Name: Karen Nelson
Year: 3rd Year
Major: Civil Engineering
Position: VP of Academic Affairs
1. Why are you running for an Executive Board position?
Over the 3 years I have attended IIT, I have developed an great enthusiasm for the university. I am running for an Executive Board position so that I might take on a larger leadership role in improving the IIT experience students. I would like to focus on the academic side of IIT in particular. Education is the #1 reason that we, as a student body, are here. It is something that I am very passionate about. I would like to become VP of Academic Affairs so that I might play a leading role in ensuring that students at IIT are receiving an education that is well-rounded and beneficial for the field they are pursuing. I also want to be a facilitator in providing students of all majors with the readily available resources they need to succeed in their classes.
2. What relevant experience do you have with student government at IIT or elsewhere?
I am currently a SGA Senator. As a Senator, I have worked on such projects as BOG improvements (changing advertisement policies, etc.), improving lighting and the amount of emergency kiosks on campus, and am looking to start on making on-campus computer labs and special computer programs more available. Also, I was a member of the University Strategic Steering Committee last semester. Both these experiences have made me fluent in working with a group of student leaders towards improving IIT.
3. What other extra-curricular experiences do you have?
Currently, I am the Women's Ensemble Representative for IIT Acapella. This position has given me experience on an executive board of a student organization. I am also an active member of Kappa Phi Delta Sorority. Through this, I have taken on many active roles, such as organizing retreats/events and orchestrating daily house upkeep, which have required me lead a large group of people. Lastly, as an employee of IIT Institutional Advancement, I have become familiar with some of the IIT administrators and administrative processes.
4. How would you best represent the interest of IIT students in your decision making?
As a student of one department of the many that exist at IIT, I realize that my interests and concerns may not be the only ones troubling students. As VP of Academic Affairs, I plan to assemble a committee of students from all areas of the IIT academic spectrum. I also hope to reach out to the entire student body through visiting professional student organizations and regularly sitting on the bridge of the MTCC. With this, I hope to have a constant input of what issues are troubling not only my college, but every college at IIT. By having a well-rounded, all-encompassing set of opinions from the student body, I am confident that I will be able to pursue issues and make decisions based on the thoughts of the entire student body.
5. What strengths do you have that you consider as important to be an Exec Board Member?
First and foremost, I have a great passion for academics and improving the IIT experience for students, which I believe is vital to be VP of Academic Affairs. Also, through my experiences in student government and my other extra-curricular activities, I have developed strong leadership skills as well as an ability to work well on a team. I am never afraid to speak up for my interests or the interests of those I am representing, but I am also always willing to listen and compromise to solve problems. I am well-organized, always on top of my responsibilities, and creative in problem solving. All these things, I think, are essential to being a strong Executive Board Member and make me a solid candidate for VP of Academic Affairs.
