As a close friend and fellow council member, Maddy Griffin’s energetic and charming personality has never ceased to amaze me. She has the ability to get along and work well with anybody she meets. For the past year and a half, Maddy’s involvement and dedication to the Arts and Science Federation of Associations has stayed strong and continues to improve.
As a past frosh leader and current member of ASFA’s social committee, she knows exactly what it takes to make an event successful. However, Maddy’s expertise doesn’t just stop at the social aspect; as an independent councillor, she sits on five different ASFA committees including academic, policy review, and student request. Talk about staying involved!
By already being a part of the inner workings of ASFA, Maddy has all the necessary tools to give Arts and Science students one of the best years they’ve ever seen. With her extensive experience and passion for ASFA, I have no doubt in my mind that Maddy will do an amazing job as the next VP social. This girl’s energy and enthusiasm will get you psyched for every single event!
With campaigning well on its way, Maddy has been responding to student concerns with the upmost detail, so please do not hesitate to contact her with any questions. I hope you will make the right decision and vote for Maddy Griffin February 15-17th!
Yasmeen Zahar,
Bsc environmental science
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I tend to approach life and politics like I do baking. I’ll start by breaking apart the recipe and then make sure I have all the ingredients. So when my long-time colleague and friend, Jeansil Bruyere, told me he was running for ASFA’s VP Loyola and academic affairs I did exactly that.
I first met Jeansil in a class that is part of a minor field of study we share: Loyola International College’s Minor in Diversity and the Contemporary World. His instant presence, charm, and love for academia and school life were apparent, if anything, in his effortless swagger. But there’s more to this slice of cake then the icing. Jeansil is all over the place in the best of ways. He spends much of his time at Loyola, double majoring and minoring, working Loyola reception, and spreading sugar and sunshine wherever he goes. And although it seems impossible, I always see him in the Hall building, either holding down the fort at the CSU or getting in on the action at the Concordia chapter of Golden Key. It doesn’t even stop there, the Coms Guild, Youths Leadership Development Group, Aids Community Care Montreal, Social Justice Committee… and I thought I was involved!
But Jeansil makes time for it all. His love for Concordia is affirmed, if anything, by the smile he happily maintains every second of his committed schedule. I not only endorse him as a person who shares the ideals Concordia stands for, but as a student who believes ASFA should reflect diversity in social, ethnic, and above all, academic background.
So there you have it. All the ingredients and more are laid out. And when you mix them together, trust me, he can take the heat. Concordians of all different walks of life, you can finally have your cake and eat it too.
Alexandra Johnson
President – Golden Key Concordia Chapter
Vice president – Garnet Key Society
VP academics – Loyola International College Student Association
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I am writing this letter in support of ASFA VP social candidate Maddy Griffin. I firmly believe that she is the best candidate for the position because of her extensive experience, her creativity, her positive attitude, and her maturity and dependability. She is also conscious of the diverse needs and desires of the ASFA student body, and the events that she would hold as VP Social would be reflective of them.
Maddy’s experience on ASFA’s social committee and as a staff member at the CSU’s Winter Orientation have given her the tools needed to plan and execute her own large-scale events. She has also worked at some of the Cultural Nights which were held this year. She understands the amount of work and coordination needed to pull of an extraordinary event, and thus would undoubtedly execute her creative ideas effectively.
While Maddy is the biggest party animal I have ever met, she is also dependable, mature, and sensitive to the needs of a diverse student population. Indeed, if Maddy is elected, ASFA students can expect a year filled with not only memorable parties, but also events which are more academically and culturally focused. She genuinely cares about the needs and desires of ASFA students, and will work to ensure that all voices are represented through the events that she plans.
Perhaps her greatest strength is her unwavering positive attitude. Maddy is capable of dealing with enormous amounts of stress, juggling multiple tasks at once while keeping a smile on her face and drive to get the job done quickly and efficiently. This is a quality that is essential for any executive position on ASFA, but especially for VP social.
I strongly encourage all ASFA students to elect Maddy as their next VP social. She will remind all of us how much fun university can be!
Sincerely,
Melissa Wheeler
Arts and sciences student
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Nick is definitely qualified when it comes to website and graphic design. He’s helped me on numerous occasions over the years with designing various sites or editing pictures with Photoshop. I think he’s a great choice to update and revamp the ASFA website, he’s creative with his designs and is very in-tune with the latest technologies and methods, meaning ASFA will be getting the very best, cutting edge stuff. He’s also easy to work with and will no doubt be able to teach others to do the same and quickly get them up to speed.
Andrew Maggio
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I would like to offer my full support for Olivia Taddio for VP external and sustainability in these upcoming ASFA elections. I have had the honor of personally working with Olivia and can attest to her skills and abilities that make her an excellent candidate – one that any executive team would be lucky to work with.
Firstly, Ms. Taddio’s has the instinctual leadership qualities necessary for the position. This is demonstrated through her strong background and experience working both with an for the student body through her work as VP social for the Concordia Associate for Students in English (CASE) and on the social committee with the current ASFA executive team. Not only has she excelled in these two positions, but they have provided her with the knowledge and know-how to fulfill the role of VP external and sustainability for next year’s ASFA executive.
