2007 ELECTIONS

Every pharmacy student must vote for PGC E-Board, for Busch Campus Council (BCC) representative, and for his or her respective class.  All the candidates and speeches are in the following links.

PGC EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT

Anh Thu  Nguyen

Hi Everyone!  My name is Anh Thu Nguyen and I am currently a P2 student running for President of the Pharmacy Governing Council.  This past year I served as the Vice President Internal for the Governing Council and I worked diligently to represent and maintain the interests of pharmacy students as the new RUSA constitution was being drafted.  I planned and coordinated the Big Brother/Big Sister Orientation picnic along with my fellow Board and Committee members to provide a picnic that I hoped was better than the years previous. I also facilitated the recent Open Forum between students and faculty and will be representing pharmacy students in Washington, DC this April to advocate for more funding for federal financial aid programs.  I take pride in the profession and in our school, and I feel our students deserve more recognition from the University for being among the cream of the crop.  As President, I plan to keep the PGC website updated on a biweekly basis to increase awareness of PGC and aid in the timely distribution of correct information.  I want to continue the tradition of the Open Forum as an invaluable communication tool between the students and the administration and I plan to continue to make it better every year.  As President, I will also work closely with the Deans to make sure student input is heard and implemented.  I am currently fostering relationships with the other Governing Associations and would like to continue to do so, especially with our five newly elected Busch Campus Council Representatives.  Finally, I feel all this cannot be accomplished without a close-knit Executive Board, so I need your help to vote for Anh Nguyen for PGC President as well as to select a dedicated PGC Board to serve you, the student body, for the 2007-2008 year.  Thank you for your consideration! 

VICE PRESIDENT INTERNAL

Sara Best

Hello fellow pharmacy students!  My name is Sara Best and I am running for Vice President Internal of the Pharmacy Governing Council.  I am extremely dedicated, organized, and motivated, all of which are essential for taking on the responsibilities of VP internal.  If I were to be elected VP internal, one of the responsibilities I look forward to most is coordinating the Big Brother/Big Sister Picnic.  I would be able to use the experiences I have had being a Big for the past three years to help make next years picnic yet another huge success.   

Throughout this past school year especially, I have gotten much more involved in various organizations and committees within the pharmacy school.  I am currently on the American Pharmacist Association- Academy of Student Pharmacists executive board as PGC representative, which played a big role in my decision to become more involved in PGC.  Through going to the PGC meetings, I was able to get involved in the Pharmacy Lounge Remodeling Committee which was just started last semester.  We have been working on ways to improve the studying atmosphere of the currently not-so-comfortable lounge. This semester I was also asked to be a co-chairperson for the Academic Integrity Student Sub-committee.  In this position, I have been involved in the process to increase student and faculty awareness of the importance integrity in school so that students are prepared with the professional integrity which is crucial to have when entering the “real world” of pharmacy.   

I hope to use the leadership skills and experience I have gained through my involvement in the pharmacy school thus far to make our events next year the best yet as your new PGC VP Internal!   

VICE PRESIDENT EXTERNAL

Samantha R. Llanos

 Hi, my name is Sam Llanos and I am running for the position of PGC Vice-President External.  I am currently a third-year student and am the current Vice-President of Phi Delta Chi.  I feel that I am well-qualified for the position of Vice-President External as I am organized, reliable, and a diligent worker.  I have prior external experience as I have served as the Rutgers University Legislative Affairs (RULA) Representative for the Pharmacy Governing Council for the past two years.  As RULA representative, I worked with representatives of other governing councils within the university to create bills to bring to state legislators' attention that voices student councerns, such as financial aid issues.  This year, I have organized a leadership training workshop for the entire pharmacy school that will help students enhance their leadership skills. I feel that being in the VP External position will allow me to help the
board create other events similar to this that will be fun and beneficial to pharmacy students. Thank you for your time, and elect me, Sam Llanos for PGC Vice-President External!

RECORDING SECRETARY

Erica Colon

Good Afternoon/ Evening!  I hope everyone is well and I’d like to thank you all for being in attendance today.  My name is Erica Colon and I’m currently a second year, anxiously waiting to get started on my professional years.  With that, I would like to be more involved in the School of Pharmacy.  I feel as though my first two years were pretty good but I had little knowledge of what was going on in our school or the entire University for that matter.  It’s not enough to just be a passive student; we should all be active in this community in some way or another.  That brings me to why I’m standing here today.  I’m running for Recording Secretary of the Pharmacy Governing Council and I’d like to gain your support.

