Meet your candidates for the 2022-23 SRC election

There are multiple positions on the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) for which elections will be held alongside the voting for the roles of President and Executive Vice-President at the Cape Breton University Students’ Union (CBUSU) next week.

Here, the candidates who are standing for various positions in the SRC introduce themselves, outlining their profile and objectives.

Bhupesh Chohan

(School of Science and Technology Representative Candidate)

"My name is Bhupesh Chohan, and I’m running for the post of Student Representative from the School of Science and Technology for SRC in Students’ Union. I’m in the second year of my BET PETROLEUM Post Degree Diploma.

"I’m originally from India and love to sketch and hike. I’m passionate about astronomy and celestial sciences.

"I’m currently a member of SRC as a School of Science & Technology Representative. While working in SRC, I came to know about lots of responsibilities and tried my best to achieve them. I want to keep working and improving student lives by helping them make the right decisions as a SRC member."

Gurleen Singh

(International Student Representative Candidate)

"After graduating from high school in India, my hobby to explore took me to the land of my dreams, Canada. Being an outgoing and fun-loving person, I decided to pursue my career in the field of hospitality, and for the same, I chose to do bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Cape Breton University.

"My name is Gurleen Singh, you can call me Gurri as it’s my nickname.

"After coming here and being a part of CBU, I saw that there is a huge number of international students in this vicinity. My knack to help anyone I can, made me acquainted to students belonging to different countries, thus giving me a sense of satisfaction and gratitude. This was the actual driving force for me to get elected as an international student representative this semester.

"As I said earlier, I have met students from various countries and after having multiple conversations with them, on a personal level as well, I felt there is a huge communication barrier that has to be removed. Furthermore, students who are here or are planning to join CBU might be in search of adequate guidance, related to the university and its various aspects. Being a student myself, I think I can provide them proper support, such as online support portals, on arrival services, on campus/off campus 24/7 support, creating a positive environment for them to stay. Therefore, making them an integral part of the CBU FAMILY."

Preeti Wadhwa

(International Student Representative Candidate)

"Originally, I am from India, and I am pursuing Post-Baccalaueate in Supply Chain Management at Cape Breton University. I am running to be one of the International Student Representatives on the SRC! In India, I had worked for an international retail company and was a student council member at Punjab University.

"Since moving to Canada, I have had the opportunity to meet many new people – including fellow international students – combine this with my own experiences, and I have come to understand just how important it is for international student issues to be addressed thoroughly and promptly; this is why I have decided to stand as an SRC candidate.

"If elected to the SRC, I will stand as a strong and passionate voice for the CBU international student body – ensuring that their concerns and needs (such as housing, MSI etc.) are not overlooked by the Students’ Union.

"I am eager to help my fellow students and represent the international student body if I am elected to the Students’ Representative Council!"

Quyen Ho

(Shannon School of Business Representative Candidate)

"My name is Quyen Ho, an international student from Vietnam and I am running to be your Representative for the Shannon School of Business at SRC. I am a fourth-year BBA student, majoring in Accounting, and I have studied at CBU since 2019.

"From the by-election last year, some of you may know that I am already a Representative for SSOB for the year 2021-2022. During this time, I found it to be an amazing experience as I had the chance to meet with many of you, share my experience about various concerns such as job opportunities and academic problems with both faculty and students, and be in SRC to advocate for SSOB students.

"Therefore, I want to run again this year as your Representative for SSOB and make this school an even better place for you and future students. I want to hear your thoughts and concerns and represent you by bringing them to the CBUSU’s Executive Team and the SRC. Although I cannot promise to end all our homework, I do hope to work with the Students’ Union to hold job opportunities or CV/resume review sessions (either virtual or in-person) that will interest SSOB students if elected. I appreciate each of your votes; I pledge to give you my full support and address all of your problems as your future SSOB Representative.”

Sandeep Singh Dua

(Shannon School of Business Representative Candidate)

"My name is Sandeep Singh Dua. I was born and brought up in Punjab, India. I graduated as a Mechanical Engineer.

"Post completion of my graduation, I worked as a Quality Controller and Inspector-Incoming for six years with engineering firms in India. Currently, I am pursuing Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Supply Chain Management at CBU. I started with the diploma virtually from India in May 2021 and relocated to Canada in August 2021.

"I am fond of running in the mornings, listening to music, trekking and cooking. When I have free time, I want to spend it with my friends or family. Recently, I launched Khalas Pinniya, a little start-up where I prepare traditional Indian sweets.

"I am an active and positive person, and I am sure that life responds to our thoughts. Even if everything goes wrong, I try to find positive things in each day of my life. I cannot say that this eliminates negative things, but it helps me to appreciate every pleasant thing that I have. In India, I assisted students on various platforms like WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages. I am an ambitious person, so I decided to get involved in the SU.

"I am running for the representative of Shannon School of Business, which will allow me to assist students in a variety of ways on a much bigger scale and bring their concerns to the attention of the appropriate authorities.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has been present in our midst for the past three years, and we are currently going through difficult times. As CBU returns to in-person classrooms, I will advise students to stay safe and follow the rules put forth by the university."

Vy Tran

(International Student Representative Candidate)

"Hi guys! I'm Vee, the last year Hospitality and Business Administration student who comes from Vietnam. As a senior student, looking back at the wonderful time I’ve had while studying at CBU, I was brought to tears, and I wish I could have recognized sooner how beautiful students’ life is.

"I hope I can help other students to feel the same as I do, and that is why I decided to stand for this year's CBUSU election. I know there are many barriers stopping us from enjoying a better life as students, such as transportation, food choices, adapting to a new country…you name it!

"So, if I get elected, I will try different plans to make coming to school much easier, propose more food options with the school (like vegetarian), and keep in touch with you guys frequently for better suggestions. I know it is hard, but I will try my best."