2024 Fall Election Candidates

Treasurer:

Niki Wickramasinghe

Niki is running for a second term as MUSSA treasurer because like the British Museum, she is really good at managing other people’s treasures. Did you see how she always reimbursed you in time last year? Very mindful. Did you see how she carefully filed away receipts? Very demure. She doesn’t show up to MUSSA without a commitment to radical financial transparency (and a cheque book). Like the Mona Lisa, she promises to keep a close eye on everything (except she won’t give you a mysterious smile when you ask where the funds are going). She won’t let the budget fossilise either; instead she will ensure it’s responsibly used for both fun and educational activities and events that will make your 2024/2025 academic year a memorable one!

Social Assistant:

Alexis Green

Hi! I’m Alexis, I have just begun my first year as an MMSt student and I am running for Social Assistant on MUSSA for the 2024-25 academic year. I come to the program with a background in Art History and Museum Studies and intend to chase a career in this field. Although I have been coming to the city my whole life, I am newly moved in and very excited to learn and explore. I want to be a part of MUSSA as a way of getting further involved with the school and being aware of what’s going on inside our own program. Being a part of MUSSA social events feels like the perfect way to discover campus and other places to gather and experience the city. I would love to be involved in planning the events that will bring MMSt and CDP students together outside of our classrooms. As social assistant I would like to help create opportunities both for myself and my fellow students to meet the people who are working towards similar goals and share our experiences with each other.

First Year Representative:

Ashley Lanni

Hey folks! I’m Ashley (they/she) and I am running to be First-Year and iConference Representative for the 2024-2025 academic year. As someone passionate about representation in museum spaces and the importance of dialogue in education, I want to help bring student concerns to the fore and create opportunities for us all to grow and learn together. Being a second-year CDP student, I know (some) of the iSchool ropes and I want to use that knowledge to help other MMsT and CDP students. Having served as a secretary on the history graduate student council at Concordia University, and having organized their annual history conference, I hope to use that experience to benefit the MUSSA community. Finally, I like to think of myself as a friendly listener. So, whether you have revolutionary ideas, pressing concerns or just want to chat, I’d love to make the time and space for you. Regardless of the outcome, please don’t hesitate to stop me and say hi! :D

First Year Representative:

Iulia Vuia

WhatsApp Image 2024-08-22 at 01.03.15_08fe912c - Iulia V.jpg

Hey folks! My name is Iulia Vuia. I am a 1st year MMSt student who has recently graduated with a BA in Archaeology. My interests lie in critical issues, objects and identity-making, and museums as spaces of creativity and activism. I am a Romanian immigrant, an unapologetic gay woman, a glam rock apostle of David Bowie, and I would be honoured to represent the MMSt First Years in MUSSA 2024–2025. I am running for this position because I want to create opportunities for us to get to know each other: we are our future colleagues! More than that, I want your voices to be heard. I’m outspoken, driven, empathetic, and I am eager to get excited about what inspires and fascinates you.

CDP Representative:

Alison May-Kosiewski

In my now three years at the Faculty of Information and eight years on the University of Toronto’s campus as a student, I have learned much about how our institution runs, and where we can work to make it better. As a second year CDP student I began to push for needed changes to support our program's students. This included a meeting with the Associate Dean which brought about a CDP list serve, and priority enrolment for CDP students in summer courses. In this my last year as a master’s student I hope to continue making the program stronger, while providing advice and guidance to any student in the Faculty of Information. It is my hope that as CDP representative I will be able to contribute to change that will lead to positive effects for those students in the years to come, pushing for more representation and understanding across the faculty about our program and our needs.

CDP Representative:

Katelyn Law

Hiya, my name is Katelyn, and I am a first-year CDP student with an MI concentration in ARM! I want to run for CDP representative to foster and build a community for CDP students where students can share their thoughts and experiences. Being in an interdisciplinary program can often be hard, as both sides of your degree can pull you from different directions. I know how this tension can work as I did an undergraduate multidisciplinary program in Biology and Anthropology, and how difficult it can be without having support in finding your way through your degree. However, I am also aware of the projects and ideas that occur when you can often connect multiple subjects and the importance of interdisciplinary work. I hope to work with MUSSA, to find ways to build a CDP community, voice your concerns and allow for connections between peers! Hope to see all of you around!

Musings Administrative Editor:

Iulia Vuia

Hey folks! My name is Iulia Vuia. I am a 1st year MMSt student who has recently graduated with a BA in Archaeology. My interests lie in critical issues, objects and identity-making, and museums as spaces of creativity and activism. I am a Romanian immigrant, an unapologetic gay woman, a glam rock apostle of David Bowie, and I would be honoured to be you Musings Co-Editor-in-Chief for 2024–2025. I am running for this position because I love writing and I love stories. Storytelling and museums are deeply intertwined: it requires listening to the voices of others and using our skills and talents to create platforms and hold space for those voices. I am criminally organized and I’ve got a go-getter attitude. I’m excited to learn from your perspectives!

Musings Administrative Editor:

Olivia Mar

As a first year MMSt student, I am interested in running for the Musing Co-Editor-in-Chief position. I am motivated and positively engaged, love connecting and collaborating with others and make it a priority that everyone on the team gets the opportunity to speak. For fun, I love listening to audiobooks and painting!

Musings Communications Officer:

Olivia Mar

As a first year MMSt student, I am interested in running for the Musings Communications Officer position. I am motivated and positively engaged, love connecting and collaborating with others and make it a priority that everyone on the team gets the opportunity to speak. My skills along with my previous experience in communications makes me the perfect fit for the role!

IAACC Representative:

Alison May-Kosiewski

As a third year student at our faculty I have learned and now strongly believe that there is a need for more reparative work completed by academia as an institution. My current and future research focuses on the impact of settlers on Indigenous culture in Turtle Island - at the doctoral level I hope to enact significant change in a community I belong to, so this committee is centred on a topic important to myself. Much of our faculty focuses on how we as museum and information professionals can gain understandings, that can be put into practice here in North America, of the importance behind non-Eurocentric practices. In being elected to this committee, I hope to bring what it taught each month into the fold of the learners here in our faculty, pushing us to become better each day.

iConference Representative:

Ashley Lanni