In our previous ‘Introducing the MSA Board of Directors’ blog posts, we introduced the President, and the Executive Committee. Now, it’s time to introduce the Directors. In this blog post, Mohawk students will be introduced to the current Fennell Directors.

Jocelynne Bigelow

Jocelynne Bigelow is one of the current Fennell Directors.

Tell Mohawk students a little bit about you:

Hey there, I’m Jocelynne and I’m the poodle of this organization.

I’m a second-year Tourism student and I’m a huge fan of travelling, exploring and experiencing new things. I’m on the Board of the Directors at the MSA and I also work at a movie theater.

I love the MSA because I’m passionate about helping others and trying to make the college experience as great as it can be for students. Outside of work and school, I love watching movies, hiking, and photography.

What exactly does your job entail?

I help to guide the organization towards doing what is best for students. As a Director, I also sit on college and MSA committees, as well as running my own committee.

I run the Student Services and Activities Student Representative Committee. The purpose of this committee is to receive feedback from students about what they think of our services and events, and what they would like to see (or not see) in the future. Then I do my best to make it happen.

I’m also available to help students, in whatever way I can, with any issues they may be having at the college. This includes both academic and academic dishonesty appeals. Essentially, my role is to represent the students of Mohawk College to the best of my ability. It’s an incredible opportunity for students to get involved on campus and meet other like-minded students.

What initiatives have you taken to support future and incoming Mohawk students?

One of the biggest initiatives we’ve taken to support future Mohawk College students is the launch of our Student Representative Committees. Not only do these committees provide students with an opportunity to get involved on campus, they give us the best possible opportunity to make sure we’re serving students in the best way possible.

This year [2019] we chose five topics we felt were most important to students and created committees to give students the opportunity to talk about these areas, and offer suggestions for improvements. The best part about it is that it is something that can be done year after year with new topics for the committees.

Mark Karpuk

Mark Karpuk – another one of the Fennell Directors.

Tell Mohawk students a little bit about you:

I’m just a big ol’ nerd. I love playing video games, reading books, and playing Dungeons and Dragons. I originally went to college for Game Development. More recently, I came to Mohawk College to explore the world of business and I fell in love with it.

What made you want to apply for this position?

For me, it was the ability to have a job on campus and the ability to gain experience that would help me out in my field of study. Another thing that drew me in was the opportunity to give back to the college in a way that would be meaningful.

What is the overall atmosphere of the Board?

The atmosphere is amazing.

You’re essentially coming into work with all of your friends. All of the people that work at the MSA are all fantastic and so welcoming to everyone.

Shlok Patel

Shlok Patel is a second-year Mechanical Engineering student.

Tell Mohawk students a little bit about you:

I am a second-year Mechanical Engineering student. Professionally, I am a future engineer but saying that, I love cooking in my spare time. I am also fond of classical music too. And I am known for putting a smile on everyone’s face. Also, I speak four different languages.

What would you like to achieve through your role?

I have a pretty simple goal for my term as a Board Member – to create an enhanced learning experience for all Mohawk students.

Tina Vineham

Tina Vineham has a passion to help others.

Tell Mohawk students a little bit about you:

After the birth of my daughter, I decided I wanted to follow my dreams and go to college to create a better future for myself, my family, and grow in mind and spirit. I am a Business Student that has a passion to help others and to solve problems. I love to plan and organize things, I love to colour-code all my courses and planners.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job so far?

Being part of a great team that all feels the same, and being here to help support students. The number of opportunities we are presented with to help not only ourselves grow, but also the rest of the students at Mohawk College. Being a part of great committees here at the MSA and Mohawk College, to be able to put my new college knowledge to work to help the students and community.

What do you want students to know about the MSA and your position on the Board?

The MSA pillars of supports, services and advocacies are designed to help students have a more successful, enjoyable time, as we maximize our education here at Mohawk College. The MSA supports students with so many services, including – the Health and Dental Plan, PRESTO Pass, Food Bank, Career Closet, legal counselling. We are here to help you every step of the way.

If you have an opportunity to get involved on campus, do it, you just never know what relationships and skills can come from it.

Tyler Harnish

Tyler Harnish is a second-year journalism student.

Tell Mohawk students a little bit about you:

I am a second-year journalism student here at Mohawk College. I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ont. I like to spend most of my free time watching TV and movies, playing video games and board games, and just learning as much as I can about topics and things I find interesting. I am also a huge Pixar and Disney fan, and I can do voices and impersonations.

How do you think being a Board Member will help you in the future?

Being a Board Member will help me by preparing me for a future job as well as helping me build my confidence when talking to people about work. Plus, it looks phenomenal on a resume.

Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity.

This blog post concludes the ‘Introducing the MSA Board of Directors’ series.

If you have any questions about the Board of Directors or are interested in learning more about the current members, click here.