With a full return to campus, both the undergraduate (USG) and graduate (GPSG) student governments at IUPUI have new executive board members dedicated to promoting change on campus, along with bringing new events to the student body. Get to know some of the new leaders and learn what they have planned for the upcoming year.
USG
- Julia Cilleruelo Fernandez del Moral, president
- Melissa Aceves, vice president
- Duyen Luc, secretary
- Adan Orona, treasurer
- Hong Tan, director of communications
- Shae Rickel Urias, director of initiatives
- Karl Nkemzi, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion
As newly elected president and vice president, Cilleruelo and Aceves have a full list of initiatives and plans they want to implement at IUPUI. Both of them, along with their new executive board, used this summer’s advantage to get a head start on their goals.
Creating a team of hardworking individuals was the first and most important task. From personal experience, Cilleruelo and Aceves know how important it is to be a part of change, which is why their vision for this year is for USG to be seen as an approachable student government who hears students out.
“When I was a part of USG, I saw how much change you can make if you are on a team of very passionate individuals. I have another year left at IUPUI, and I want it to be with the best people around me,” Cilleruelo said. “Everyone on our team is a leader, and we wanted to have people that are experienced and will advocate for students.”
Their first step in advocating for students pertains to the mental health of every individual within IUPUI. Thanks to a new grant that was received by Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), access to mental health resources will soon become increasingly easier through an online platform. USG plans to assist CAPS in making sure students and staff know where and how to find their resources.
“We want to create a space where individuals are able to come and feel welcome, feel accepted and feel safe,” Aceves said. “We want to create a space for individuals no matter who you are.”
USG will continue hosting Senate meetings in person, where any members of a campus organization can come and state issues, concerns or ideas they may have. The Senate will meet 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday. Specific dates are being confirmed and will be listed on The Spot. More information on how to join USG can be found on their Instagram.
GPSG
- Alyson Essex, president
- Vacant, vice president
- Allyson Crane, chief financial officer
- Taylor Webster, secretary
- Aishat Motolani, director of communications
- Christina Eggenberger, director of programming
For this upcoming year, GPSG wants to increase awareness of programming to foster mental health and well-being; strengthen relationships with school deans to ensure students’ voices are recognized and heard; prioritize and support sustainability; and strive to cultivate diversity, equity and inclusion across the IUPUI campus.
To ensure these objectives are achieved, all GPSG General Assembly members participate on one of the five subcommittees: academic affairs; diversity, equity, and inclusion; health and wellness; orientation; and sustainability.
“As we enter a new academic year, we want to carry this momentum forward towards building a diverse and equitable campus community,” Essex said
Additionally, to promote engagement among graduate and professional students, Eggenberger, is working on a number of in-person outings students can attend. Additionally, with IUPUI being in the heart of Indianapolis, Eggenberger is looking into hosting events with community partners, such as IndyHub. Being engaged in the community is not only a networking opportunity for students but also a fun and exciting way to give back to a place everyone calls home.
To learn more about GPSG, you can email the organization at gpsg@iupui.edu. If you want to find out more information about events, find them on Instagram, Facebook and The Spot.