You most likely clicked on this post hoping to gain something insightful out of it at the very least. Whether you are a dedicated SSU blog reader, passing time on a bus, or simply waiting in a never-ending line at Tim’s hoping to not miss the beginning of your next class, hopefully I can keep your attention long enough for you to read this blurb of my meandering thoughts till the very end (I promise I won’t take too much time!).

My name is Ayman Usmani and I am one of the enthusiastic Directors representing the Davis campus on the Student Union Board. I am a second-year Practical nursing student and a keen observer of the happenings at Sheridan College. So, when I got an email last year inviting people to run for the 2018/2019 SSU Board of Directors to represent the best interests of other students, I jumped at the chance to make a positive impact within the school community that I spend so much of my time and life in.

Fast forward a couple months, I’m happy to say that I successfully managed to get voted onto the Board (thanks to all the wonderful students that took a leap of faith on me!). Thus far, I’ve spoken on issues regarding the U-Pass and HMC2A, along with many other subjects affecting everyday student life, and even got elected to be the secretary of the Board by my fellow Directors - essentially recording the meeting minutes to be made available to the rest of the public every other week.

Now, the 2018/2019 By-Elections are coming up for the Board of Directors to fill in the remaining slots on the Board, and I am going to try my best to persuade YOU to run for the Board as well. If not..

I still encourage you to be well-engaged during the Election because Hey! You pay tuition and your voice counts!

Here are a just a few of the reasons I think being on the Board can be such an important part of the student experience here at Sheridan: 

1. You get to voice your opinion on student life where it truly matters.

I ran for the Board because there were things at the Davis campus that I didn’t like and wanted to change. The best way to do that? Be on the Board that decides how to go about making these changes, and voice it to the hard-working people that can put it into action. I didn’t see why I should sit around and be unsatisfied with something on my campus when I could get up and give it a shot at fixing it; I would get a better experience as a student, and so would future and other current students that may have felt the same way. Even if I hadn’t won the election, at least I could say that I had tried and not deal with the subsequent “what if” that would run through my head afterward. 

2. Being on the Board allows you to network and meet people from a variety of fields and backgrounds.

Even just by running for the Board – collecting nomination signatures, campaigning, and simply engaging with others – you’ll meet many new people with their own unique perspectives. It’s easy to get stuck in your own sphere of thoughts and forget that there is an entire world out there that you haven’t tapped into. I didn’t realize how little I actually knew until I stepped foot into my first meeting as a director. It’s an enthralling experience to be exposed to new and exciting ideas and I hope you get to experience it too.

3. Lastly, but certainly not the least, you get to grow as a leader.

Collaborating with others and constantly being pushed to think outside the box would definitely help you develop your mind and personality for the better. I’m sure you already know how competitive and demanding workplaces can be. Having “SSU Board of Directors” on your resume could definitely give you an extra jump in the eyes of a potential employer.  But credentials aside, your college days are a time for you to not only gain academically but also to progress in other aspects of life too. I know you probably have a lot of schoolwork and other stress to juggle already (we’ve all been there!), but trust me when I say that being on the Board has not made my life more stressful to handle. If anything, it actually made me a bit more organized by forcing me to stay on top of everything and prioritize my time properly (having a Board meeting once every other week really isn’t all that bad!).

Being on the Board of Directors has only positively benefitted me thus far, and made me realize how much more I have to grow as a person throughout life. 
 

Even if you choose not to run for the board, I hope you have an engaged and positive student life experience here. Your time at Sheridan College is a special period in your life, and every one of you has the potential to #discoverchange and leave your own individual mark on this institution. I look forward to working with the newly elected Directors after the Election and wish all of you a great school year (See? I told you I wouldn’t take too much time!)

Ayman is a Practical Nursing student at Sheridan's Davis campus. She is also one of Sheridan Student Union's Board members for the 2017-2018 year, serving as Secretary. 

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