In addition to her invaluable experience with member associations at Concordia as well as with ASFA, Olivia’s strong candidate platform truly is one of her biggest strengths. She is a strong advocate for facilitating fundamental inter-faculty relationships that will promote a stronger Concordia community. Her proposed sustainability initiatives, including a new water fountain with bottle counters and sustainability workshops are both extremely innovative and will provide Concordia with a means of continuing to enhance their environmental contribution.
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly believe that Olivia Taddio encompasses all of the essential characteristics necessary for VP external and sustainability. I am confident that she will work tirelessly at assuring that issues of sustainability are at the forefront of student’s concerns and activities.
Sincerely,
Megh Atwal
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I am writing to express my support for Caroline Bourbonnière’s bid for the rresidency of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations. Over the past year, Caroline has represented Political Science students in her capacity as VP communications of the Political Science Student Association with an enviable work ethic and a positive attitude. I believe Caroline is the best candidate for president as she possesses the strengths and dedication an organization like ASFA needs to allow Arts and Science students to make the most of their undergraduate experience at Concordia. Her experience as president of Volunteers in Action giving out sandwiches on a regular basis to the homeless ultimately attests to her compassion and willingness to give back to the local community. Caroline makes friends easily and has both the personality of a leader and intelligence that I believe makes her the most worthy candidate of holding the position of ASFA president in this election. I encourage everyone to vote for Caroline Bourbonnière for president of ASFA!
Aaron Green
Former ASFA president (2010 – 2011)
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I am happy to write in to you in hopes of letting everyone know about a great friend of mine, Terrence Adams.
A proud and well-rounded Concordia student, Terrence (aka as T-Time, Sir Reckless, Mr. Reckless, Adams and DJ T), has proven to be the life of any Concordia party and a proponent of ASFA student participation, involvement and pride. Terrence is always making sure people are having a good time, and is a sincere, outgoing and approachable guy.
Participating in events all the way from set-up to clean-up, Terrence has shown admirable determination. His dedication to Concordia student life is unmatchable and that is why I urge you to vote for him as Concordia’s next VP social for ASFA!
Yours truly,
Alexandra D’Alessio
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As president of the PSSA Concordia, I endorse Caroline Bourbonnière in her race for
ASFA president. I believe she’s the most qualified candidate and will raise its standards
of excellence. With passion, she has been a key member responsible in the PSSA’s success
this year, filling up our Wine and Cheeses, bringing in world renown speakers and
Middle-Eastern Ambassadors. Caroline is a strong advocate for women’s rights, and is
organizing Women’s Month. She will be bringing inspirational and empowered women,
such as the ambassador of the UAE, to come speak to the PSSA and her CSU club
Volunteers in Actions, where she resides as president. At the same time, she provides
supports to the homeless by delivering home-made food every week, and collaborates
with various not governmental-organizations. I urge you to consider Caroline Bourbonnière’s platform and posters
to build your opinion. Does she have what it takes to be president? Yes. She’s got a firing
passion and strong leadership skills to make ASFA yours.
Pier-Luc Therrien
PSSA president
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Maddy Griffin, the only good choice for ASFA VP social
I would like to pledge my support to Maddy Griffin as ASFA’s next VP social. Maddy, has grown a lot as a student leader over the past year and has found a way to be involved in every aspect of student life. She has spent much of her time planning and helping with various social events for both ASFA and the CSU, and has even volunteered some time to help out with the CSU’s tuition campaign. Maddy lived in residence in her first year and has attended almost every single social event on campus. As such, I believe Maddy has the necessary perspective and experience to really create a great atmosphere at Concordia for first year students. Thanks to her experience planning and volunteering in various events, I believe Maddy has what it takes to reinvigorate social events at Concordia. Even more than her ability to throw a mean party I believe that; due to her growth over the past year Maddy also has the knowledge to throw parties that will appeal to a wide diversity of ASFA students, allowing everyone to come have fun and party is a safe and comfortable environment. When voting in the upcoming ASFA elections, there is only one real choice for VP social, and that is Maddy Griffin
Nicola Smith
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My letter of support promoting Olivia Taddio for VP external and sustainability for ASFA stems from my personal experience working with her in Concordia student politics. As VP social of SHAC, I was approached early in the school year by Olivia with her asking if the History department was interested in hosting an inter-faculty event along with CASE, the English department. Olivia’s idea of hosting a formal dinner event at L’Academie restaurant on Crescent St., including wine and a full table d’hote was well formulated and original in its conception, and thanks to her dedicated work-ethic the event became a massive success in bridging the gap between the departments, a bonus for English and history joint specialization students such as myself. In negotiations with the restaurant she was assertive and professional, and her commitment to the students she represents was evident in the incredible preparation she put in to every detail of the dinner.
As VP external and sustainability of ASFA next year I believe Olivia would be effective in galvanizing students to make more environmentally conscious decisions, promoting active green-campus living and continuing to unite different faculties in achieving smart, sustainable goals for the Concordia student community. Her experience and “go-getter” attitude would ensure an efficient and organized ASFA for 2012-13.
