Wendy Zhang

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

I have over a year of experience as a Senator, after I was chosen to fill a vacancy my sophomore year and then elected for the current 2020-21 term. I was also lucky to be nominated as the Assistant Speaker, a leadership role within Senate which I've held for the past two semesters. As a result, I've become familiar with how all branches of SGA operate, and I strive to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my abilities. I've been working on several initiatives, such as providing free menstrual products on campus and efforts to divest from prison labor exploitation within the University System of Maryland. When we first transitioned to virtual learning, I joined several shared governance committees as the student representative advocating for the interests of the undergraduate body. Outside of SGA, I am on the executive boards of several student organizations, such as Moot Court and Pre-Law Society. I am also an Alternative Spring Break leader with the Center for Democracy and Civic Life. These opportunities have helped me learn how to effectively collaborate with stakeholders and peers, manage my time, and communicate with others. I hope to continue serving as a voice in our community and make more progress on my initiatives next year.

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

I hope to use what I've learned this year to guide me in the future. Communicating entirely virtually has been much harder this year compared to when I was a Senator pre-COVID, but these challenges have taught me ways to work with others that I hadn't thought of before. The majority of my work in SGA so far has been collaborative. The Free Menstrual Products initiative was started by Kai Hajos (the Speaker of the Senate), and tasks have been delegated between Julius Gayle, Mariah Qureshi, and myself (all current Senators). The Anti-Prison Labor Coalition is also made up of many people, and I really value the diversity in perspectives and approaches. As Speaker and Assistant Speaker, respectively, Kai and I try to share responsibilities related to Senate leadership. For example, we've set up individual check-in meetings to stay in contact with the 9 other Senators.

I prioritize empathy as one of my top values, and it's something I strive to embody in all my interactions. When conflict inevitably arises, I believe that active listening is essential. I will address all sides of a situation and listen to understand, rather than speak for the sake of being "right". I am comfortable mediating for others as well as admitting when I have made a mistake. I will actively address disagreements and misunderstandings as they occur, and I hope to create an environment in which everyone feels comfortable having open conversations with one another.

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

I envision UMBC as a community where all students feel like their voices and experiences matter. I remember feeling so intimidated by SGA as a freshman, but I hope to challenge the idea that shared governance is exclusive or difficult to get involved in. Every undergraduate student is a member of SGA! The changes our elected officers advocate for should reflect everyone's interests and promote our collective well-being. I believe that we owe it to each other to have all our diverse identities represented, and I hope we can expand upon UMBC's values as an inclusive, equitable campus moving forward.

How do you plan to facilitate communications with your constituents?

Transparency and accessibility are essential. I am committed to finding new ways to connect with students in the virtual setting. I plan to be available through email and social media, and I hope to brainstorm more outreach strategies to hear new ideas for changes on campus.