ana moreno chaza

What relevant experience would you bring to the position you are seeking?

I am one of the marketing chairs for Phi Delta Epsilon, a new sister in Phi Mu, and a member of the Hispanic Latinx Student Union. I have heard so many students I am surrounded by express their concerns between them, such as the ambiguity behind the process of new legislation, or who to contact if they want to make change in their community. I believe I can be a part of the change to make students more comfortable and welcomed at UMBC. I want to be a student that will bring change to those students that are too afraid to voice their opinions or concerns. The short time spent on campus as a freshman gave me time to explore what UMBC has to offer and SGA stood out as a great way to get involved and make a difference in our community.

How do you intend on fulfilling your role while working alongside other members of SGA? What strategies do you use to address conflict?

Working in teams is one of my most prominent strengths. Everything around us works using distribution of tasks and support between members of the same team to allow things to get moving. I have worked in teams in the academic realm and in the “real life” realm and even in my personal life. Alongside a team, things are done faster and more efficiently. One of my strengths is I am used to being adaptable and open to change. I am very easy to get along with, and I am constantly looking for more perspectives on specific problems. I will listen, listen again and listen some more until everyone gets their point across. I plan to use my ability to accept different opinions and different outputs to create change. I am eager to translate my success as a listener to a companion and an advocate for more student input in the Senate. Cooperation and teamwork will get us heard.

What is your vision for UMBC and the UMBC student body?

I have a vested interest in our school’s success and am ready to give back to the community by increasing my involvement with the university. I am a very passionate individual that finds stories and connections everywhere I look. I see a story at UMBC, full of connections and full of amazing individuals that are waiting to be heard and understood. I would like to combine my passion and drive for leadership and use it to help guide and transform our amazing student body in the midst of a lockdown. I want students to feel the connection I feel with this university. I want to help showcase our amazing community and how we are persevering through the pandemic.

How do you plan to facilitate communications with your constituents?

Coming back to UMBC during a semester where COVID-19 restrictions presented increased hardships for communication. Like many other students, I felt blind-sighted by the lack of transparency in the administrative decisions that affected our student body during the pandemic. I plan to lead with openness and honesty and keep your best interest in mind while offering a new perspective into UMBC and our student body. I plan to hold office hours and voice concerns that are brought up to me by others during our weekly meetings. Finally, I will create a comfortable environment where students are welcomed to reach out and give feedback and ideas for future projects.