Andrew Harker / The Avion
Sophomore, BS Aerospace Engineering
"Hello! My name is Elena Vlaskovic, and I am a second-year international student from Serbia studying Aerospace Engineering. Ever since I transferred to Embry-Riddle, I’ve loved the sense of community on our campus. I joined clubs and societies like The Society of Women Engineers and The Eastern European Student Association to become more involved in student life. I enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and being a part of our campus’ international community. By taking on the role of a representative of the engineering student body, I want to have a positive impact on this community and bring a new perspective to the table in order to improve the quality of the academic, social, and professional lives of students. I believe that I can use my leadership and teamwork skills to collaborate with fellow senators on improving the quality of student life at Embry-Riddle."
What makes you a qualified candidate for this position?
"Throughout my college experience, I have held numerous leadership positions as the international student orientation organizer, activities programmer, and research team leader. I successfully conducted budget proposal presentations for the Office of International Programs at my previous school and communicated with college staff and faculty to advocate for improvements in campus involvement and student life. I participated in marketing projects by playing the lead role in a promotional college commercial talking about my experience as a student. Moreover, I managed large groups of students which led to successful social campus events as well as projects that I later presented at conferences. As a current member of The Society of Women Engineers and one of the founding members of The Eastern European Student Association, I enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds, and I am passionate about cultivating a sense of community, which I believe is necessary for overall academic success as a college student."
What is the purpose of the SGA Student Senate?
"The Student Government Association Senate has the important role of representing and advocating for the student body. The main purpose of the SGA Senate is to ensure academic success as well as a high quality student life while attending Embry-Riddle. The senators come together to make impactful decisions in order to make a positive change on campus and address any present issues and concerns that have been voiced by students. The SGA Senate bridges the gap between university officials, administrators, and students with the goal of making decisions that will improve student life in terms of university policies, campus events, and activities. Equally, the SGA Senate is responsible for allocating funds within a specific college at Embry-Riddle, whether that be student organizations or other projects. The senators’ role is to discuss budgeting and create and present proposals that reflect the ways in which the funds can benefit the campus and student community the most."
How do you plan to elevate and communicate issues that your constituents are concerned about to the Senate?
"As a student representative, I will utilize different methods of communication such as panels, surveys via email or social media, and in-person meetings and forums to effectively gather information about the current needs and concerns of the student body. I plan on cultivating a support network for students to openly voice their concerns to the Student Senate at their convenience, ensuring their voices are heard and acknowledged. After gathering feedback, I will discuss these matters with fellow student senators to identify levels of urgency and brainstorm a plan of action. It is important to regularly and consistently ask for feedback and maintain proper communication with students to ensure that our actions as the Senate are making a change that is long lasting. I will utilize senator office hours and be readily available to students who are looking to reach out to the Student Government Association about their issues and concerns."
How will you improve the ERAU experience for your constituents?
"As an activities programmer for the Office of International Programs at my previous college, I planned, organized, and hosted numerous social events for students. These events were planned in accordance with the occasions, holidays, and festivities happening around the time of the event, keeping our events engaging and current. I will utilize the skills I have learned from this experience to elevate the campus life at Embry-Riddle and improve social engagement. As a student senator, I will acknowledge and address concerns that the student body has communicated to the Senate, taking action that will make a positive change and resolve any issues that have been brought up. As a member of the international and engineering community on campus, I will foster the connections between students, creating an overall better learning environment for all by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion among students. I believe that the College of Engineering has great potential to become an even better, more inclusive, and welcoming community."
