Why You Should Run for an Executive Position

This blog post is for different people. Directors, class reps, volunteers. Engineering students that are involved in the Society and for those that are not. It’s for those of you who know what EngSoc is, know how it works and either love what we do or you are frustrated with what we do and want to see change. It is for people on the fence about running for an Executive position, or for those of you who thought about it and decided not to. Finally, this post is for anyone interested in creating change.

I’m writing this blog post as someone who has been involved in the Society for most of my undergrad and have seen how much it has grown over the past few years, all because it has had teams of Executive passionate for improving it. I can honestly say that working for the Engineering Society has been the most rewarding experience of my undergrad. Being an Executive gives you the opportunity to make real change in the University, Faculty, and the Society. You can make a real impact on the experiences of your peers, all while working with immensely passionate people.

The next election is coming up in the Fall term, with the entire process starting in under a month. It is my hope that we have a real election – to actually have the student body choose the candidate they believe is best suited for the position, rather than having one candidate who only has to show up to get elected. My goal is to have a real election, where the power lies with the students.

To do that, we need people to run. So, if you have even considered running, even for just a second, I’m asking you to really think about it. We need people who have new ideas and a passion to implement them.

If you’re elected, you will have the support of your Executive team and an amazing team of Commissioners and Directors to make positive changes for the student body. As an Executive team, you have the power to set the priorities for the Society for the next 16 months, and that’s an amazing opportunity.

The biggest deterrent students list for not running is experience, or lack thereof. With better and better transitions, however, your previous experience is becoming less and less important for success. What matters more is the ideas you bring to the role. If you’re running against someone who has already been Executive, while you haven’t been a commissioner, or you’ve only held one directorship, don’t let that stop you from bringing your ideas forward. If you have a stronger platform, better ideas, and present yourself well, you have just as much a chance as they do. Don’t let what someone else has done prevent you from doing what you want.

The Society needs passionate people, ready for change, with new ideas for how to achieve it. If that’s you, I’m asking you to run. If this post has resonated with you and you want more information about the process, please email or message me; I will help you in every way that I can. If you’re passionate, but not sure what position your passions fit with, don’t hesitate to ask! We can talk through the various positions and find the one that best fits you.

There will be a blog post shortly following this one that outlines the election process, the timeline for the fall, and what you will need to prepare if you decide to run.

Thank you for reading and for considering taking on a larger role in the Society. Looking forward to seeing you in the Fall!

Adelle Vickery
President ‘A’
president.a@engsoc.uwaterloo.ca