Executive Council Candidate

AJ Jaruga

EC Candidate for VP External

Hello NAIT Students,

My name is AJ Jaruga and I am running to be your VP External for the 2019/2020 academic year.

I am a fourth year BBA student with a focus in human resource management. As a soon to be HR professional I believe that people should always come first. As VP External I would always ensure that student interests are heard and come first.

After being at NAIT for four years and experiencing many different classes and instructors, participating in events, and competing in case competitions, I have obtained a good understanding of the needs of a NAIT student. It is with this knowledge that I will be able to advocate properly on your behalf. During my time at NAIT, I have worked on many consulting projects which has given me the opportunity to learn how to effectively network, create lasting relationships, and communicate. These are all skills that I intend to use to ensure that NAIT students are properly advocated for.

As VP External it would be my role and my pleasure to make sure that the student voice is heard. To do this I will ensure that I am easily accessible to students by creating an open line of communication, which then will allow me to gain a better insight of what students want. As a result, I will then be able to better advocate for the best interest of you, the students.

This past year I have had the privilege of working for NAITSA. During this time, I was able to interact with many different students, gaining a strong understanding of what students want and need to have a successful wholistic experience at NAIT. As VP External, I will ensure that these needs are heard throughout campus and by the appropriate external parties.

As VP External, it will be my goal to continue to advocate for open educational resources (OER’s), which would mean a cheaper alternative for students opposed to textbooks. Another issue that I would continue to advocate for throughout the year is funding for mental health initiatives on campus. Student mental health must be a priority for governments to ensure the success and well-being of students. Other issues that I would like to advocate for include: on campus student housing options, fall reading week, enhancing U-pass, and creating equality of services between daytime, online, evening, and satellite campus students.

Vote YES to AJ for VP External, have your voice heard and projected.