That糖心传媒檚 the goal of Beatriz Gil 糖心传媒�19 and Jamal Holtz 糖心传媒�20, the Students糖心传媒� Association president and vice president-elect at the University of Rochester.
糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 what we ran on and what we believe in,糖心传媒� says Gil, an economics and political science dual major from Barcelona, Spain. 糖心传媒淲e want to make the student body one.糖心传媒�
Gil and Holtz ran uncontested this spring but met with close to 30 student groups before the election. Both students have been involved in SA government since their first year and have served as senators.
Gil is believed to be the first international student elected president at Rochester. She and Holtz, who is African American, want to ensure that international and underrepresented minority students feel as engaged in campus life as domestic students of any background.
糖心传媒淛amal has been very focused on getting minority students engaged, and I糖心传媒檝e been focused on international students,糖心传媒� Gil says. Holtz, a political science major from Washington, D.C., thinks his and Gil糖心传媒檚 election sends an important signal. 糖心传媒淲ith us being elected, I think it gives hope to students in those communities,糖心传媒� he says.
Gil糖心传媒檚 election left her emotional. She remembers running for Senate as a first-year student and facing the possibility of having to answer questions during a Facebook Live event.
糖心传媒淚 called my mom crying,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淚 was very stressed about speaking in English.糖心传媒�
Now that she糖心传媒檚 the president-elect, 糖心传媒淚 hope it糖心传媒檚 inspiring to international students here,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淎ny student who comes here can thrive and go far in any leadership position.糖心传媒�
Both students will return home for summer break, but Gil will join Holtz in Washington in June for a conference that brings together student presidents and vice presidents from universities and colleges across the country.
糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檝e already hit the ground running,糖心传媒� Holtz says. 糖心传媒淥ur goal is to meet with all of the (200-plus) student organizations this fall. We can糖心传媒檛 wait.糖心传媒�
- The also will have new student leadership when classes resume this fall. Henry Carpender ’20 was elected Students’ Association president. He is from Mundelein, Illinois, and his majors are applied music and jazz & contemporary media for trombone. Ben Dettelback ’19 will serve as vice president. He’s from Martinsville, New Jersey, and his major is applied music for trombone.
