SMUSA Presidential Candidates 2024: Part 1

Interviewed & Written by Samarth Behl

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by SMUSA

In the spirit of informed decision-making, we present exclusive election coverage featuring in-depth interviews with the 2024-2025 candidates conducted by Samarth Behl, the SMUSA contributor for The SMU Journal. Your vote matters and these articles aim to empower you with the knowledge needed to make an informed choice during the upcoming SMUSA elections. Be sure to check SMUSA’s ELECTIONS 2024-2025 page for more details.

Khuloud Saqib: A Contender for SMUSA President

Khuloud Saqib

Meet Khuloud Saqib, a second-year Criminology major with a minor in Psychology and aspirations of becoming a lawyer, running for the position of SMUSA President.  Beyond her academic pursuits, Kholoud loves to volunteer. Khuloud's commitment to community service started as soon as she arrived in Canada. Having spent three years volunteering with the Halifax Regional Police and organising events throughout the city, she showcases a dedication to making a positive impact.

On campus, Khuloud has been an integral part of the SMUSA Street Team for two years. She also serves as the Cheer Captain and actively participates in various societies, including the drama society. Additionally, she has been volunteering at the central library for five years.

Why Khouloud?

Khouloud believes she is a good fit for the position because she truly understands the importance of feedback. “I feel like I have a lot of experience knowing what students want especially because of my line of work, I have been talking to students ever since I got here and I have gotten a lot of feedback about what they want, and I really plan to make what they want come to reality,” she added. Having consistently networked with students through her volunteer work, she aims to transform their aspirations into reality.

Causes and Passions:

Khuloud’s campaign revolves around the phrase ELECT, emphasising engagement, listening, employment, community and transparency. “One big issue I am seeing at Saint Mary’s is that a lot of students don’t actually know what SMUSA does, especially the president’s role, like a lot of students are not really sure what the president does,” she claimed. Her aim is to change that and promote transparency and education among SMUSA and students.

Action Steps:

Khuloud’s approach will focus on active listening and empathy. She plans to establish an anonymous survey system to understand and implement what students really want. By ensuring anonymity, she believes students will be more forthcoming and real with their feedback. The proposed system includes anonymous surveys, dropboxes, and snack tables to facilitate open, safe and transparent communication. “If they do anonymous surveys, people are more likely to tell you what they want instead of having their name on it, and then they are too scared to say what they actually want,” she added.

Khuloud encourages students to take a deep dive into campus life by attending events, exploring societies, and connecting with student leaders.

Simbarshe Chiunda: A Contender for SMUSA President

Simbarshe Chiunda

Meet Simba, a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student running for the position of SMUSA president. Beyond his academic pursuits, Simba has a hidden talent of being a self-taught chef who can make delicious meals out of anything.

Simba is actively involved in campus life by being part of the track and field team, volunteering at the community food room and being the food room co-coordinator.

Why Simba?

Simba’s campaign revolves around the belief that Saint Mary’s University is a diverse community where every student’s voice should be heard. His slogan, “Your voice is our mission”, displays his commitment to amplifying the diverse voices on campus. His aim is to make sure students' voices are actually heard.

Passions and Causes:

Simba believes there is a lack of awareness about the several opportunities offered by Saint Mary’s University and SMUSA. He aims to bridge this gap by communicating the wealth of experiences and opportunities offered by SMU. “There’s a lot of things that SMUSA and just the whole university offers, but people just don’t know about it,” he added.

Action Steps:

Simba envisions close collaboration with various campus teams to ensure their decisions benefit the students. “If I manage to get this position, I will be working closely with all the teams: the marketing team, the communication team, teams of society, and events just to make sure they are giving every single individual on campus a wonderful experience,” he added. By working collectively, he aims to ensure that each and every individual on campus has an amazing and welcoming experience where they feel genuinely valued and heard.

Simba imparts valuable advice inspired by his father: “It’s the decisions that you make that determine the future.” He encourages students to connect, make friends, and network with professors and advisors, urging them to utilise our campus resources optimally.

Mariia Gubareva: A Contender for SMUSA President

Mariia Gubareva

Meet Mariia Gubareva, a second-year biology student with a background in chemistry running for the position of SMUSA president. Beyond her academic pursuits, Mariia is a very social person who loves to meet new people and build meaningful connections.

Mariia is actively involved in campus life by volunteering at Res After Dark events and serving as a Residence Assistant and Residence Service Officer.

Why Mariia?

Mariia believes in the power of dedicating time, effort, and heart to the community. “I can offer my time, my dedication and my heart to people,” she added.

Passions and Causes:

Mariia understands the importance of volunteering and the impact it has on students and the community. She has identified a concern voiced by students about the scarcity of volunteer positions on campus, especially for first-year students. “The concern that I found when I was asking people is the lack of volunteer positions on campus,” she added. She aims to address this by creating more opportunities for students to engage in meaningful volunteer work. She herself enjoys volunteering for Res After Dark events.

Action Steps:

Increasing Society Participation: Mariia envisions boosting student involvement in societies through education initiatives.

Book Exchange Mechanism: Recognizing the financial strain on students, Mariia proposes a mechanism for students to sell or exchange books with each other. She also believes students should be allowed to exchange books from their last year to the present year. “I would maybe make a room where they [students] can exchange books by bringing their books from their last year and just exchanging it to their current year,” she added.

Mariia's advice to students is simple but profound: "Believe in yourself." Inspired by the empowerment she witnessed in a past presidential candidate, Shiray, Marria encourages every student to explore their unique capabilities and get involved. She believes that each student is unique and possesses the potential to make a difference in our community.

As the SMUSA elections approach, students can weigh the competency and visions of candidates like Mariia, Khuloud and Simba, who bring unique perspectives and aspirations to enhance the campus experience. Check out the follow up article, “SMUSA Presidential Candidates 2024: Part 2” for the complete list of President Candidates. Stay informed and participate in the upcoming elections to ensure your voice is heard. Vote on the 14th of February, Valentine's Day.

Watch the full interviews here: https://youtu.be/QWtPCR6nSbg