Dear all,
Here are the statements of intent from all the applicants. As of now, we do not have any applicants for the position of the trips coordinator, so should you be interested in that and also know what the position requires, please send in your statement to iscedi@googlemail.com
President
Snezhana Savova (first choice: President)
Dear all,
My name is Snezhana Savova and I am running for the position of the President at the International Student Centre for the academic 2014/2015.
I am currently a 3rd year Psychology and Business student and many of you have probably gotten to know me as the Events Coordinator at the ISC this year. I would like to briefly summarise what I have done throughout this year at the ISC, how I have personally developed, how I contributed to the development of the ISC and why I want to be the President next year.
To begin with, I joined the ISC in the middle of my second year as a trips volunteer. I got involved in the ISC and met many lovely people who encouraged me to run for a position in the committee. I chose to run for Events Coordinator namely because I have had previous experience in organising various events both at high school, as part of my membership at charitable organisations and in my university and extracurricular activities. However, none of it can be compared to what I achieved in terms of both my personal development and the events being organised at the ISC this year. To be more precise, I have walked a long way to become so efficient, well organised and enthusiastic about what I was doing at the ISC. Initially, I was reluctant with regard to my abilities to cope with the workload and the task once I got to know better what is really involved. However, this only motivated me to want to succeed even more and to achieve excellent results. Moreover, on the way I met amazing people who will most likely remain close friends of mine and people from so many diverse backgrounds who taught me to listen and get the most out of their cultures and different perceptions of the world.
As the Events Coordinator, I took the initiative to transform the types of events that have traditionally been organised previously at the ISC. These used to be mainly Culture Nights taking place in the lounge, gathering roughly 30 people around food and a bit of history and traditions of the particular cultures being presented. This year, I aimed to organise events and activities outside of the ISC as much as possible due to several reasons, the main one being that I wanted to offer a larger number of international students the opportunity to enjoy our events and to “travel around the world in just a few hours”. As a result, the ISC hosted the 2 very successful and big events - The International Desserts Night and the International Evening.
I also aimed to present international students with the beauty and mystic of Edinburgh and thus organised several Ghost Tours, Educational visits to the Edinburgh Castle and a visit to Cramond Island. Additionally, I succeeded to offer our members and the larger student body the chance to visit the Oktoberfest which came to Edinburgh straight from Bayern, to feel the excitement at the 6 Nations Rugby games, as well as to enjoy a night at the theatre.
In order to be able to make these events so big and successful, I sought collaboration with various EUSA societies, as well as other organisations such as the Bedlam Theatre. My interactions with them all proved highly successful and have definitely resulted in strong connections and the willingness for future work together.
Neither of these though would have been possible without the help of all my volunteers as well as many of the core committee members who were there to offer support and help when needed.
The reason why I want to be the President for next year is because I believe that throughout my time at the ISC I have gained an extensive knowledge of how the ISC functions, how it relates to other organisations and departments within and outside the University and got a clear idea of how things could be done more efficiently in the future. More specifically, through my knowledge and connections, I will be able to continue the development of the ISC in terms of establishing itself as a well-known and recognised institution across the University and a better place that feels like home for even more international students. I believe I am a very dedicated, ambitious and future-oriented person and am able to motivate, influence and inspire people. I consider myself a transformational leader, who will expect a lot of its committee, but will be at all times open-minded and will wholeheartedly support her team by facilitating discussions, delegating decision-making and other responsibilities, while still giving a sense of direction.
I would like to stress the fact that me and Monika, who is currently the General Secretary and is running for Vice President, share similar goals and vision about how the ISC can grow and develop in the future. We have spent relatively the same amount of time in the organisation and have broad and extensive knowledge in various areas, due to the different positions we have been occupying for the past year. Furthermore, we have been a very good team for more than 3 years now and know each other very well, being honest at all times which results in open and clear communication among us. I believe that both of us will drive the ISC forward in a positive direction and will be able to innovate, make it more appealing, bigger and more interesting for a broader and more diverse audience. Additionally, we aspire to move the ISC to bigger and finer premises, where it will be able to serve its members in different, better ways. I am personally highly dedicated to achieve this or at least to contribute as much as possible to it.
Lastly, I would like to encourage you to vote for the person who stands out the most and makes the best impression, and if this is me, I promise I will stand up to all expectations by being proactive, sociable, determined to succeed by seeking collaboration with and support from the top levels of the University’s hierarchy.
Vice President
Monika Grigorova (first choice: Vice President)
Hello. My name is Monika and I am running for the position of a Vice President. I am currently a third year Psychology student and I have been involved with the ISC for a year and a half. I started as a volunteer on the trips committee in 2012. For the past academic year I have been the General Secretary. My work included managing the centre’s email and keeping the minutes during core-committee meetings. I was also maintaining the ISC website by updating the events and trips calendar and thus helping the publicity secretary in her role to promote the activities of the ISC to the international student body of the university. Furthermore, I was closely involved with the events committee and I had the opportunity to be part of the organization and implementation of amazing and successful events like the International Desserts Night and the International Evening.
Throughout my time at the centre as a volunteer and as a secretary, I have been able to see how the ISC functions, its strengths and weaknesses and its prospects for development. I have experience with the workings of both the events and trips sub-committees. I could grasp the full importance of the role which the ISC plays in building a helpful family environment for the international students in the university. This sense of diversity and community which the ISC creates is unique and having felt it once I would like to continue to be part of it during the next academic year. My desire to contribute to the ISC is triggered not only by the potential which I see for the centre’s future development but also by what the ISC has already done for me. It has helped me feel part of a large family, it has given me the opportunity to test my abilities and understand that I possess skills which I didn’t know are there. Having received a lot so far, I want to give back and I believe that through my work for the centre I have been able to obtain good knowledge about it. My experience with many of the aspects of its work will enable me to be an effective Vice President and pass my knowledge to new committee members who have had limited involvement with the ISC.
