Owen Wald VP Student Life Candidate
My name is Owen Wald and I am a third-year student studying towards a combined degree from the Dhillon School of Business and the Faculty of Arts, majoring in finance and philosophy. I am originally from Vancouver, then I moved to Lethbridge for school. Since I started classes in the Fall of 2021, I have enjoyed participating in club activities as well as volunteer events. Since 2022, I have been honored to help raise funds for cancer research through the annual Relay for Life. I am very proud to be leading a top-raising team this year in the Relay. I have previously worked in event organizing, in roles like sponsorship securement, and talent collection. I currently work in the Innovation Zone as a student assistant, where I train students in the use of machines and equipment. I founded the Agility Club this year and I stand as its president. I am also VP Treasurer for the Venture Capital Student’s Association for the year.
What do you know about the position you are running for?
What are some of the initiatives you would like to implement if you are elected?
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns, student involvement at the University of Lethbridge has been severely weakened compared to previous years. As Vice President Student Life, I will work with clubs to increase recruitment. I will work on removing barriers for people of marginalized groups so that every student may enjoy the same advantages that clubs grant to the student population. Many students do not know when or where events will be held, which leads to poor turnout and poorer student life on campus. I will increase advertisement to communities and groups on campus through accessible mediums. I will lower ticket prices for Fresh Fest without sacrificing any of the talent by increasing organizational efficiency. The latest report of gender and sexual-based violence in post-secondary institutions published by the Albertan government shows a disturbing upswing with over 50 percent of students experiencing some form of violence. This disturbing statistic is why I am running for this position. I will use my previous event planning experience to ensure events like Fresh Fest and Last Class Bash are more secure and safe for students. I will achieve this as well by reaching out to the marginalized groups on campus to assist them in making student life safer for them.