In the process of writing this speech, I wasn’t quite sure where I would begin or what I would say.  So I started from the basics.  I did some research online and I stumbled upon the PGC mission statement.  It was very concise and to the point, but it summed up exactly why I’d like to be a part of this organization.  Here are the first few lines: “The Pharmacy Governing Council is an organization that represents the voice of the student body.  Student organizations come together at meetings to make the rest of the student body aware of what is going on.  PGC meetings are also a forum for students to voice any issues they may have with the pharmacy school.” 

This is precisely what I was referencing just a few moments ago when I mentioned being an active student in the community.  PGC represents those students who want this information because they realize how it directly impacts us all. 

Just a few weeks ago, I attended a meeting and students voiced concern over the new proposal to charge us to print in the computer labs.  The horror on all of our faces was worthy of an Oscar.  Surely, charging us to print would put a bigger hole in our wallets than we can imagine.  I’m not sure about anyone else, but my wallet has become a black hole.  Even if money manages to find its way inside, it quickly disappears and is never seen again.

The point of this anecdote is to show how important PGC is.  We were able to question those in the senate and were quickly assured that we weren’t facing the terrible fate of having more money drained from us.  The issue was discussed immediately and our representatives ensured that our concerns were heard on the higher levels of the University. 

Lastly, I’m sure you’re all wondering why I specifically want to be Recording Secretary.  Honestly, the lighter workload would allow me to lend my services to many different aspects of PGC.  I would like the flexibility to help others with various projects so that no one person is overwhelmed with work.  After all, it is a team effort. 

In closing, I’d like to leave you with a quote emphasizing why we all need to obtain knowledge from this community and how this can benefit us.  It is by author Kurt Vonnegut from his novel, Breakfast of Champions: “New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth. The more truth we have to work with, the richer we become.”  Why don’t we all get rich together?  Thanks for your time.  Enjoy the rest of your evening. 

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Candidate #1:  Robert Erazo

 Good Morning Faculty and students. My name is Robert Erazo and I am running for Corresponding Secretary for the Pharmacy Governing Council Executive Board. My job is to inform my fellow pharmacy students about the previous meeting. I will recap the information to the best of my ability and will not be tardy with them. I will also let you know when the next PGC meeting is being held. I will provide you with this information in ample time so you can all plan for it; I understand everybody has very hectic schedules that they have to go by and I will do my best to inform you. I am a responsible candidate and will not disappoint you. I can promise you nothing but quality from appointing me as corresponding secretary. I want to be a part of the Pharmacy Governing Council because I feel that they could use me as a member of the board. I will also bring a certain dynamic to the council besides the already stated responsibilities. I can relate to the students on a personal level because I am an amicable person and can socialize easily, especially because we are in the same age range. I want to be involved in the Pharmacy school because it is an important part of who I am as not only a student, but a person. I have a great appreciation for the school because of my previous experiences, in school so far. A big turn around from what I was last year. I came up from academic probation in the first semester to Dean’s list last semester. I want to start off at this position to make sure I can handle the pharmacy workload and the responsibility of being on the executive board. I have a lot to bring the table. One of the qualities I want to bring is involvement. I’m trying to get more students involved with PGC and their events. I find that socialization is a key component to aiding other pharmacy students in appreciating school more. I feel that pharmacy students should have some fun instead of constantly being overwhelmed by school work. If students think of PGC as more of a fun group instead of a dry student council, it will attract more members. In conclusion, the goal of my candidacy is to promote organization, involvement, and a more comfortable and very enjoyable program. It is an honor to run for this position and it would be even more of an honor to be elected as Corresponding Secretary. Thank you all for your time.

Candidate #2:  Lipi Soni

Hello pharmacy friends!  My name is Lipi Soni and I’m running for the position of corresponding secretary of the Pharmacy Governing Council (PGC).  Some of you may already know me but for those of you who don’t, let me take this opportunity to introduce myself.  I’m currently a third year pharmacy student (Class of 2010). I transferred here last year from Rutgers Newark Arts and Science. I’m running for Secretary of PGC, because I believe I am the right candidate for the job. Organization and responsibility are my two greatest attributes. I am always responsive to comments and suggestions.  I am very committed in what I do and also thoughtful of those around me. Help me help you make pharmacy life easier. Vote Lipi Soni. . . .Soni for a Sunny Tomorrow.

