Name: Jonathan Harper
Bio: Are you wondering just who the heck this guy is telling you all the ways he can be great at something as if he were Dante himself? Me too sometimes. I’m Jonathan Harper – husband, nurse, student, IPA aficionado, and generally nice guy (or so I’m told). I study biological anthropology (EBHS) and want to be a family nurse practitioner on an American Indian reservation. Like a lot of us, I have leadership experience: professionally as an admissions nurse; academically as a current member of GSSC (and more!); and personally as a life-long public event volunteer. Want more info? Just ask!
Platform: After years at Columbia, we are all busy, tired and stressed – I get that. If you elect me Senior Class President, I will do everything in my power to alleviate your stress in this final year at GS. Most of us will have applied to grad schools or have jobs lined up; what many of us want during our last year is to have fun and appreciate actually being a senior in college! I’m a senior, too, and have the same stake as you all in any events or senior-related issues that may arise; as such I will fulfill my duties by coordinating Senior Class events with transparency and active communication with our best interests in mind. Now I know coming to the weekly GS council meetings and reading all the monthly emails doesn’t always fit into our schedules. To address that, here is the nitty-gritty of how my Senior Class Presidency will interact with you: 1.) I will have regular office hours in the Lounge; 2.) My team and I will welcome any and all input into senior events; 3.) I will promptly respond personally to every email sent to me; 4.) I will maintain a Facebook page and Twitter handle for postings regarding questions, times and information for the whole shebang. One of the biggest frustrations of being a Columbia GS student is keeping track of and contributing to all that is going on; especially when we have an art-hum paper due next Monday or an internship application by midnight. If you elect me, I will make being more involved in your final year easier for you by doing it with you. Together, WE will be the 2017 GS Senior Class President.
Name: Roya Hegdahl
Bio: I am third year GS student studying Political Science and Hispanic Studies as a double major. Before coming to Columbia, I lived in France and Spain. For the first 18 years of my life, I lived in a suburb of Seattle. I am the editor of the Tab Columbia and a member of the Columbia Ski and Snowboard Club. I have experience in event planning, social media outreach, communication and leadership positions.
Platform: The 2017-2018 school year will be my fourth year with GS and as such, it is a community am so fortunate to have been a part of for so many years. With Columbia being located in Manhattan, creating and maintaining a sense of community can be more challenging than with other schools located more remotely. GS, being the school that it is, we are fortunate to be so united by our unique stories, perspectives and passions. That is what makes GS so wonderful. I also believe that we can continue improving and working towards a GS that is focused on both academics and making the Columbia experience fun and memorable. My goal as GS Senior Class President is to make the GS class of 2018 have their last year be the most memorable yet. As someone who has experience with event planning and organization, from being a Gymnastics captain in high school to running an Open Mic night and pub crawls in Spain to organizing GS Art C’s first Art Cabaret, my event organization skills are varied and will be beneficial in making senior events like the cruise and Lerner Pub seamlessly organized. I would also like to add a few senior events to the fall semester such as theme mixers and group outings. I am excited for the opportunity to design the senior class swag including shirts and sweats and would also love to design other items like champagne glasses. The most important thing however is hearing from you. I will be accessible and will use social media as a way to have the senior class communicate and vote on ideas for events and swag so that everyone is able to participate in the planning to make their senior year the best year yet.