Pia for HerCampus McGill: Introduce yourself! Where are you from? What’s your major? Hobbies? How long have you been at McGill? How long have you been involved with SSMU?
Tre Mansdoerfer: I’m Tre Mansdoerfer, a fourth-year Electrical Engineering major. I’m from Flemington, New Jersey. For hobbies, I enjoy playing basketball, playing a friendly game of Catan, and karaoke. *I won my high school karaoke comp, here’s one of the videos*
This is my third year being involved with SSMU. I was a councilor two years ago and a senator last year.
HC McGill: For those first-year students who don’t know, what is the role of SSMU at McGill University?
TM: SSMU is the undergraduate student government that helps work with over 200 clubs and 16 services. We plan large social events during the year, such as our Halloween Event, Faculty Olympics, among others. We fund various student groups on campus to help them add to the student experience. SSMU advocates on the university level, working with admin to address current student issues. SSMU also works with schools in the province and across the country on political issues. During a typical year, we also host the student bar Gerts in the University Center.
HC McGill: What is your role in SSMU? What are some of the changes you have made while being president?
TM: My role as SSMU president is to work directly with upper admin on student interests, run our governance structures, and help the other executives with their portfolios. In my role, I’m given the opportunity to interact with upper admin who can make policy and practice changes at McGill to improve the student experience. I have the opportunity to interact with student leaders across different faculty/department associations, clubs, and services. Being able to have access to all of these different leaders gives me the incredible perk of being able to make change.
Talking about change that I’ve been working on with other student leaders includes the following:
1. Established a fall reading week committee that will have components at the admin and student level with Arts-Science Senator Bryan Buraga.
2. Acquired space through a building lease agreement with McGill, additional space will help clubs and services immensely
3. Projects/collaboration with Student Dining Services, Athletics, Libraries to help improve the student experience in these facets
I’m really excited for the year ahead and for having the ability to make a lot of changes.
HC McGill: What are your goals with SSMU?
TM: My biggest goal with SSMU this year is to show the student body the great work that can come through strong student government. I want students to feel that SSMU can improve student life here at McGill.
A project that directly applies to this goal is SSMU’s purchase of a 4 story building at 3501 Peel. This year, we get to solicit student input on what to do with this space and help realize student needs. The goal would be to have a student space that has functions that students need at McGill that are currently lacking.
HC McGill: How can students get involved with SSMU?
TM: Getting involved in SSMU is pretty easy! There are numerous committees that anyone can apply to. Elected positions for council, senate, and SSMU executive open up around February/March. These positions are the best way to make an impact through SSMU for McGill undergraduates.
HC McGill: What is the biggest challenge/issue you have faced while working with SSMU?
TM: The biggest challenge is not having a building to operate in this year. Activities night, 4Floors, and numerous other SSMU events are more difficult to have without a permanent space. Clubs and services are significantly impacted without a SSMU building. To try to alleviate this, I’ve spent time finalizing an agreement between SSMU and McGill to have multiple rooms on the ground floor of 680 Sherbrooke available to SSMU clubs and services. I’ve worked directly with faculty associations to get space. VP Student Life, Sophia Esterle, has done a great job in working with numerous building directors across campus to find bookable rooms for student groups. We’ll continue to put our time into making the building closure not as impactful as it could be.
HC McGill: How do you balance your workload and the responsibility of being president?
TM: It’s pretty difficult balancing any workload with the role of being president. I use Google Calendar for everything I have to do in a day, which helps me manage my workload. It can be a bit stressful, so I try to pencil in fun things as well, like stopping by Blues Pub, learning the violin, and having lunch/dinner with friends.
Images courtesy of interviewee.