Sincerely,
Dillon Collett
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Ce dont je vise, c’est de voir quelqu’un relancer le «Arts and Science Federation of Associations». Pour les prochaines années, ASFA doit être plus riche, plus forte, plus solide et pour y arriver, il nous faut une bonne équipe au sein de notre association. Depuis des années, les étudiants sont divisés sur les candidats et les promesses électorales. En campagne, le débat ne porte pas sur les propositions pour améliorer notre expérience universitaire, mais sur le nombre d’amis que compte un candidat plus que l’autre. Je crois que les étudiants veulent entendre des solutions concrètes, un cheminement qui comporte de l’allure, ainsi qu’une vision pour bien nous différentier des autres. On a besoin de quelqu’un qui va nous faire vouloir se remettre au travail pour notre vie étudiante spécialement avec les enjeux sérieux qui nous préoccupent tant. Dans ces moments là, nous devons se serrer les coudes pour relever les grands défis, mettre de côté nos vieilles divisions et rassembler tous derrière une voix. Donc, nous avons besoin d’un rassembleur. Nous avons besoin de quelqu’un qui veux amener un courant d’air frais sans nécessairement vouloir démolir les structures existantes.
Notre association a besoin d’un leader pragmatique, expérimenté, mais surtout intelligent. Aujourd’hui, vous avez un choix à faire. Vous pouvez certainement voter pour l’immobilisme que propose M. Brenchly, ou vous pouvez vous joindre à moi et voter pour Caroline Bourbonnière comme future présidente de ASFA. Ce qui m’a convaincu de la supporter n’est vraiment pas compliqué. Elle est une étudiante brillante, qui propose des points académiques très intéressants. La création d’un ASFA TedTalks se trouve à être une opportunité sans égale. Elle nous permet d’assister à des conférences des intellectuels les plus réputés de leurs domaines, et c’est ce genre de discours qui manque dans les corridors de notre Université. Ainsi, sa volonté de créer une bourse ASFA pour les étudiants qui méritent le plus. Peu importe la somme, ce geste est digne de mention. Le troisième point qui m’attire vers Caroline, c’est les ASFA Success Workshops. Je suis un étudiant qui a eu la chance de compléter une session de LSAT il y a deux ans à Concordia et cela m’a grandement servi dans mon cheminement scolaire.
C’est en comblant ce petit geste au scrutin aujourd’hui, qui déterminera l’expérience parascolaire ainsi que la représentation au sein de différentes organisations que nous aurons l’année prochaine. Caroline, Je te soutiens.
Georges Alexandar
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In a somewhat unorthodox way, I would like to write a letter of support for all the candidates of ASFA for both groups as well as those not aligned. In the past year, my presence as an MA on the ASFA council has given me a great opportunity to meet and get to know most of the candidates that have been rigorously campaigning to be a part of the AFSA Executive team.
I felt the need to write this brief letter because up until a year ago, I had very little interest in what happens in school union politics; I felt that everyone was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, resume padding or trying to embezzle money from tuition fee levies. In all honesty, given the competitive nature of the campaigns run from these candidates, I can understand why that attitude may come about; it’s almost alien sometimes to think that “these people” who involve themselves are even students! But the reality is that they are indeed students who put effort into getting good grades and having a social life, and it’s also true that they are passionate and altruistic about serving the needs of Concordia University’s students.
I didn’t feel it was appropriate to support a single candidate, as I’m certain that each and every one have goals and ambitions and qualities that work well with each other, and have the capacity to bridge the ideological gap that may be present between them. I have faith in all their visions as Arts and Science students, as they work to promote the student community, each from their current position. What it boils down to now is the support of the students, which is the reason for this letter.
I am urging those who feel alienated from the atmosphere of student politics to give these candidates and this election a chance by engaging themselves Find out what the policies are for each candidate, weigh the pros and cons of their positions, ask around for advice and most importantly VOTE! These people legitimately want to represent you and your ambitions as a student, are willing to put in long hours for very modest monetary compensation and are passionate to the point of losing sleep most nights trying to support the needs of 16,000+ students and their 10s of member associations. Speaking from my position as an MA exec, I can tell you firsthand that dedicated people on the ASFA exec are imperative to getting things done well.
That said, there will only be one person elected to each position but that does not mean the story for each candidate ends there. I can say with certainty that whether or not they win this election, these candidates will continue to help out wherever possible, be they as executives on MAs, workers for the many Concordia organizations, or volunteers in their communities. This is only the undergraduate level, after all.
I hope that no matter who gets in, your dedication will be unwavering and my advice to those who are outshined is to not lose your passion in contributing Concordia’s student community. Your decision to run as candidates shows your already present passion to help out wherever you can (and there’s plenty of opportunity for that here).
And to those who may have only learned recently what ASFA may even be, I urge you to find out and vote for who you agree with. You have so much to gain.
Trevor J. Smith
BSc. honours environmental science
