Name: Dennis Zhao
Bio: Dennis Zhao is a US Air Force veteran in his third-year at GS studying Computer Science and East Asian Studies. In the past three years, he worked to better GS and Columbia as First Year Class VP, VP of Campus Life, and is currently the VP of Communications. Dennis also sits on Columbia’s Interschool Governing Board, where he oversees funding for student groups that comprise of students from both undergraduate and graduate schools.
Platform:
Three years ago, still feeling the impostor syndrome many GS students feel when they first arrive, I joined GSSC to do my part in bettering a community that I felt fortunate to be a part of. While I would like to say that I have given back a lot in my time as a council member, I can honestly say GSSC has given me much more. The friendships I have forged and the enriching experiences I’ve gained from GSSC has been one of the highlights of my time at Columbia. I hope that you can give me the privilege of serving on GSSC one last time, as student body President, so that I can use all that I have gained towards creating an even brighter path for our beloved school.
As GSSC President, my role will be to enhance the work that GSSC is already doing to support what brings us all together, being students. I will assist and push each GSSC member to achieve all their initiatives in the most cost-effective way possible. In addition, there are many improvements I’d like to make happen:
Enforce the ongoing initiatives that I find are imperative to the well-being of GS students:
• Enhance council’s involvement with Mental Health initiatives, which I believe to be our our top priority.
• Continue financial support for CU Food Bank to fight ongoing food insecurity on campus through co-sponsorship and fundraising.
• Advocate for student spaces in Uris and Lerner Hall for students of color, LGBTQ students, veterans and commuters.
• Improve accessibility for students with disability by working with the administration to improve and increase ODS staffing and develop a GSSC-created smartphone application.
• Promote GS students and GS student-led groups events/initiatives through co-sponsorship.
President Hosted Round Table Discussion
Select and assemble a group of GS student leaders to participate in monthly discussions on topics that are vital to our community. Topics to include but not limited to:
• Mental Health on Campus: What can we do to help?
• The International Student’s Hurdle: Getting a H-1B Visa
• Success in Academia as a non-traditional student
Offer more a diverse calendaring of events by eliminating the annual Fall Welcome Back Party. Savings of $20,000 for Campus life to make events more accessible to more students:
• Curate at least three events a month: one cultural, one off-campus, and one 18+ social/mixer geared towards traditionally-aged students (Dual-BA etc).
• The Welcome Back Party will be replaced by two bi-annual parties (one Fall Semester and one Spring Semester) that will not burden student life fees while retaining the core experience students have come to expect.
Increase GSSC involvement with GS Alumni
To tap into the wealth of knowledge GS alumni can provide, inspired by the success of Columbia Milvets’ Veteran Career Initiative, GSSC will start an Alumni database that current students and alumni can opt into which will give GSSC the ability to support the following new programs:
• GS Alumni Mentorship Program
• GSSC hosted networking events, industry mixers, and Alumni-led panels.
Name: Samantha Demezieux 
Bio: I am a passionate sports fan and a lover of memes. I had the pleasure of serving in the United States Marine Corps as an Arabic linguist from 2010-2015. I currently serve on the executive board of The U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University as Treasurer. I arrived at the School of General Studies in 2015 and feel fortunate to be part of such a diverse and talented student body. After serving diligently on the MilVets executive board, I am confident that I can be a great advocate and representative for the GS community at large.
Platform: Mental Health Services
Mental health issues have rattled the Columbia University community multiple times during my time at GS.
• After suffering a loss in the MilVets community, I attended a suicide awareness and emergency protocol training course.
o While this course was specific to student veterans, I hope to coordinate with Counseling and Psychology Services in order to help more students receive similar training. This training will help students recognize possible symptoms and signs in their peers and how to take appropriate action.
Community Space
• Space is at a premium on campus. With the departure of the Business School from Morningside, there exists an opportunity for us to extend our community space beyond the GS lounge.
o While many of us are fortunate enough to live in the Morningside Heights area, many students commute from much further away.
o As it stands, Columbia University is the only Ivy League university that does not have any sort of space/recreational area for commuter students.
o I would work with the new Dean of General Studies to the best of my ability to ask for another, larger space for GS students to gather when they are not in class.
Financial Security
• While I myself am fortunate enough to be on the Post-911 GI Bill, many of my peers are not. GS students will inevitably incur a great deal of debt because of the cost of tuition. In addition, because of the cost of living in New York City, many have had to choose between paying their rent or paying for a meal
o I would like to continue working with GS Food Bank to ensure that those students who have food insecurity continue to be supported.
o I would like to work with the deans and alumni in order to procure more scholarships for GS students with financial shortfalls