Grace Biddle

I am running to be a first year representative because I will welcome each and everyone of my peers interests and concerns for what should be valued in our community. As both a varsity athlete (field hockey), and musician (trumpet and choral), I feel as though I can understand the many different interests of a Bates student. Working without bias and trying to advocate for all people, I would do my very best to represent such a diverse and special class. If elected, I will bring to discussion every and all subjects my peers bring forth to me. I believe every person’s voice should be heard, whether I agree with it or not. I urge you to consider me for one of your class representatives and to vote, “Biddle 4 Bates”.

Jasmine Chen

To the Bates Student Body and Class of 2023,

Do you want your voices to be heard? Do you want to solve conflicting issues on campus and stand together as the Class of 2023 as one? Hi. I’m Jasmine Chen and I’m running as your Representative for the Class of 2023.

As a first year having only been at Bates for a few weeks, I can’t make overnight promises to changes that are going to break. But I believe in serving as a catalyst for whose voices are unrecognized. I want to mend the social constructs at Bates, providing an inclusive community where opinions are shared, thus bringing it forth to faculties and departments.

Truthfully speaking, I feel as if I’m less qualified than other candidates. I never held a leadership position before in student government but one thing I will promise is to put my best foot forward. I will advocate for each and everyone’s views and represent each and every one of you equally, ranging from different cultural perspectives and social opinions.

I WILL be your representative in bringing forth issues and I WILL be your representative in accommodating to the diverse range of opinions. I WILL oversee the policies at Bates affecting students and accommodate to each and everyone’s needs.

As your Class Representative, I WILL provide an inclusive community.

Your interests are my interests! Without knowing where YOUR VOICE is, I will be YOUR ADVOCATE!

Imti Hassan

My name is Imti Hassan and I’m a current freshman from Portland, Maine. You may have seen me around campus with a big goofy smile on her face, I love to spread positivity and kindness wherever I go. As you may have already known, I am running to be the class of 2023’s representative for the Student Government. I have experience in organizing events, gathering people together and facilitation skills as well. My values are to use compassion to bring everyone together, to persevere and to most of all listen. I’m a determined person, I work hard in everything I do. If I am elected as your representative, I want to give you a promise. I promise to listen, I promise to reach out to you and hear what you have to say. I promise to make a better community for us all. It frustrates me when others shut other people’s ideas down, but I promise you I will be someone who will listen to your concerns and take them with me. I want to hear any amazing ideas that come from the student body. For every plan I create, I’m certain that I will carry it out. Once again my name is Imti Hassan and I will strive to make a better community for us all.

Rishi Madnani

Yo, Bates Class of 2023! I’m running to be your class representative because in the past few weeks, I have come to get to know and love so many of you, and I want to make positive change in the community to improve the lives of students. What I can promise is that I will always speak the truth— and not just mine; I will represent all people no matter their identity or background, and I will always invite my class members to share their ideas with me or even tell me I’m doing a terrible job! If we haven’t met yet, please come up and introduce yourself! Specifically, I want to push for increased support of students’ mental health, improved relations between students and Bates Security as well as Lewiston police, better understanding between students and resources like “EMS” to promote safety and avoid a stigmatized culture, and more inclusive programs for all students and their unique experiences. In addition I will also advocate for simple things as many of you wish, like better temperature control in buildings (totally wack sometimes) and food options in Commons that are better suited to all diets but still taste good! I served as Executive Officer of Student Council in my high school, and am prepared to work effectively with students and administration to bring about change. DM me @rish.dog on IG or just come talk to me if you have any questions/concerns. Let’s work together to spread love and make Bates a better place! ❤️

Losseni Barry

I view this position as an opportunity to pursue social reform on Bates campus and establish a relationship with the Lewiston community. I am humbled to be a student at Bates because of the values on which we stand on and the community in which we are centered in. I feel obligated to serve my community and provide a voice to the Student Body. I want to be liaison between the students and the administration. As a class representative, I would collaborate with my peers to provide a voice and opportunities to students, reduce food waste on campus, establish better relationships between students with security, and to make our college more equitable. But most importantly, I wish to make an impact on the social, personal, and communal levels within Lewiston.

Jacob DiMartini

I am running because I am already involved in Student Government as part of a committee and I am hoping to extend that role into something greater. I plan to run polls for what people want the most so that our newly structured government can pursue things that are legitimately favored by the students.

Sobie Sobolewski

Hello, fellow Batesies! My name is Robert Sobolewski, but everyone calls me Sobie. Everyone who knows me well knows I love, love, love Bates, and my hope is to become an even more integral aspect of the very community that has done so much for me.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “Almost everyone at Bates loves it. Why is Sobie any different?” Here are my three short reasons to convince you:

1) I will make myself available to you, my classmates, always. My goal is to maintain at atmosphere of inclusivity at Bates, and the first step in doing so is by listening to any valuable insight you have.

2) I will work with Commons to promote better food and nutrition options with athletes. Being a rower, I consume boatloads of food after each practice (pun intended 😉). However, I feel there are some areas that need improvement (e.g. Low-fat chocolate milk dispensers? Let’s get some high-fat chocolate milk dispensers for those post-practice gains).

3) I will work with Lewiston-Auburn eating establishments in promoting their discount deals with Bates students or creating a discount deal in some cases. Our home has some phenomenal eateries, and their employees love Bates students. By encouraging Bates students to eat out, we can help restore our reputation around the Lewiston-Auburn area.

This is what I have to offer to you. Let’s keep Bates great and take care of our home.

Sincerely,
Sobie Sobolewski

Mark Su

Wellbeing: Host sessions teaching students and faculty signs of mental illnesses – helping yourself and others in need.

Accessibility: Changing gym hours to give students better access (Davis + Gray).

Transparency: Every semester, host a semi-formal dinner and invite students to eat with the Student Government. Good food supplements great conversations about security, freedom of speech on campus, safe drinking culture, etc.. Help students get involved with the student government without having to come to weekly Wednesday meetings.

Safety: Have sexual assault prevention fliers in the restroom listing resources students can use.

Fun fact about me: I wake up at 5:30 every morning.

I have been a grassroots political activist since I was 16. That work taught me about popular power and the importance of being politically engaged in order to make change. If elected, I will bring the same resolute spirit to my tasks as a Student Government assembly member. I am running because I want to return this institution to its egalitarian founding principles. Today, tuition at Bates is more than what the average American household makes in a year, and the administration’s activities are a mystery to the student body. As a representative, my primary duty would be to listen to you. Alongside fighting to stop tuition hikes, to keep security accountable, to reform the parking system, and to improve our technology, I will do my utmost to bring all student concerns to the attention of the assembly and the administration. This would include keeping in constant contact with all of you online and in-person. I pledge to take the role of representative seriously and to unceasingly fight for what we as a student body want to improve on our campus. A victory for me would send a clear signal to the administration that we as students want to see substantial change at Bates College. I will be a partner to you as a representative, working with you to build a better Bates.

Julia Panepinto

Vote Panepinto.