Micheal

Central Students Association

University of Guelph

Dear CSA Hiring Committee

As an active student organizer at the University of Guelph for over five years, I have greatly appreciated the services offered by the CSA. From funding diverse student groups to hosting a wide array of fun and informative events to standing up for the rights of students and community members, the CSA plays an enormous role in making Guelph a welcoming and engaging place to live and study. I would love to contribute my strong communication and research skills to the CSA team as this year's Research Coordinator.

Over the past five years I have been an instrumental member of several grassroots organizations in Guelph including the Guelph Fruit Tree Project, the Guelph Free School, and the Guelph Union of Tenants and Supporters. Each of these projects has given me the opportunity to develop excellent communication skills, both written and oral, through facilitating consensus meetings, writing press releases, organizing and hosting speaking events, and coordinating volunteers. Having worked in team settings for many years I am confident in my ability to perform both independently and cooperatively with focus and motivation.

As a student of English and sociology, as well as a key organizer in several provincial anti-poverty campaigns, I have done extensive research on a wide variety of topics, with a special interest in current affairs. As a member of the Guelph Union of Tenants and Supporters I have hosted many tenants' rights workshops and regularly do advocacy for families facing difficulties with housing or social assistance. Preparing for these workshops and working with these families has involved extensive research of provincial and regional policy and legislation. Not only do I feel sure of my abilities as a researcher, but I also find the work to be very fulfilling and enjoyable.

I strongly believe that a thorough and regularly reviewed commitment to anti-oppression must play a central role in the smooth and equitable functioning of a diverse and cooperative organization such as the CSA. Workshops hosted by OPIRG, the Peak and the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and Diversity have enabled me to develop an in depth understanding of oppression. My anti-oppression analysis