Who am I

Hey hey! My name is Kamiylah Tynes-McKenzie, a third year student studying Biology and Biochemistry and serving as the current Vice-President Academic of Science Student Council, hoping to be your next SSC President. My passion for student leadership began long before reaching Western, as I was deeply committed to creating and advocating for safe, welcoming environments for students who struggled to find a sense of belonging in my high school community.

However, even while stepping into leadership roles meant to uplift others, I was met with racial discrimination that at times made me feel alienated and unheard. Rather than allowing these experiences to deter me, they shaped my commitment to develop my leadership and lead with empathy, intention, and action. These barriers taught me how pivotal representation, consistency, and leadership that actively shows up for students is. Not just in moments of success, but in moments of challenge.

Therefore, walking into the Western community, though I had my doubts, I took a leap of faith and joined communities where I felt heard, supported, and inspired to give back to the students around me. Moving in and out of the science community during my first year gave me a deep appreciation for how diverse and non-linear the journey through STEM can be. While Science Student Council was widely recognized, it became clear that there was a disconnect between the council and the student body. For many students, SSC did not feel like a resource that meaningfully supported their experience at Western.

As a result, my commitment to council has been a long-standing journey rooted in understanding and addressing that disconnect. As I run for this position, I have one clear goal when all is said and done: to make the Science Student Council a reliable, accessible resource that actively supports your university experience and amplifies a true sense of belonging within our community.

As someone who wants to serve the student body, I want to earn your trust, not only as a candidate, but hopefully as your President, by showing that the Science Student Council is more than just a faculty club. It should be a home base for belonging, representation, and resilience: a council that advocates for your needs, stands with you through the hardest parts of your journey, and is willing to do the work of fixing what we know has not served our students well, using the connections and capacity we have to create meaningful, lasting change. 

At the heart of my campaign is a simple belief; consistency that inspires community. My emphasis to lead with reliability, intention, and care is to execute changes we make are not temporary fixes, but lasting improvements that strengthen the Science Student Council as a dependable resource for students today and for years to come. My goal is not just to lead, but to build something that endures, as every science student knows they belong, they are supported, and their council will always show up for them.