Every new semester the ISC manages to build a strong bond with the international students who decide to participate in our activities. This year in particular we have been able to increase participation by strengthening our connections with various societies and our mutual work has rendered a number of successful and unforgettable events. My vision for ISC’s future without doubt involves continuing the work which was started this year: that of maintaining good relationships and effective communication not only with national societies but also with various performance societies as has been evidenced during the International Evening. As a Vice President I would allocate considerable effort to continuing and further developing this good practice.
My visions for the tasks which the ISC has to fulfill in the next academic year include improving the communication between the centre and the International Office because I feel that it wasn’t effective enough during the last academic year. Furthermore, the strengthening of the relationships with other university institutions like the Chaplaincy, EUSA and Bedlam Theatre has been successful this year and these relationships have the potential for further improvement. I would like to stress the importance of continuing what has been started and thus I propose myself for Vice President as I have been part of the ISC’s pursuit for university-wide recognition so far and I have relevant experience to continue it.
I would like to mention that Snezhana, who is now running for the president position, and I share a common vision for the ISC’s development for the next year. Snezhana and I, if we receive respectively the President and Vice President positions, would try to achieve the long-term goal of moving the ISC to new and more convenient premises and thus making it a more integral and attractive part of the Central Campus. We also would like to see greater support from the International Office and we would try to get the support of EUSA for moving more of our larger events to larger venues. We will also devote efforts to supervising projects which were started during this academic year like the newsletter and opening a lounge at King’s Buildings.
Having outlined my vision for the International Student Centre’s future, I believe that I am a suitable candidate because of my experience and because of the way in which I perceive the ISC: as a home away from home.
Pia-Maria Bododea (first choice: Vice President)
Hi my name is Pia-Maria Bododea and I am running for the position of vice president.
The vice president ought to be someone who is committed to guiding students and helping them enhance their university experience, knowledge of other cultures and providing them with access to the best of what Edinburgh has to offer. Such is the scope of the International Student Center, which the vice president must internalize. The vice president must have a clear understanding of how the ISC works and dedicated to fulfilling the needs of our international students.
I have been in the role of Treasurer over the past year and, before that, was a lounge volunteer. My time at the ISC in previous years has taught me much about our mission, how we can better support students and about the inner workings of the ISC. I understand the responsibilities that committee members bear and the financial structuring and thus feel I am prepared to take on the role of vice president.
I would like to further expand on the work of our former vice president, in gaining more support from both EUSA and the University. The ISC is capable of offering tremendous opportunities and support to students and a more developed connection with EUSA and the University could promote additional funding, access to more resources to publicize our events and a strong foundation for expansion. These are the aspects of future development which I think are essential to push. Along the lines of improving communication, we need to develop a more expansive network of students at the beginning of the year so that we do not lose the initial interest displayed but not sustained by many students throughout the semester or year. Additionally, we should try to connect more with student societies in the interest of bettering our international evenings and again growing our network of contacts.
Thank you for considering me for this position and I hope you will give me the chance to further demonstrate my passion for helping all students get the most of their experience here in Edinburgh and becoming global citizens. I have very much enjoyed my time meeting the students who have passed through the ISC and would like to continue my work in supporting their interests in the following year. Many thanks again!
General Secretary
Clara Sophie Kantner (first choice: General Secretary)
Name: Clara Sophie Kantner
Academics: 3rd year International Business student, currently on exchange at McGill University
Why I am really interested in becoming the new Secretary/House Manager
Hello fellow friends of the ISC,
I am so glad you can be in Edinburgh for these important elections! Unfortunately, I cannot attend, since I am away on my exchange at McGill university in a cold, cold place (also known as Canada ). Some of you already know me from past years, to others, I am a completely new person, so introductions are in order!
I am a 3rd year international business student, I have been a part of the ISC since my first week of university and it has really changed my life as a student at Edinburgh. Coming from Austria, I was so excited to meet so many other international students, who had a similar mindset and were just as intent on making sense of this new place as I was. I was a devoted lounge volunteer for all of my first year and I became part of the committee as publicity secretary in my second year. Through the ISC, I have found amazing friends who have been an integral part of my life, fun roommates, and even love (it sounds cheesy, but it is the truth! ). The ISC community was there for me when I had a bad day, when I was down and when I just needed someone to make me a cup of coffee (or tea).
Although I enjoy my year abroad at McGill University, the ISC is a part of campus life which I dearly miss here. And going back to Edinburgh, I know that for my last year, it is time for me to give back. I want to be part of the ISC committee because I have benefited so much from it, in ways I did not expect. I know how important it is to have a team that solves problems together and which has experience. Since I have seen both sides, being a volunteer and a committee member, I know there is room to improve the ISC, with the help of volunteers. Whether it is as general secretary or house manager, I would love to be part of the committee in my last year and contribute to greatness!
General Secretary (first choice)
I want to run for the position of general secretary and assist the committee with responding to emails and ensuring communications with other university functions (such as EUSA or the International Office). I am an extremely organised person by nature and can prioritise issues appropriately. Further, I have been able to observe our McGill counterpart (the MISN) and have gotten a number of ideas on running of events, promotion and general affairs, which I would love to propose to the committee next year. Also, I would love to liaise with the Publicity Secretary to further improve our website, provide more information for exchange students and introduce links to current Edinburgh events and sightseeing. Finally, I have excellent written and oral English skills and am very reliable.
