Meet the Presidential Candidates for Next Year’s Student Government

By: Observer Staff  |  April 24, 2017
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Temima Kanarfogel: Candidate for TAC President  

 

 Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What are you majoring in? What extracurriculars are you involved in? What are your hobbies? Your favorite flavor of ice cream?

I’m from Teaneck, NJ and am double majoring in Jewish Studies and Biology. I am currently on the Beit Medrash Committee, the Blood Drive committee, the Stern soccer team, and am a leader in START. This might not be considered a hobby but I am a total podcast junkie and can spend hours listening to Stephen Dubner talk about superforecasters or the economics of sleep. I know this is really weird, but I actually prefer sorbet or ices over ice cream. Whenever I’m at an amusement park and there are Dippin’ dots I get the rainbow ice flavor. I don’t like milkshakes either. My DNA is being analyzed in a lab right now to see what kind of mutant strain I may have come from.

 

What do you like about Stern/Syms?

When I first began Stern I immediately joined the soccer team since the season starts even before the academic semester. Being part of a team that represented a university I had only recently become a part of really conveyed the message to me that I was in a place where my contributions were valued. There are numerous opportunities for students to get involved in at Stern, and those that don’t already exist are often encouraged to be established; I really appreciate that.

 

If you could enact one change at Stern/Syms right now, what would it be? 

I would love to bring back old school suggestion boxes or some kind of non-computerized way of receiving feedback from students. Don’t get me wrong, social media and other modern forms of communications are super efficient and make it really easy for student committees to address student body concerns. I just think there should be additional outlets for those students who prefer to voice their opinions without the use of modern technology, so that their questions, comments, or criticisms can be received as well.

 

What do you plan to accomplish as president? 

Sometimes it is easy to forget that the student body at Stern isn’t as homogenous as it seems. We have students hailing from all over the world and the United States with different hashkafic and cultural backgrounds. It’s important that these differences don’t prevent us from uniting together in enhancing the religious life on campus. Everyone should feel that she has something valuable to contribute to Torah-related activities and events. My hope is that as the president of TAC I will help facilitate an environment that welcomes diversity and encourages participation from everyone in the student population.

 

Keren Neugroschl: Candidate SCWSC President

 

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What are you majoring in? What extracurriculars are you involved in? What are your hobbies? Your favorite flavor of ice cream?

I’m from Bergenfield, NJ and over the last two years at Stern I’ve been involved with a range of academic and extracurricular experiences on campus. I’m majoring in both Political Science and Journalism and have participated in various clubs including The Observer, YUPAC, YUNMUN, the J. Dunner Political Science Society, CollegeEDge, and the Non-Fiction Book Club. My favorite ice cream flavor is specifically the Target brand cookies and cream. (I’m not picky at all.)

 

What do you like about Stern/Syms?

What I love the most about Stern, and what made me decide to come here, is the warm environment. I have found that the students here are some of the kindest people I have met and the professors are encouraging and eager to mentor their students. From the minute I’ve stepped on campus I’ve felt comfortable pursuing my interests and getting involved in the wide range of extracurriculars that Stern has to offer.

 

If you could enact one change at Stern/Syms right now, what would it be?

While many students have had the same experience, I want to do more to make sure that all students feel that they have a place at Stern. By holding a wider variety of events to match the diverse student body, I hope to create an environment where every single student feels comfortable on campus.

 

What do you plan to accomplish as president?

As president, I want to make SCWSC open to the student body. In order for Stern to become a school where every student feels like they have a place, the student body needs to become more involved with their student council. I want to hear individual students’ experiences and brainstorm how we can make Stern a better and more comfortable place for every single student.

 

Yael Saban: Candidate for Syms President

 

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What are you majoring in? What extracurriculars are you involved in? What are your hobbies? Your favorite flavor of ice cream?

 I’m originally from Toronto, Canada, and I am currently majoring in accounting (woo!) Being involved on campus has definitely been the highlight of my time at Stern so far. I am an RA this year, while also had the chance to join some amazing clubs on campus such as TAMID, the Bnei Akiva Society, YUNMUN and TEDxYeshivaUniverstiy (can’t wait to see all there next year). My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate chip cookie dough and I am willing to argue with anyone who disagrees.

 

What do you like about Stern/Syms?

 My absolute favorite part about Syms is the wide range of opportunities that are handed to us and available right at our fingertips. This gives students the ability to explore so many different options and find their path, with the help and support of different people throughout Syms, especially the alumni network which I have made sure to take advantage of.

 

If you could enact one change at Stern/Syms right now, what would it be?

 While speaking of all the opportunities that I have found that are available for students, I find that many students get lost in the shuffle and a lot of the time what is offered isn’t what they are looking for. I want to work with the Syms students to help create those opportunities those events they are looking for, get them in touch with individuals they want to network with, and help each student get the opportunity they are looking for.

 

What do you plan to accomplish as president?

 As president, I hope to give the Syms students the assistance and the means they need in creating opportunities for themselves and for others. Every student at YU should be able to leave college knowing that they have accomplished something great and were given every opportunity available to them, and I hope to help with that.

 

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