Nursing, etc.) so that all Pitt students, regardless of academic field, have the opportunity to take such courses and expand their perspectives. Lastly, I’d like to work with the FT&T committee to improve the campus shuttle experience and music practice facilities to match student needs, which we can assess by adding a “Fix-It-Pitt” Tab on the my.pitt.edu student portal.
Pitt has given me so much and now, I want to give back. If elected President, I would work hard to ensure that all Pitt students feel welcome and supported in their paths to success. I am so excited to potentially represent our student body and to leave a lasting impact. If you have any questions or concerns, please to reach out to me at [email protected]. Thank you and Hail to Pitt!
For Board
Cory StillmanHi, my name is Cory Stillman, and I am a sophomore Film Studies major. I currently serve as the Chairman of the Allocations Committee, and I hope to represent you next year on Student Government Board! My work with Allocations, along with my involvement with WPTS Radio and Beta Theta Pi, has exposed me to a diverse array of student experiences, and I am eager to continue improving the campus experience!
I hope to create a series of tools that student groups can use to better understand the Allocations process. I also hope to implement a system that allows all competitive organizations— not just club sports— to receive greater funding in return for their fundraising efforts. My ambitions for this university move beyond my experience with Allocations, however. As a Film Studies major, I understand the difficulties associated with studying in the creative arts. I will work with CDPA to develop more opportunities for such students. I also hope to work towards the creation of an LGBTQIA+ Center that can assist students who may be struggling with their sexuality, or that can act as a space for students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. And even as Oakland moves towards receiving its much-needed grocery store, I intend on working with a local grocery store or organization to create a delivery program for students. Lastly, I will look into ways of creating more space for student groups to meet, practice, dance, etc. I have been lucky enough to find success at Pitt due to an incredible community of students around me, and my goal is that with each of my initiatives, every student can find their own definition of success. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] with any questions or concerns. Thank you, and Hail to Pitt! |
Jessa ChongHi, my name is Jessa Chong and I am a sophomore studying Political Science and Communications with a Certificate in Global Studies. I currently serve as the Chair of the Community and Governmental Relations Committee on SGB and I am running to represent you on Pitt’s Student Government Board. I have been privileged to work with so many amazing and diverse students here at Pitt who have shared with me their experiences and stories, providing me with the knowledge and inspiration to improve the lives of Pitt students from all backgrounds.
I plan to continue my work that I have done as Chair of CGR by fostering a sense of community in Oakland between students and permanent residents. This would entail working to clean up South Oakland, and ensuring that Pitt provides its students with reasonably-priced healthy options and fresh produce at on-campus dining and take-out facilities. In continued support of a healthy lifestyle for students, I would like to provide more exercise space and equipment for students on lower campus and work to install a coffee cart in the William Pitt Union. I am not only concerned with students’ wellbeing now, but also well into the future by working with the Career Development and Placement Assistance Office to improve and expand upon their available resources. Through my experiences here at Pitt I have been lucky enough to see the impact that SGB can have on campus and in the community. I want to use these resources to positively influence the lives of all Pitt students with the goal of reaching individual, campus, and community development and success. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] . Thank you, and Hail to Pitt! |
Rajaab NadeemHi, my name is Rajaab Nadeem, and I am running for Student Government Board. I am a junior majoring in Economics and Political Science with minors in Chemistry and Sociology. I currently serve as a Resident Assistant in Panther Hall as well as the executive chair of donations and finance at the ICP Food Pantry in Oakland. I am running for SGB as I hope to be an advocate and supporter of diverse communities at Pitt and make an impact on campus.
Some of the initiatives I hope to work on include an increased focus on creating a diverse student body at Pitt, and providing international students with the resources and tools needed to succeed on campus. Through my experience as an RA, I have become familiar with the university counselling center and hope to increase representation for students of color amongst present counsellors. I want to work with the counselling center to help create a more diverse staff that students feel more comfortable confiding in and going to for help. Another large initiative I would like to take on is the establishment of a scholarship specifically for students from challenged backgrounds. Although Pitt offers a variety of existing scholarships to deserving students, I would like to see one for students who have overcome significant obstacles such as, but not limited to: lower income households, disabilities, or belonging to underrepresented communities. I have been able to excel as a student at Pitt primarily due to the resources I have found at the university as well as the great environment it has provided. It is in this spirit that I hope to serve on Student Government Board; to continue to make Pitt a better place, as those before myself have done. Thank you, and Hail to Pitt! |