TREASURER

Candidate #1:  Jose Argueta

My name is Jose Argueta and I ask for your help in electing me as your next PGC Treasurer.

Many of you may already know who I am as I have had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of the student body at the School of Pharmacy. For those of you who may not know me I am currently a P1 student. I come from a town called Union City, NJ (located about five minutes away from Manhattan). During my time in high school I have held leadership positions, such as Secretary and Vice President, in the clubs to which I belonged. Currently, I represent my organization by holding a Professional Chairperson position.

In working as a Professional Chair this year, I have gained a thorough understanding and appreciation for different organizations’ needs for funding. In the upcoming year, the new RUSA Constitution will offer the school a great opportunity by sending a larger portion of our student fees right back to us. This basically means that the governing council will have an increased capacity to serve the school and give the various student organizations the improved ability to showcase what they are really about by easing their allocation restraints. As PGC Treasurer I will be devoted to doing everything in my power to make sure that everyone gets their fair share. After all, we should all take pride in knowing that we all do our part to shape the reputed image of the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. So please vote for me, Jose Argueta, for PGC Treasurer. Thank you very much for your time.

Candidate #2:  Michael Tinglin

 The opportunity to become part of the Pharmacy Governing Council (PGC) is a privilege that I treasure greatly.  My involvement in various organizations throughout Rutgers and within the pharmacy school has taught me how to interact with people, to organize events and to serve as a leader.  My experience with the Rutgers College New Student Orientation (RCNSO), where I served as a black shirt, required me to use my social skills as I worked with a large number of students to make their first college experience a memorable one.  I helped organize numerous ice-breakers and activities throughout their orientation to help ease their transition into Rutgers.  In addition to using my social skills as a black shirt, my pharmacy school experience has truly taught me about organization and leadership.  Being a resident counselor and tutor for the EOF Pharmacy summer program required a great deal of responsibility especially with budgeting and handling money for the students’ weekly expenses.   Overall, this summer program has taught me to always strive for the best interest of the students.  Finally, my involvement with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), where I have served as the vice president and historian, required planning and executing various events for pharmacy students. These events often involved working within various budget constraints and ensuring the goals of the pharmacy school were upheld.  My leadership experience with these various organizations especially with budgeting money makes me a great candidate for second term in office as PGC Treasurer . So, please Tinglin for Treasurer.

UNIVERSITY SENATOR

Ross Wagner

Do you, as a pharmacy student, ever feel like you are not connected to the University? Do you feel like your concerns are not taken care of because of the convoluted hierarchy of our institution? These concerns seem to be shared by most of the population of our School. I feel that we, as pharmacy students, deserve a person who will make our needs and concerns known to the University administration, especially in a time of transition that the University is undergoing. For those who are unclear, the University Senator is the envoy between the students of the pharmacy school and the University Senate, one of the major governing associations at Rutgers. Having proper representation here is vital for EMSOP to ensure that the student's voices are heard and we are not taken for granted at an institution where it is easy to feel lost in the crowd. Due to my experiences with both the University and School, I feel that I have the necessary connections, experiences, and skills in order to serve the student body as an effective University Senator.

During my time "On the Banks" I have been involved mostly with Rutgers College Organizations, like RCPC and New Student Orientation. Although they are not really connected to the pharmacy school, they allowed me to build relationships in the University community. If needed, people who I have worked with previously would be able to assist me in solving problems for the pharmacy school that need to be taken care of at the University level. I am also the Vice President of my fraternity, Chi Psi, or the Lodge as it is affectionately called. Being in this administrative position has taught me how to effectively manage different project and prioritize things, which will help when prioritizing concerns of the student body. These acquired relationships and skills, along with my love for both EMSOP and Rutgers University, will drive me to aide the school in any way possible. Please consider me, Ross Wagner, as a qualified candidate for University Senator that is committed to the mission, valvues, and needs of the student body of the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. Thank you for your consideration.

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