House Manager
I have spent an insane amount of time at the ISC lounge and it definitely became my “home away from home” on campus. I am extremely fond of this space and since I am a very conscientious person, I enjoy making sure coffee and other items are stocked up, ensuring that everything is clean and tidy and, most importantly, that new students feel welcome at the ISC, which is our mission after all. I am organised, reliable and extremely enthusiastic (as you might have realised from reading this statement) and so, managing the ISC lounge would be a project I would love to take on. As I mentioned above, I have also gotten a few ideas from the McGill International Student Network which I want to share with the committee to make the ISC even more amazing!
So I hope that after reading this (very long) statement, I have convinced you of my enthusiasm and my energetic attitude towards the ISC and you can safely vote for me in either of these positions. My main goal is to support the committee in any way that I can, and to make sure the ISC has a great academic year ahead! Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to see you all next year!
Clara
Kate Ng (first choice: General Secretary)
Hi. My name is Kate Ng and I am running for the positions of General Secretary and Publicity Secretary in the ISC core committee. I am currently a 2nd year studying Mathematics and Statistics. In the past I have involved myself in different arenas, ranging from Charities Week committee co-ordinator, prefect, volunteering in Cancer Research and class representative. Also, this year I began to develop interest in helping in ISC and would definitely like to engage fully in the upcoming year. Learning from my previous experiences, I am capable of leading a group of people, as well as cooperating with people from all walks of life. More importantly, growing up in a multicultural background enables me to think in a global perspective. Since I moved to Glasgow seven years ago, I have settled well in the Scottish culture. However, I do understand the sense of homesickness international students might encounter when they first move to Edinburgh, and like to accompany them for this passing phase. I have established a good command of English- even a slight Scottish accent- from the last six years in high school, which is particularly important for these roles. As an easy-going, organised individual, I believe I possess the qualities and skills necessary for these positions. To be concise, I am enthusiastic and positive about the future of ISC, therefore I would be grateful if I could become part of it.
Maria Dokovova (first choice: General Secretary)
Dear ISC members,
My name is Maria Dokovova and I would like to run for the position of a general secretary.
I am (as probably many of you are) the perpetual international student. While in high-school I spent a year in the United States with an ASSIST scholarship.
For a university I chose Edinburgh, which is quite far from my hometown Varna in Bulgaria. Last summer, I was awarded a scholarship from the Czech Ministry of Education to spend a month in the Czech Republic and improve my Czech language skills. I’m currently spending my third year at the Diderot University in Paris as an Erasmus student.
I have faced the challenges of having to adjust to a new place and learning system many times and I am well aware of the needs and problems of students like me. Most importantly I have empathy and patience to assist those, who struggle in a new culture. I’m very motivated to help make this immersion as fun and painless as possible because just like the humanist
Erasmus of Rotterdam
I believe that good communication and positive experience in a different country, and especially in a university environment, are the key to solving many global issues.
On a practical level I will be able use my past experience as a secretary of the Edinburgh University Salsa society. Being on the committee team of that big
and diverse society gave me first-hand experience at dealing with situations as varied as: leading and taking minutes of weekly committee meetings, camping all night in front of Potterrow to book rooms, advertising, balancing communication between administration, teachers and technicians to organise a complex timetable, organising live-band parties and breaking into the society cashbox, when the key was lost. I was also in charge of the email communication and sending weekly newsletters. Apart from all the know-how in management and organisation I learned that the society’s team spirit and energy are the most important ingredients to innovation and efficiency.
I am eager to use my past experience and perspective as an international student by taking part in the ISC.
Sincerely,
Maria Dokovova
Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh (second choice: General Secretary)
Dear ISC members,
My name is Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh from Vietnam. I am a 2nd year Economics student, who is ready to challenge herself by applying for the Publicity Secretary (1st choice) and General Secretary (2nd choice) positions at the ISC for the academic year 2014-2015.
After joining some trips and lounge activities recently, I really regret that I did not get to know about ISC at the earlier stages, so I could have been involved and contributed much more as a volunteer. However I think it is never too late to start on doing what you love, which explains for why I am here and running for these amazing positions. For me, ISC is like the world in miniature – where students not only have chances to meet friends from different backgrounds, but can also spread around their own beautiful cultures by sharing all the valuable experiences whilst promoting the global integration. I love the vibrant international atmosphere in ISC family and I am ready to help making it the best society on campus.
I genuinely believe that I possess the relevant characteristics to make me a great Publicity Secretary or General Secretary:
• Organized & Coherent skills: I am currently Secretary of VietSoc & Public Relations Officer of EUPASS. So I am very familiar with managing email accounts and updating all the meetings or events in order to raise people’s awareness of the societies.
• Responsible & Teamwork skills: I was coordinator of Vietnam Discovery Day in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh – celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the UK – held by Vietnam Embassy and Edinburgh Council; I also got internship experiences in British Council Hanoi, ANZ bank… Therefore I can really feel that I would have a great time if working with ISC members.
• Creative skills: I did Art in A level (my final piece was chosen to go on the Fylde Gallery exhibition in Lytham, Lancashire); besides I am passionate about Marketing as it is now my outside course. So designing flyers or posters to promote for ISC would be no problem for me. Additionally, I am Facebook-addicted so I can keep ISC activities updating 24/7 (!!!)
• Diplomatic skills: As I come from an international background, I am very friendly and have a good communication skills, I know exactly what to do to build a strong bond between ISC and other societies (e.g. AIESEC, EUTIC, BizSoc…) as well as to create a beautiful friendship amongst ISC members.
