Sil sit-down with MSU presidential candidate Simranjeet Singh

C/O Simranjeet Singh

Getting to know the person behind the platform

Simranjeet Singh is is one of the candidates running to be the McMaster Students Union President for the 2022-2023 academic year. Singh’s platform outlines five main pillars: student wellness, building a stronger community, environmental sustainability, creating more equitable education and career development support.  

The Silhouette: What made you run for president? What about this role attracts you? 

Simranjeet Singh: In terms of why I wish to be president, I first came to make McMaster in 2017. I was in a program called medical radiation sciences and it was a great opportunity for me to learn about what exists [at McMaster] and how vibrant of a community there is.  

[I] initially actually was not that involved in student leadership. It was actually only in my third year that I was elected to the SRA but, from that point, I was able to gain a huge amount of knowledge about what opportunities exist for advocacy as well as what gaps exist . . . and what changes can be [implemented]. 

[In 2021], I kind of was thinking about what more can be done, how can I implement the knowledge that I've learned moving forward and I thought that the president position would be a great place to do that advocacy. Through my experience in the MSU as well as just being a student and other experiences, I've gained an understanding of what gaps exist and then I was able to do consultations to better learn of how I would fill those gaps.  

That's why I chose to run for president, because I feel like it is the best opportunity for me to deliver the support students need and I think this is important as well because some of these gaps are things that I would have loved to have had in my first year.  

If, for example, I had more affordable housing, if I had less expensive textbooks, if I had greater access to career development supports, I know that I would use those to further myself as much as I could and I think it's important that the future students also have that opportunity. 

So I thought that I had pretty good ideas, I think and a way to implement them and the president position is, I think my best way of doing that, which is why I chose to run. 

What do you feel is your strongest asset for this role? 

So I think of myself as a pretty conscientious person, so that kind of encompasses the thoroughness and my dedication to my work. 

I have been someone who has been quite dedicated to the MSU for that reason because I have a clear interest in ensuring that students are more supported with the resources they need and [it’s] something that I generally find enjoyable as well. I like to be in these discussions, I like to understand how I can solve the problem that is in front of me and then work with the relevant partners to have a plan in place to actually solve that problem. 

[A]s a part of conscientiousness as well, that involves going to do the correct consultations and working with community to understand what their needs actually are and how I can utilize my position to solve those needs.  

So I do think that in my past, through the things I’ve been accomplishing, the SRA and academically, I do think that that at least provide some sort of basis to kind of prove that I am a conscientious person. 

[I] will apply that conscientiousness through my role through my dedication to my work and during external consultation with the university, with certain groups to better understand how I can best serve their needs and then actually apply that moving forward.  

For a complete overview of Singh’s platform, please visit https://www.thesil.ca/msu-elections-2022-simranjeet-singh-campaign-overview.