Elections and student associations are a great way to get involved with the school during your time as a college student.

And we are currently at the end of the nomination period for the MSA 2020 Board of Directors (elected positions). The nomination period kicked off on Jan. 20 and ends this Friday (Jan. 31). Throughout this time frame, the MSA has released a series of blog posts to give students who are thinking about running an inside look at what a day-in-the-life looks for each of the five positions available.

Earlier this week we got an inside look at a day-in-the-life of Garret Blair, the current Vice President, Internal Advocacy at the MSA. Now, it’s time to see what Brayden Spjuth – the current Vice President, External Advocacy gets up to on a typical day when she’s in the office.

Brayden Spjuth is the current Vice President, External Advocacy at the MSA.

How would you describe your role at the MSA?

“I’m a student advocate that works to provide the students of Mohawk College with external representation. This can mean municipal, provincial, or federal affairs such as Transit or OSAP changes.”

How do you work to achieve the demands of your job on a daily basis?

“I hold office hours three times a week and I’m always accessible by email. Most of my work happens with members of the college that are also intertwined with external affairs, but I also work with other members of different students’ associations to collectively advocate.”

Do you find it difficult to manage the job along with also being a student?

“That’s a tough question because it involves time management. It’s definitely challenging if you can’t manage your time, but if you’re really great at scheduling then it’s really not any more difficult than having a part time job. Plus, it’s convenient because our MSA offices are right on campus.”

How do you think being a student helps you achieve the demands of your job?

“I’m able to talk with students on a regular basis. If I was just an employee in an office, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to go out and meet people in classes or the school community and get to know what the students actually need. I’ve always got my ear open and if I hear students are having an issue that the MSA can help them solve, I like to point them in the right direction to our MSA services.”

What does a typical shift look like for you?

“It depends on the day. Sometimes we are doing research, sometimes I’m sitting on committee meetings with external members, and some days I’m working with students in the office or collaborating with external student associations. It’s a very self-oriented job, because you’re the person that is actually coming up with and presenting the campaigns to the students and your colleagues, so you have to have the drive to collect data and make work for yourself.”

Nominations for the 2020 MSA Board of Directors (elected positions) close on Jan. 31. If you want more information, including an exact job description and the requirements, about the Vice President, External Advocacy position click here.

If you have any questions about student elections, visit the MSA office at your Mohawk College campus.

Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity.

Written by: Paige Petrovsky

Student Copywriter