I treasure the feeling of each international student here, so I will try my best to help them understand each other, to bring people all around the world closer, make them feel like one family. That is the way I truly believe, and if I am honoured to be elected into ISC, I will dedicate myself to this position and perform it with sincerity and passion.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh
Stephanie Bouwhuis (second choice: General Secretary)
Hi, my name is Stephanie Bouwhuis and I am a first year international relations student from Canada. I would like to run for the position of general secretary for the 2014/2015 academic year.
Currently I am a member of the lounge committee and I volunteer twice a week, so the ISC has become an important part of university life for me. Even though I volunteer twice weekly, I have been known to always be in the lounge, showing just how much I love the atmosphere! In the seven months I have been in Edinburgh I have realized how important the ISC is for international students. There is a real sense of community and everyone I have met thus far has been more than a pleasure to get to know, which is why I want to continue with the ISC as part of the core committee.
I would make a great general secretary as I am a very detail oriented, reliable and organized person. I keep up to date with everything that goes on including events, trips and socials so if anyone comes with any questions I can help them out to the best of my abilities. I have excellent communication skills as during High School I spent my summers traveling Europe immersing myself in other cultures, so I was able to learn valuable communication skills which would be an asset to this position. As secretary I would make sure to be concise when taking minutes during the core committee meetings and forward these minutes to the other core members as soon as possible afterwards to be as efficient as possible.
An integral part of an international student’s life at university is traveling. I understand that many students who come to the ISC are looking for advice about where to go and what to do. Having traveled the UK extensively I can create a page on the ISC’s website that includes everything a student might want to know about trips including suggested hostels, activities, airlines and travel advice. I can communicate with other students to learn about their own travel experiences which will thus help this idea.
I have become a passionate advocate of the ISC and would love to be considered as secretary next year. I will go above and beyond the duties required as I have grown to love this place that I now think of as my second home at university. I am dedicated to making the international experience a memorable one for everyone, whether it be for one semester or four years.
Thank you so much! Steph.
Publicity Secretary
Liga Skarda (first choice: Publicity Secretary)
Dear ISC members,
My name is Liga Skarda and I would like to run for the positions of publicity secretary and house manager with a preference for the first one. I have been a volunteer at the ISC since September, first becoming a lounge volunteer and then also joining the events committee. During this time, I have been able to learn much about Edinburgh and Scotland, about other cultures and countries via the trips and events organised at the ISC and the participation in the lounge, where it is possible to meet students from all around the world.
Since I joined the ISC, I have taken part in the work of the lounge and helped in the planning of different events, such as the international desserts night and the international evening, thus developing my communication and organizational skills. However, I would like to become more involved in the organisation, by running for a position in the core committee.
I decided to run for the position of publicity secretary, as I would like to raise the awareness of the ISC, its organised events and volunteering opportunities among the students of the University of Edinburgh. The publicity secretary has to be creative and imaginative, to help with the advertising of the events at the ISC, to find innovative and interesting ways how to do so. It is important for the publicity secretary to be well-organised and self-disciplined, to post the information about the events at the ISC regularly and keep it up-to-date. The publicity secretary also has to be in good contact with the events and trips committees, to plan the weekly schedule. I believe, that through my previous experience at the ISC and other volunteering experiences I have developed a unique combination of communication and creative, organizational and time-management skills that would allow me to work successfully in this position.
I think that the position of House Manager would also suit me, as I am well-organized and tidy. As house manager I would make sure that the lounge is always clean and neat, that there are sufficient amounts of coffee and tea in the lounge and that the coffee evening starts on time and goes on smoothly, so the time spent in the lounge could be as enjoyable and pleasant as possible.
Thank you for considering my application.
Kind regards,
Liga Skarda
Kate Ng (second choice: Publicity Secretary)
Hi. My name is Kate Ng and I am running for the positions of General Secretary and Publicity Secretary in the ISC core committee. I am currently a 2nd year studying Mathematics and Statistics. In the past I have involved myself in different arenas, ranging from Charities Week committee co-ordinator, prefect, volunteering in Cancer Research and class representative. Also, this year I began to develop interest in helping in ISC and would definitely like to engage fully in the upcoming year. Learning from my previous experiences, I am capable of leading a group of people, as well as cooperating with people from all walks of life. More importantly, growing up in a multicultural background enables me to think in a global perspective. Since I moved to Glasgow seven years ago, I have settled well in the Scottish culture. However, I do understand the sense of homesickness international students might encounter when they first move to Edinburgh, and like to accompany them for this passing phase. I have established a good command of English- even a slight Scottish accent- from the last six years in high school, which is particularly important for these roles. As an easy-going, organised individual, I believe I possess the qualities and skills necessary for these positions. To be concise, I am enthusiastic and positive about the future of ISC, therefore I would be grateful if I could become part of it.
Beck Enyu Liu (second choice: Publicity Secretary)
My name is Beck Enyu Liu and I would like to apply for the position of treasurer for the International Student Centre. My second choice is publicity secretary. I am second-year student studying economics with finance; in addition I chose to take additional accountancy courses as outside subjects for the past two years. I think this background will allow me to be a careful and conscientious treasurer for the ISC.
I have been a committed member of the ISC and this year I have been working as part of the trip committee. In addition, at the beginning of first semester, I was in the event committee as well, helping to organise the Chinese New Year party. We prepared various traditional foods, made Kongming Laterns and organised the ingredients to allow people to try making dumplings with their own hands. It was a popular and successful event with great feedback from the members, thanks to the combined effort from everyone on the organising committee.
