Voting Period: VP Social Programming

For the past week, we have been accepting nominations for the ESA’s 2022-23 VP Social Programming. Now that the submission period is over, we ask that registered ESA members submit their votes using the link in the email sent to them!

Please note that as per AMS guidelines, only registered members may vote. Non-registered members who vote will have their vote discarded. This page will be removed from public viewing once an applicant has been voted in.

Please read our three nominees below:

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1. Nico Hussain

Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in running for this role. Feel free to include any relevant experience:

I am an English major who would love hosting literature related events. Before I went to UBC I was a band leader for my high school’s jazz band and a kitchen manager at my restaurant. I would be honoured to work with like minded people on crafting fun events for other English majors

Briefly describe an event you would like to host. There is no criteria; you can select the location, purpose, if there are food or drinks, and all other factors! 

1) Buchanan tower, snacks and hot chocolate, Literature trivia night where the prize for first place is a coupon to the bookstore. 2) A literature themed costume party where we hold a competition of best costume. 3) In the Nest (or someplace else) we meet and watch movie adaptations of classic literature with pizza and soda!

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2. Dan Miller

Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in running for this role. Feel free to include any relevant experience:

My name is Dan Miller. I am an undergraduate student in the 6th and final year of his Honours English degree. I am interested in this role with the ESA because, as I look back upon my time at UBC, I am struck with the dissatisfaction that I was not more involved with the English department. For me, the chance to get involved as VP of Social Programming is a great opportunity to pay back to the English department and the broader English undergraduate community at UBC for the incredible camaraderie that they have offered me over the years. I believe I would succeed in this role owing to my experience, both professional and volunteer, with event-planning. I have worked as a golf-operations manager, a student ambassador with UBC, and a volunteer facilitator for grade 7 students with the YWCA: all roles that have cultivated my organization, initiative, communication and community-building skills.

Briefly describe an event you would like to host. There is no criteria; you can select the location, purpose, if there are food or drinks, and all other factors! 

An event I would like to host would a gala dinner. The location I would choose would be the rooftop garden at the NEST. Ideally there would also be some live music (perhaps coordinated with UBC jazz society or BVP), hors d’oeuvres, drinks, catering, etc. I would also love to have some speeches from students or staff, perhaps some poetry readings. I think it would be a wonderful way to bring together students in an easy-going social environment.

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3. Jhemma Kooner

Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in running for this role. Feel free to include any relevant experience:

My name is Jhemma, and I am a fourth-year English Literature major, minoring in UBC’s Environment and Society program. When I am not studying at overpriced coffee shops around Vancouver, you might find me reading on my bed or spending some time outdoors. I am very interested in being the next VP of Social Programming because I would love to be part of a team dedicated to building a community, and helping students make the most of their time at UBC as well as their interest in English! As VP of Social Programming, I will aim to bring students together by hosting consistent, unique and engaging social events. My skill set and experience will make me a perfect fit for this role. I was the previous Director of Service Events for UBC’s service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and am the current Student and Alumni Engagement Assistant for UBC’s Center for Student Involvement and Careers. In these roles, I have gained opportunities to brainstorm, plan, host and run various events and programs. Some of my favourites include a mason jar gardening social called “Don’t Forget Your Roots” and “Climate Change 500: Thesis Based Seminar”, a climate change workshop. In addition, I have experience communicating with external organizations to hold collaborative events as well.

Briefly describe an event you would like to host. There is no criteria; you can select the location, purpose, if there are food or drinks, and all other factors!

One event that I would be very excited to plan and host is a book drive/book exchange. Everyone would bring one of their old books to participate and take someone else’s book home with them. To encourage students to engage with each other, go out of their comfort zones a bit and meet new people, we could personalize the books with a name or note from it’s previous owner inside the cover, and participants would have to find that person and talk with them for a bit. The event would take an hour, and I would supply a couple of small snacks for participants to enjoy. This event would take place on campus in a classroom and require no external supplies (other than the students’ books and provided snacks).

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4. Eugene Leung

Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in running for this role. Feel free to include any relevant experience:

Hi everyone! I’m Eugene and I’ve loved English Language and Literature since high school! I’m currently pursuing a major in English Honours Language and Literature and so I want to to work in the ESA to help others and grow alongside other English enthusiasts. Stories allow us to learn about ourselves and others and wildly differing perspectives emerge from consuming them. Analyzing stories and forming connections only to find that someone else had thought of something completely different is a joy I can never get tired of. These stories are how humans spread their ideas and the English discipline is a breeding ground for diverse ideas and perspectives. I’ve always wanted to incorporate that into events. I’ve had experience running, organizing, and promoting local events with my youth leadership group and my school, but never with other students in the English discipline. I really want to create events that cater to students like me that love writing, hearing, and analyzing literature. Being a part of the ESA means getting a chance to hear everyone’s story, so if you have a moment, please tell me yours!

Briefly describe an event you would like to host. There is no criteria; you can select the location, purpose, if there are food or drinks, and all other factors!

One of my favourite components of English are the stories analyzed. Everyone I know has a different favrouite text that they read in school. If I could host an event, I would create one that allowed everyone to share their favourite story. Prior to the event, all participants would sign up and indicate their favourite book/poem/film/etc. and all these stories would be collected into one spreadsheet. Then during the event, everyone would be scattered in a large, open room filled with clues. Everyone would be given an empty numbered list corresponding to the number of submitted stories. They would all then be given a limited amount of time to explore the room, find clues, and try to discern what the favourite stories submitted were. When participants were confident in their guesses, they would write them down on the sheet of paper. Everyone would be free to work independently or form teams. Many interactions and connections could be made as participants work together to solve the clues. Once the time is up, the papers would be collected and prizes would be awarded depending on how well individual’s guessed the stories. The stories would also be revealed to everyone.