BLACK STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Shumirai Marangwanda
Marangwanda is a second-year political science honours student running unopposed.
Having had “the opportunity to work in spaces that […] uplift Black people,” Marangwanda hopes to “encourage Black intellectualism and academic thought,” through this position.
Maragwanda believes she is capable of serving in this position because of her goal getter attitude and highlighting she has her community’s interest at heart.
Marangwanda also intends to embark on the promotion of Black entrepreneurship and innovation.She further seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of the Black community. She said, “We exist in so many different ethnicities and cultures, and I want to celebrate that to the greatest extent that I can.”
Marangwanda added, “positions like this require people who are motivated not because they want to be seen [or] they’re looking to fulfil their resume but because they genuinely find the work fulfilling, and I find the work fulfilling.”
She foresees her term as one that will be “innovative, ambitious and community-driven.”
ACCESSIBILITY COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE
Audita Zaman
Audita Zaman is a third-year student majoring in physics.
Zaman said her lived experience within the accessibility community has shaped her decision to step forward and run for this position.
“I’ve been in this community for longer than a year now,” Zaman said. “I understand the importance of being seen, heard and [represented.]”
If elected, Zaman hopes to organize more events tailored specifically for students with disabilities, particularly those with invisible disabilities who she says are often overlooked in broader initiatives. She said inclusive programming is essential to building a stronger campus community.
Outside of student leadership, Zaman is a professional dancer who performs on and off campus. She previously studied engineering before switching to physics last year.
Kristen Nguyen
Kristen Nguyen is a second-year labour studies major who hopes to become a legal luminary.
Nguyen said accessibility is “more than just a policy issue,” describing it as deeply personal.
“As a student with a mental disability and also a neurological disability, I have experienced firsthand navigating the university accommodation and support,” Nguyen said. She explained that she understands where these systems are beneficial and where they fall short.Nguyen pointed to strict deadlines within accessibility services as one of the barriers students face. She noted that when students miss the two-week sign-up requirement for exams with accommodations, they are often told, “It is the [procedure] and there’s nothing we can do.” She believes that approach is not supportive.
“Accessibility is not optional — it is an obligation […] for a university to uphold,” Nguyen said, emphasizing that accommodations should not be something students with disabilities “have to fight for.”“I want to create a community that makes students with [disabilities] feel that they [belong],” she said, and added that students should not feel like “a burden to the community or the society.”
INDIGENOUS STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Rayden Seela
Rayden Seela is a fourth-year psychology student from Thompson, Manitoba running unopposed. He sees himself as confident in sharing opinions and thoughts.
“I didn’t see myself running this year,” Seela said. “It wasn’t until people reached out to me […] and said that I should do this position, that they want to see me do it and they trust me to do it.”
Seela believes he is the right candidate to represent over 3,200 Indigenous students, stressing relational leadership.“My leadership style is built in relationship, and connection and community,” Seela said. “I just want to do what my community wants — I’m just the voice to their heart.”Seela said that, as an ambitious person, he plans “to bring the Indigenous community on this campus together, united in a way that has never been done before.”
2SLGBTQIA+ STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Gwendelyn Freeheart
Gwendelyn Freeheart is currently studying sociology in the honours program, running unopposed.
Freeheart said their decision to run for this position is rooted in their appreciation for the queer community on campus.
“I think we have a really great queer community on campus, and I would really love to support them in any way I can,” they said.
They also noted, “I know it is sometimes a struggle to get people to run for this position, so I’m excited to see what happens.”
If elected, Freeheart has several priorities in mind, including event-hosting. Accessibility is central to their platform. “I would love to bring accessibility into the space more by hosting events online.” In addition, they hope to introduce “more education workshops for things like HRT [hormone replacement therapy], safe binding [and] mental health.”
Community collaboration is another key focus for Freeheart. “I’d really like to see more groups on campus working together so that we can all feel served and heard,” they said.
WOMEN’S COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE
Kultaj Kaur
Kultaj Kaur is a second-year student in the faculty of science running unopposed. She is completing a minor in microbiology and plans to major in psychology. She said her passion for supporting women has guided her career goals and choices.
Kaur said she wants to continue advocating for menstrual equity on campus and work to speed up the restocking of menstrual products in bathrooms.
She also hopes to address physical and mental health supports for women, including burnout prevention and eating disorder recovery resources.
Kaur envisions her term as “impactful, empathetic and brave.”
RACIALIZED STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Areeva Arora
Areeva Arora is a first-year student in the science program running unopposed. She enjoys “bringing different groups of people together and [learning] about the beauty of diversity.”
Arora said her experience arriving in Canada has shaped her understanding of leadership and representation. “I don’t believe representation is just about having someone who looks like you in a room. It’s about having someone who understands the hesitation before you raise your hand,” she said.
She added that her confidence in being fit for the role comes from her lived experience as a racialized student. “I’m running because I know how powerful it feels when someone genuinely listens and I want to be that person for others.”
Arora said one of her main goals in this position would be “to create consistent, structured spaces where racialized students can actually talk about their experiences […] regularly.”
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Tirth Chaudhary
Tirth Chaudhary is a fourth-year computer science student running unopposed.
Chaudhary said his decision to run is rooted in his experience supporting students throughout his time working at the First Year Centre on campus. He also has experience as the international students’ representative for the Science Students’ Association.
If elected, Chaudhary said he hopes “to create more spaces on campus where international students feel connected.” He has heard from students that “they feel isolated,” often attending class and leaving immediately afterward.
He envisions his term as “impactful and reliable, collaborative […] and accountable.”
MATURE AND PART-TIME STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Sanimar Singh
Sanimar Singh is running unopposed. At the time of publication, no comment was received and no additional information about Singh’s platform was available.