During my time in the trip committee, I helped organise a two-day trip to Lake District. This required extensive planning to make sure we allowed for all eventualities, making sure factors such as the accommodation, itinerary and transportation were accounted for. I and my teammates managed to make the most of the journey and minimise the cost of the trip. We finally got a price of 65 pounds per person including transportation costs, accommodation in a beautiful hostel on the shore of Lake Windermere and guides to show the visitors around many awesome landscapes in the itinerary. In addition to helping plan the trip, I was involved preparing and selling the trip tickets as well as contacting those people to make sure they completed attendee forms. This whole process was challenging task and I gained a huge amount from my time spent on the organising committee. Through this experience, I have got to know more about how our centre runs, which has given me the confidence to get more deeply involved in the society and make a greater contribution to the organisation.
In addition to my experience in the International Student Centre, I have previously undertaken work similar to the responsibilities of a treasurer. These were a one-month programme at Pacific Insurance and a one-month internship at China Life. At Pacific Insurance, I was an assistant helping the manager of the fiscal department. I learned how to make financial statements from my colleagues, and checked the figures for them. By doing this, I got a chance to put into practice what I had learned in accountancy lectures. At China Life, I dealt with reimbursement issues. Customers made insurance claims and I was asked to calculate the losses. After determining the costs, the clients would often dispute the data that the company used. In these situations, I would play a role of a consultant. I had to negotiate with clients to come to a resolution between the two parties. This provided me with valuable experience in pressurised situations, dealing with conflict resolution. I believe that these experiences will be invaluable if I am elected to the position of treasurer of the ISC.
If I am the treasurer next year, I will be carefully write down every single piece of money flowing in and out of our centre, will make sure the numbers are correct and maintain clear records. I will also make sure that I cooperate and communicate well with my colleagues and friends to make sure the centre operates as smoothly as possible.
Thank you for considering my application.
Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh (first choice: Publicity Secretary)
Dear ISC members,
My name is Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh from Vietnam. I am a 2nd year Economics student, who is ready to challenge herself by applying for the Publicity Secretary (1st choice) and General Secretary (2nd choice) positions at the ISC for the academic year 2014-2015.
After joining some trips and lounge activities recently, I really regret that I did not get to know about ISC at the earlier stages, so I could have been involved and contributed much more as a volunteer. However I think it is never too late to start on doing what you love, which explains for why I am here and running for these amazing positions. For me, ISC is like the world in miniature – where students not only have chances to meet friends from different backgrounds, but can also spread around their own beautiful cultures by sharing all the valuable experiences whilst promoting the global integration. I love the vibrant international atmosphere in ISC family and I am ready to help making it the best society on campus.
I genuinely believe that I possess the relevant characteristics to make me a great Publicity Secretary or General Secretary:
• Organized & Coherent skills: I am currently Secretary of VietSoc & Public Relations Officer of EUPASS. So I am very familiar with managing email accounts and updating all the meetings or events in order to raise people’s awareness of the societies.
• Responsible & Teamwork skills: I was coordinator of Vietnam Discovery Day in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh – celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the UK – held by Vietnam Embassy and Edinburgh Council; I also got internship experiences in British Council Hanoi, ANZ bank… Therefore I can really feel that I would have a great time if working with ISC members.
• Creative skills: I did Art in A level (my final piece was chosen to go on the Fylde Gallery exhibition in Lytham, Lancashire); besides I am passionate about Marketing as it is now my outside course. So designing flyers or posters to promote for ISC would be no problem for me. Additionally, I am Facebook-addicted so I can keep ISC activities updating 24/7 (!!!)
• Diplomatic skills: As I come from an international background, I am very friendly and have a good communication skills, I know exactly what to do to build a strong bond between ISC and other societies (e.g. AIESEC, EUTIC, BizSoc…) as well as to create a beautiful friendship amongst ISC members.
I treasure the feeling of each international student here, so I will try my best to help them understand each other, to bring people all around the world closer, make them feel like one family. That is the way I truly believe, and if I am honoured to be elected into ISC, I will dedicate myself to this position and perform it with sincerity and passion.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Amy Nguyen Thuy Linh
Trips Coordinator
Events Coordinator
Darin Mihov (first choice: Events Coordinator)
Dear ISC members,
I am running for the events coordinator position. Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Darin Mihov, I am a second year computer science student and also current vice president of the Bulgarian society.
The question is : what makes me think I am suitable for this particular position in the ISC. I would like to bring a few point to your attention when voting time comes.
Firstly, I would like to backtrack to the end of last year. I was just elected vice president of a society and neither me nor the president knew committee members of any other societies. Throughout this year we met people and now I am friends with the presidents of Japanese, Polish,Russian, Slavic, Estonian, Romanian, South Asian and other societies. I even organised an international party with 8 societies during the first semester. To avoid a situation in which next committee members do not know anyone like in our case, next month we are organising a group meeting in which this year's societies committees will sit down and get to know next year's committees for all of the above societies. This gives me the advantage of knowing the people that will run cultural societies for next year and with their help and support international evenings could be bigger and better.
Another point I would like to make is that trough me the problem of having no place to hold international evenings can be solved. As a former committee member I will have no difficulty in asking next year's Bulgarian society president to book EUSA venues for ISC events. Another obvious option for a place are bars. This year I became friends with the manager of 56North, a bar just next to Appleton Tower. Trough the semester I have been booking the place for free on a weekly basis, so hosting events there will not be a problem.
