Elections for empty Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG) seats have begun and ballots have been sent to students’ emails for all three contested seats.
Voting will be open until end of day Sept. 28. Contested seats include those representing Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (BComms) program, Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management (PAPM) program and the Political Science program. Two candidates are running for each contested position.
Sydney Weaver and Jorja Darrington are running for the open BComms seat.
Sydney Weaver
Sydney Weaver is a fifth-year BComms student. She said she hopes to utilize the council’s power to further advocate for and empower students.
Weaver said she believes her empathy would serve her well as a BComms councillor.
“I dealt with the council during the pandemic, and they advocated on behalf of myself and other students with disabilities,” she explained. “I’ve been in really difficult situations and overcame them, but I’m also realistic about what can be achieved.”
If elected, Weaver said she hopes to optimize her role to make the council the best it can be.
“I believe in our field, and I believe that [BComms students] have a unique set of skills,” she said. “We have to work together to achieve a common goal, and by being on council, I can be part of that change in empowering students.”
In her free time, Weaver enjoys the sport of boccia, as well as advocating for accessibility and people with disabilities.
Jorja Darrington
Jorja Darrington is a second-year BComms student. In an email, she said she chose to represent the BComms program on CASG council to put her passion for student advocacy into action.
“I have been in student leadership since Grade 4,” Darrington said. “Every day I look forward to learning and growing as a leader and advocate.”
Darrington says she is a strong candidate because she is “hardworking, an excellent communicator, and has experience in leadership positions both at Carleton University and in [her] community.”
If elected, Darrington said she plans to use the communication skills she learned from serving as a department representative to effectively educate students in her program about CASG, both through in-person and online methods.
“Now that in-person classes have commenced, communicating with peers about their needs as members of the Carleton community has changed,” she explained.
Outside of school, Darrington loves to spend time in nature, crochet and read.
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
