It’s that time of the year again… SU ELECTIONS! This year, YouAlberta decided to have a chat with the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) to learn more about her important role in the upcoming SU Elections. We also asked her a bunch of random questions.... YouAlberta random questions. So, meet Jessica Nguyen, the University of Alberta Students’ Union’s CRO!
Of course, no YouAlberta interview would be complete without asking the YA Random Questions!
For more information about the SU elections, please visit the SU's election page.
Volunteering has been a big part of my life since I started university four years ago. Through volunteering, I was able to give back to the university community, meet new people, acquire new skills, and gain experiences that I will never forget. The benefits of volunteering are endless! As we start another academic year of exams and all-nighters, YouAlberta has decided to compile some of my favourite volunteer opportunities available on campus. Whether you’re a first year student looking for campus involvement or a senior (oops, fourth or fifth year) student wanting to give back to the community, here’s a list of tried-and-tested student services that offer amazing volunteer experience to students ON campus!
USchool is a program run by the University of Alberta Senate to help educate, inspire, and connect socially vulnerable students (grades 4-9) to the University of Alberta. Students will participate in week-long activities that are engaging and fun. USchool is currently looking for volunteers for the Winter 2016 semester.
Blogger’s note: I volunteered for USchool for one year during my second year. Photography days (with a campus tour) are my personal favourite! P.S., Volunteers will also receive a thank-you letter from the University Chancellor at the end of the semester.
Safewalk is a safe and reliable alternative to walking alone around campus at night. Safewalk is free of charge and is available to any member of the surrounding community including undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and members of the public. Volunteer applications for the Winter 2016 semester are due on Monday, January 18 at 5pm.
The Campus Food Bank (CFB) is a non-profit charity that provides emergency food hampers to the university community. The CFB believes that students should hunger for knowledge, not for food. Volunteer applications for Winter 2016 are now closed. However, CFB is also recruiting volunteers for the Spring and Summer terms.
Blogger’s note: I am senior volunteer/team leader at the CFB for two years now! Please don’t hesitate to ask me if you have any questions on how to get involved with the CFB.
The Landing provides a safe student space and support for gender and sexual diversity on campus. They offer regularly scheduled drop-in hours, education sessions, and other services such as peer mentorship, referrals, and more! The Landing recruit volunteers every Spring. However, event volunteers are needed throughout the year!
Sustain SU is a Students’ Union service that provides peer-to-peer learning and support for all undergraduate students to incorporate sustainability in every aspect of the university experience. Please visit the Sustain SU for more information on how to get involved with their projects and initiatives.
The Peer Support Centre (PSC) is a Students’ Union service that offers free, confidential, and non-judgmental place to talk to someone for support. No issue is too big or too small. The PSC accepts volunteer applications from March to late July every year.
Orientation aims to provide programs that aid in the transitioning of students from high school into university smoothly and effectively. Be bold. Be a Bear. Volunteer applications for Orientation 2016 will open in late January.
Blogger’s note: I was an orientation leader for the Faculty of Arts for two years (2014 and 2015). “I got UAlberta spirit, yes I do, I got spirit, how about you?”
And last but not least, don’t forget to check Infolink Volunteer Registry!This is a helpful database to find the perfect volunteer opportunity for you (on or off campus)!
From this volunteer to you: Be part of the ripple effect! Have a great semester ahead and have fun volunteering! :)
If you’re anything like me, I am pretty sure it makes you happy whenever you see fresh blanket of snow on the ground. I mean, what’s not to love? Beautiful scenery, fun winter activities, warm fuzzy socks, hot drinks, and of course, staying at home all day (in your bed) doing nothing. Also, winter season also signifies that Christmas is just around the corner.
So, to reassure myself that I am not the only one who’s liking the cold winter season, I’ve decided to walk around campus and ask my fellow U of A students about the things or activities they like to do during winter season. Here’s what they’ve got to say:
I am not an outdoorsy person so I personally like to stay home during winter time. Nothing like a good book, a hot cup of tea, and a cozy lap blanket on a cold winter’s day!
So, what are your favourite things to do during winter? Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the comment section below!
Kevin is a 4th year Anthropology Honors student. He hails from the Philippines and has been living as a proud Edmontonian for half a decade. When he is not busy, which is a rare occurrence, Kevin enjoys long walks, volunteering, and binge-watching past seasons of Survivor. He aspires to become a ‘cool’ social scientist while trying to get his Twitter account verified (though he doesn’t tweet much). His most prized possession (for now) is a signed copy of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.
Hello. Bonjour. Hola. Kamusta. こんにちは (Konnichiwa). I am multilingual. I can speak, read, and write in Tagalog, Kapampangan (a Filipino provincial language), and English. Recently, I studied Japanese/Nihonggo to fulfill a requirement for my BA degree. Having the ability to speak different languages has helped me greatly in life (especially since moving here to Canada). My multilingualism has allowed me to more profoundly appreciate cultural differences, it’s improved my communications with others, and most importantly, it’s helped me make new friends. While I would strongly recommend learning a new language (or two, or three, or even more), I also recognize that learning a new language is a daunting and expensive task. (After all self-help books, e-learning programs, and formal classes are quite pricey). So, when I stumbled upon a Student Volunteer Campus Community (SVCC) poster in the Tory Building, a student group that offer free (yes, FREE!) language sessions to the university community, I knew that I had to learn more about them. Luckily, I was able to spend one Saturday with the group - and although I did not learn a new language (because a day just isn’t long enough) - I did learn about their outstanding community service and I think that you might just appreciate their story.
So, meet some of the SVCC crew - Eevannis, Seo-Whi, Magdalena, Lincoln, Seth, Chantelle, and Amy - and pick up a tip or two about learning a new language. (You might even be tempted to sign up for their language sessions – which are FREE!)
Who Are They?
Tips for Learning a New Language
Languages (Currently) Offered
Cantonese
English
French
Korean
Mandarin
Spanish
FREE Language Sessions
Saturdays, 10am-12pm
Education Building
University of Alberta
*Editor's note: An earlier version of this post listed "French" twice under "Languages (Currently) Offered" and missed "Spanish." We've corrected our error.
---- About the Author
Kevin
Kevin Chavez Laxamana is a 4th year Anthropology Honors student. He hails from the Philippines and has been living as a proud Edmontonian for half a decade. When he is not busy, which is a rare occurrence, Kevin enjoys long walks, volunteering, and binge-watching past seasons of Survivor. He aspires to become a ‘cool’ social scientist while trying to get his Twitter account verified (though he doesn’t tweet much). His most prized possession (for now) is a signed copy of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.
The great Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Meet Batool, Evan, Fahim, Mishma, Mitchell, Nicole, Shirley, and Tyler - these students are among the many amazing U of A Compliments volunteers making the University of Alberta a safe, inclusive, and loving environment. Through the use kind words, U of A Compliments has become an avenue for university students to have a positive effect on their peers and the general campus community. U of A Compliments has shown how simple yet kind gestures can have a positive impact on those in our campus community. YouAlberta sat down with the group to learn a little about why they do what they do. Here's what we learned:
Who Are They?
What Do They Do?
What Advice for Do They Have for Students?
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About the Author
Kevin
Kevin Chavez Laxamana is a 4th year Anthropology Honors student. He hails from the Philippines and has been living as a proud Edmontonian for half a decade. When he is not busy, which is a rare occurrence, Kevin enjoys long walks, volunteering, and binge-watching past seasons of Survivor. He aspires to become a ‘cool’ social scientist while trying to get his Twitter account verified (though he doesn’t tweet much). His most prized possession (for now) is a signed copy of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.