Lastly, I would like to tell you why I chose ISC. After a year of planning events for the Bulgarian society I realised that no matter where you are from, you are bound to enjoy a night out with friends. And where those friends are from does not matter. If there are cultural differences, from my experience it is enough to put people in the same room and allow them to talk to each other for you to start admiring those differences. To expand your horizons and to better yourself you just need to have an open heart and accept people and cultures for who and what they are.
I would like to be the person that provides the opportunity for Edinburgh students to better themselves. I would like to be the person that you entrust with the task of bringing you together with people from all over the world, because no matter where you are born, you can always become a citizen of the world.
Social Coordinator
Johanna Alonso (first choice: Social Coordinator)
My name is Johanna Alonso (aka Jois), currently in my third year studying abroad, and I am running for the position of Lounge/Social Coordinator.
I have been involved with the ISC since my very first day at university: first as a member of the Lounge and Events committee, and in my second year as the Lounge/Social Coordinator. From the very beginning, I saw how the ISC was a community in which everyone was welcomed and felt invited. I saw how it developed a closer bond to the International Office and how it evolved into a family-like community for some and a point of reference for others.
Ever since my first involvement with the ISC – I was hooked. As an international student, being away from family and friends proved to be challenging at the beginning, but now, looking back, most of my fondest memories revolve around the lounge. In my first year, even if I was just a volunteer in the lounge and events sub-committees, I felt welcomed and listened to when I had a suggestion; or simply was offered a fun and easy-going atmosphere whenever I visited the ISC. I made some of my best friends and learned the most practical advices for university life or life in Edinburgh, and I tried my best to reciprocate that in my second year. Some of you will remember me from last year, as when I got elected as a Lounge/Social coordinator, I went to the ISC almost every day, welcoming new students, making a closer bond to my volunteers and making an extra effort to make all students feel welcomed, relaxed and at home. Creating the semester timetable and making sure my volunteers attended their shifts was not a problem at all, as the majority were eager to participate and help.
I believe I am a very social and outgoing person with a good sense of organization and confidence, thus, I believe I will be able to fulfil the role of the Lounge/Social Coordinator once again. One of my goals would be to keep the lounge balanced between an interactive and fun place for those who – like me – look for someone to talk to and relax in between the stressing lecture times; and providing enough space for those who run away from the library and wish to focus on their academic work whilst enjoying a cup of coffee. In my first year I barely knew the volunteers in the trips committee, and in my second year I was acquainted with most of the sub-committee volunteers. Another of my goals would be to organize more social events, such as pot-lucks, or board game nights, to provide a chance for all of the volunteers to be introduced to each other. After all, I see the ISC as a big family, and the more interaction between us will mean the better running of the ISC, and hopefully it will facilitate a flow of ideas for improvement. The volunteer parties are great big events at the end of the year, and I will try to make them as memorable as they have been for me – hopefully with more group activities and competitions to help develop the sense of community and motivate the volunteers to keep on making the ISC as great as it has always been.
As a volunteer and a coordinator, I have gained valuable experience in the running and organization of the ISC. Its problems and its advantages. I would like to help what is in my opinion the best international community on campus run as smoothly as it should; and being aware of the problems I have encountered in the past, I feel confident that I can overcome those problems in a more effective manner – if they present themselves once more. It is why I believe I am a strong candidate for this position.
Be it as a Lounge/Social coordinator, or as a House Manager, I feel that I have valuable experience to smoothly run the ISC lounge. If there is another volunteer who is felt to be more fit to fulfil the Lounge/Social coordinator role, I would like to be considered for the House Manager position, as I believe maintaining the ISC stocked, cleaned and organized is a very important part of its running. As my goals would remain the same, I would also love to organize socials taking part in the ISC to encourage community spirit in students. In short, I would like to keep the ISC as the international community centre I feel it always has been, and thus, working close with the students and volunteers and welcoming them is my priority.
Treasurer
Mohammad Ibraheem (first choice: Treasurer)
Hi!! I am Mohammad Ibraheem. I am in my second year studying accounting and business studies. I intend to run for treasurer position for the next academic year.
I have been involved in the ISC for the past two years, first as an attendee, then as a volunteer at the trips committee. I did many ticket sales throughout the year as I am more comfortable with handling cash. Besides this I also helped with making posters and flyers for different trips.
I like interacting with individuals from diverse and varied background. My experience in ISC has afforded me the opportunity to develop and enhance my interpersonal and communication skills.
As I am studying accounting and business studies, so I can safely say that I'm good with numeric and accounts. An informal experience of managing the financial aspect of a family owned cricket club has enriched my understanding of accounting’s practical sense. I would like to enhance my skills by having a more formal experience of finance management. I would try my best to maintain the accounts in an organised and proper way.
Thanks and regards,
Mohammad Ibraheem
Beck Enyu Liu (first choice: Treasurer)
My name is Beck Enyu Liu and I would like to apply for the position of treasurer for the International Student Centre. My second choice is publicity secretary. I am second-year student studying economics with finance; in addition I chose to take additional accountancy courses as outside subjects for the past two years. I think this background will allow me to be a careful and conscientious treasurer for the ISC.
I have been a committed member of the ISC and this year I have been working as part of the trip committee. In addition, at the beginning of first semester, I was in the event committee as well, helping to organise the Chinese New Year party. We prepared various traditional foods, made Kongming Laterns and organised the ingredients to allow people to try making dumplings with their own hands. It was a popular and successful event with great feedback from the members, thanks to the combined effort from everyone on the organising committee.
