UBCSUO Student Leadership Awards
Tamara Raine
Getting involved on campus can seem overwhelming at first. We are fortunate to go to a campus with so many opportunities to get involved. I recommend discovering what you are passionate about and go to the events that spark your interest. At these events, try to find the people who are involved in the planning of the event and speak to them. Another option is email the club/organization you are interested in and scheduling a time to meet. Meeting in person is a great way for the people running the clubs to recognize who you are and ask you for help in future events. It is important to be reliable and persistent when joining a club on campus as almost all organizations are student-run and have a lot going on. Maintaining your presences with a group and make the effort to learn more and help develop the organization goes a long way. At my first year at UBCO, I knew I wanted to be involved in the Women’s Resource Centre on campus, so I emailed the coordinators and told them I was interested in being involved. That lead to me getting a position on the board of directors, then becoming the co-coordinator the following year. Also, it is very important to recognize how much you can handle and take on. Do not take on too many tasks when get involved and have your grades or mental health suffer. You cannot help people if you do not first help yourself.
What advice would you give to a first-year student on how to be more involved on campus?
Being involved on campus has completely changed my life. I went from someone who was more introverted in large groups to become the person leading a large group. Through my involvement on campus, I got the opportunity to connect with a variety of student leaders on campus who I never would have got the chance to meet through my classes. I was lucky enough to meet some of my closest friends through my student involvement. Also, I gained many skills such as conflict resolution and time management skills. I learned I am stronger than I ever thought I was and how little changes can make a big impact. I strongly recommend every student try to get involved on campus because it will truly change your life.
What lessons have you learned from your involvement on campus?
Together with two other students, Varenka Kim and Mackenize Sharpe, I lead the Our Bodies, Our Choice counter demonstration against the Kelowna Right to Life. Our purpose was to inform students of all their options during pregnancy. Mainly we were protesting the graphic images shown by Kelowna Right to Life. I communicated with many different groups on campus such as the Women’s Resource Centre and Health and Wellness to ensure that students would have the support needed if they were negatively affected by the anti-choice demonstration. The goal of Our Bodies, Our Choice was to present educational resources for students on campus and to let students know that we support them. We held signs with positive messages and had a petition to increase sexual health clinics in the interior. It was encouraging to see many students join us during our demonstration and having many people speak to us about how much it meant to them to have a pro-choice demonstration on campus. I am extremely grateful to Varenka and Mackenzie who without their work this counter demonstration would not have gone as smoothly as it did.
Who is Tamara Raine?
Recognized for:
Outstanding role organizing an informative counter-demonstration