During my time in the trip committee, I helped organise a two-day trip to Lake District. This required extensive planning to make sure we allowed for all eventualities, making sure factors such as the accommodation, itinerary and transportation were accounted for. I and my teammates managed to make the most of the journey and minimise the cost of the trip. We finally got a price of 65 pounds per person including transportation costs, accommodation in a beautiful hostel on the shore of Lake Windermere and guides to show the visitors around many awesome landscapes in the itinerary. In addition to helping plan the trip, I was involved preparing and selling the trip tickets as well as contacting those people to make sure they completed attendee forms. This whole process was challenging task and I gained a huge amount from my time spent on the organising committee. Through this experience, I have got to know more about how our centre runs, which has given me the confidence to get more deeply involved in the society and make a greater contribution to the organisation.
In addition to my experience in the International Student Centre, I have previously undertaken work similar to the responsibilities of a treasurer. These were a one-month programme at Pacific Insurance and a one-month internship at China Life. At Pacific Insurance, I was an assistant helping the manager of the fiscal department. I learned how to make financial statements from my colleagues, and checked the figures for them. By doing this, I got a chance to put into practice what I had learned in accountancy lectures. At China Life, I dealt with reimbursement issues. Customers made insurance claims and I was asked to calculate the losses. After determining the costs, the clients would often dispute the data that the company used. In these situations, I would play a role of a consultant. I had to negotiate with clients to come to a resolution between the two parties. This provided me with valuable experience in pressurised situations, dealing with conflict resolution. I believe that these experiences will be invaluable if I am elected to the position of treasurer of the ISC.
If I am the treasurer next year, I will be carefully write down every single piece of money flowing in and out of our centre, will make sure the numbers are correct and maintain clear records. I will also make sure that I cooperate and communicate well with my colleagues and friends to make sure the centre operates as smoothly as possible.
Thank you for considering my application.
House Manager
Johanna Alonso (second choice: House Manager)
My name is Johanna Alonso (aka Jois), currently in my third year studying abroad, and I am running for the position of Lounge/Social Coordinator.
I have been involved with the ISC since my very first day at university: first as a member of the Lounge and Events committee, and in my second year as the Lounge/Social Coordinator. From the very beginning, I saw how the ISC was a community in which everyone was welcomed and felt invited. I saw how it developed a closer bond to the International Office and how it evolved into a family-like community for some and a point of reference for others.
Ever since my first involvement with the ISC – I was hooked. As an international student, being away from family and friends proved to be challenging at the beginning, but now, looking back, most of my fondest memories revolve around the lounge. In my first year, even if I was just a volunteer in the lounge and events sub-committees, I felt welcomed and listened to when I had a suggestion; or simply was offered a fun and easy-going atmosphere whenever I visited the ISC. I made some of my best friends and learned the most practical advices for university life or life in Edinburgh, and I tried my best to reciprocate that in my second year. Some of you will remember me from last year, as when I got elected as a Lounge/Social coordinator, I went to the ISC almost every day, welcoming new students, making a closer bond to my volunteers and making an extra effort to make all students feel welcomed, relaxed and at home. Creating the semester timetable and making sure my volunteers attended their shifts was not a problem at all, as the majority were eager to participate and help.
I believe I am a very social and outgoing person with a good sense of organization and confidence, thus, I believe I will be able to fulfil the role of the Lounge/Social Coordinator once again. One of my goals would be to keep the lounge balanced between an interactive and fun place for those who – like me – look for someone to talk to and relax in between the stressing lecture times; and providing enough space for those who run away from the library and wish to focus on their academic work whilst enjoying a cup of coffee. In my first year I barely knew the volunteers in the trips committee, and in my second year I was acquainted with most of the sub-committee volunteers. Another of my goals would be to organize more social events, such as pot-lucks, or board game nights, to provide a chance for all of the volunteers to be introduced to each other. After all, I see the ISC as a big family, and the more interaction between us will mean the better running of the ISC, and hopefully it will facilitate a flow of ideas for improvement. The volunteer parties are great big events at the end of the year, and I will try to make them as memorable as they have been for me – hopefully with more group activities and competitions to help develop the sense of community and motivate the volunteers to keep on making the ISC as great as it has always been.
As a volunteer and a coordinator, I have gained valuable experience in the running and organization of the ISC. Its problems and its advantages. I would like to help what is in my opinion the best international community on campus run as smoothly as it should; and being aware of the problems I have encountered in the past, I feel confident that I can overcome those problems in a more effective manner – if they present themselves once more. It is why I believe I am a strong candidate for this position.
Be it as a Lounge/Social coordinator, or as a House Manager, I feel that I have valuable experience to smoothly run the ISC lounge. If there is another volunteer who is felt to be more fit to fulfil the Lounge/Social coordinator role, I would like to be considered for the House Manager position, as I believe maintaining the ISC stocked, cleaned and organized is a very important part of its running. As my goals would remain the same, I would also love to organize socials taking part in the ISC to encourage community spirit in students. In short, I would like to keep the ISC as the international community centre I feel it always has been, and thus, working close with the students and volunteers and welcoming them is my priority.
Clara Sophie Kantner (second choice: House Manager)
Name: Clara Sophie Kantner
Academics: 3rd year International Business student, currently on exchange at McGill University
Why I am really interested in becoming the new Secretary/House Manager
Hello fellow friends of the ISC,
I am so glad you can be in Edinburgh for these important elections! Unfortunately, I cannot attend, since I am away on my exchange at McGill university in a cold, cold place (also known as Canada ). Some of you already know me from past years, to others, I am a completely new person, so introductions are in order!
I am a 3rd year international business student, I have been a part of the ISC since my first week of university and it has really changed my life as a student at Edinburgh. Coming from Austria, I was so excited to meet so many other international students, who had a similar mindset and were just as intent on making sense of this new place as I was. I was a devoted lounge volunteer for all of my first year and I became part of the committee as publicity secretary in my second year. Through the ISC, I have found amazing friends who have been an integral part of my life, fun roommates, and even love (it sounds cheesy, but it is the truth! ). The ISC community was there for me when I had a bad day, when I was down and when I just needed someone to make me a cup of coffee (or tea).
Although I enjoy my year abroad at McGill University, the ISC is a part of campus life which I dearly miss here. And going back to Edinburgh, I know that for my last year, it is time for me to give back. I want to be part of the ISC committee because I have benefited so much from it, in ways I did not expect. I know how important it is to have a team that solves problems together and which has experience. Since I have seen both sides, being a volunteer and a committee member, I know there is room to improve the ISC, with the help of volunteers. Whether it is as general secretary or house manager, I would love to be part of the committee in my last year and contribute to greatness!
General Secretary (first choice)
I want to run for the position of general secretary and assist the committee with responding to emails and ensuring communications with other university functions (such as EUSA or the International Office). I am an extremely organised person by nature and can prioritise issues appropriately. Further, I have been able to observe our McGill counterpart (the MISN) and have gotten a number of ideas on running of events, promotion and general affairs, which I would love to propose to the committee next year. Also, I would love to liaise with the Publicity Secretary to further improve our website, provide more information for exchange students and introduce links to current Edinburgh events and sightseeing. Finally, I have excellent written and oral English skills and am very reliable.
House Manager
I have spent an insane amount of time at the ISC lounge and it definitely became my “home away from home” on campus. I am extremely fond of this space and since I am a very conscientious person, I enjoy making sure coffee and other items are stocked up, ensuring that everything is clean and tidy and, most importantly, that new students feel welcome at the ISC, which is our mission after all. I am organised, reliable and extremely enthusiastic (as you might have realised from reading this statement) and so, managing the ISC lounge would be a project I would love to take on. As I mentioned above, I have also gotten a few ideas from the McGill International Student Network which I want to share with the committee to make the ISC even more amazing!
So I hope that after reading this (very long) statement, I have convinced you of my enthusiasm and my energetic attitude towards the ISC and you can safely vote for me in either of these positions. My main goal is to support the committee in any way that I can, and to make sure the ISC has a great academic year ahead! Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to see you all next year!
Clara
Liga Skarda (second choice choice: House Manager)
Dear ISC members,
My name is Liga Skarda and I would like to run for the positions of publicity secretary and house manager with a preference for the first one. I have been a volunteer at the ISC since September, first becoming a lounge volunteer and then also joining the events committee. During this time, I have been able to learn much about Edinburgh and Scotland, about other cultures and countries via the trips and events organised at the ISC and the participation in the lounge, where it is possible to meet students from all around the world.
Since I joined the ISC, I have taken part in the work of the lounge and helped in the planning of different events, such as the international desserts night and the international evening, thus developing my communication and organizational skills. However, I would like to become more involved in the organisation, by running for a position in the core committee.
I decided to run for the position of publicity secretary, as I would like to raise the awareness of the ISC, its organised events and volunteering opportunities among the students of the University of Edinburgh. The publicity secretary has to be creative and imaginative, to help with the advertising of the events at the ISC, to find innovative and interesting ways how to do so. It is important for the publicity secretary to be well-organised and self-disciplined, to post the information about the events at the ISC regularly and keep it up-to-date. The publicity secretary also has to be in good contact with the events and trips committees, to plan the weekly schedule. I believe, that through my previous experience at the ISC and other volunteering experiences I have developed a unique combination of communication and creative, organizational and time-management skills that would allow me to work successfully in this position.
I think that the position of House Manager would also suit me, as I am well-organized and tidy. As house manager I would make sure that the lounge is always clean and neat, that there are sufficient amounts of coffee and tea in the lounge and that the coffee evening starts on time and goes on smoothly, so the time spent in the lounge could be as enjoyable and pleasant as possible.
Thank you for considering my application.
Kind regards,
Liga Skarda
Stephanie Bouwhuis (first choice: House Manager)
Hey everyone, I’m Stephanie and I am currently a first year international relations student from Canada!
Having recently made the journey from high school in Toronto to university in Edinburgh, I know how difficult and overwhelming coming to university can be. I am running for the position as House Manager for the 2014/2015 school year as I believe I would do a good job, not only by supplying the isc with coffee, tea, and biscuits, but by helping create a warm and comforting atmosphere that is welcoming to all students.
At the moment, I am involved with volunteering twice a week in the lounge, although if you happen to pop by the isc at anytime during the week I am more than likely to be there. I love interacting with students, and have been known to bring cookies and hot chocolate with me to my shifts, or pop out to Tesco or Sainsburys if supplies are running low and the current House Manager is busy.
I understand the role of House Manager is much more than just keeping a ready supply of tea, coffee, and cookies. In the event I am elected I will make sure that there are more than enough refreshments to keep everyone happy during coffee evening, as well as having more freshly home made treats to create a more homely atmosphere. I will do this by communicating with other students and baking myself. My first semester shift volunteering for the isc was during coffee evening, so I understand how important those 2 hours a week are in creating a tight international community. When domestic duties such as tidying up and doing dishes needs to be done, I will be the first one to do it and I will do so with a smile. I will make sure to go above and beyond what is expected as the House Manager.
I would be a great House Manager as I am very friendly and approachable and am keen on making sure the university experience for international students is an unforgettable one, whether it be for one semester or four years. I know how important the isc is to international students and I would love to have the chance to be one of the core members of such a wonderful part of the university.
Thanks so much!! Steph.
