GISA Spring Election 2024: Candidate Profiles – Events Coordinator (2)

In conversation with Khanh–Phan Trinh, MINT 1st year.

Q. Why do you think you are the best candidate for the role of Events Coordinator?

I consider myself the best candidate because I strongly believe I have what it takes to surpass the expectations of this position. Serving as a board member of the Professional Development Committee (PDC) and Contemporary East Asian Studies Initiative (CEAS), I have gone above and beyond my own mandates in both organizations. As the PDC’s strategic collaborator, I contributed to identifying strategic resources and the right talents to plan and achieve its flagship events, such as the UN Photoshoot, since as early as September. At CEAS, I spearheaded partnerships with collaborators (the PDC and ESTASIA from UNIGE to name a few) both within and outside the Institute who’ve agreed to be potential partners for the East Asian Forum planned in Autumn 2024. If elected, I will work with students and ensure to the best of my abilities that their needs are met.

Q. How will your experiences as a student at the Institute shape your approach to the role of Events Coordinator?

First, I sympathize with students who feel like they do not have a community. As one of the only two Vietnamese students at the Institute, I know that it can be difficult to connect with others – either because we haven’t found “our people” or those we share a common heritage. Although the Institute is filled with students with incredibly diverse cultural backgrounds, not all voices and identities are equally and adequately represented. At best, you may find a community that shares something in common with your culture and lived experiences. At worst, you may find nothing at all.

Second, by extension of the first point, I believe the Institute can do much more to better reflect the diversity of its student body and make it work to its benefit. For instance, I’ve recently been in conversation with a member of ASA who expressed disappointment with the lack of African food on cafeteria menus. While this may seem trivial, it underdelivers what is an important aspect of any culture. Even if the food is “Westernized” in some ways, it is something that you look forward to talking about at parties with your friends or to your parents on the phone when you’re feeling homesick.

The approach I hope to bring to the Institute’s student community is to raise the bar by working with the GISA Board, existing regional initiatives (including but not limited to ASA, MENA, SIA, LANI, CEAS, SEEI), class representatives, the Institute Events Team, and external partners to promote collaborative social and cultural events. This can include finding the right resources, partnerships, innovative solutions, and talent of like-minded people who make all of it possible, as well as sitting with the initiatives and proactively providing feedback to make the most of their events. Above all, I am not looking to be the champion vanguard knight in shining armor. I want to be an ally, a listening friend, a supporter, and a source of encouragement from GISA that gives all initiatives and students the push and support they need to feel seen and heard, and foster a stronger sense of unity and collaboration – both within and between student communities.

Q. What other experience do you believe qualifies you for the role of Events Coordinator?

Beyond my contributions here, I believe my previous professional experience in international environments and with global partners makes me a strong candidate. In my previous role, I was a consultant at a strategy management consultancy. My supervisor had given me responsibilities to lead conversations with several stakeholders, arrange meetings, and always be responsive and quick in delivering accurate and concise information to clients promptly. I think this has equipped me to be extremely responsive, organized, and always prepared to seek creative solutions (not to mention the discipline to brave more than 10—12 hours of work!). I believe this makes me more than qualified for this position. At the same time, I consider myself cosmopolitan; working in diverse workspaces (not to mention having lived and studied in four countries as a kid) has helped me navigate, address, and dispel cultural biases that affect students.

Outside the Institute, I love cooking. More importantly, I love food. Since arriving in Geneva, I’ve hosted dinners for colleagues and friends from my Intensive French Summer Classes, ARP Team, in student initiatives, and those I had the pleasure to meet at social events and throughout the past two semesters. Every week (at least I’d try to make it so), I would organize these dinners with a cultural theme – i.e. Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, Bengali, Japanese. From these simple activities, I was inspired by the idea that food brings us all together. To (mis)quote a famous South African leader “If you cook a man a dish he knows, that goes to his stomach. If you cook him a dish he grew up with, that goes to his heart.” In short, I hope to organize cultural potlucks that include a myriad of traditional dishes from all over the world and on-demand by students, which would be sponsored by restaurants we know and love around Geneva. Of course, this is only one of the few cultural flagship events I’d like to focus on.

Q. From the perspective of the Events Coordinator role, what are the three most relevant issues concerning student life at the Institute?

First, it would be the issue of organizing events at student residencies. For now, it seems difficult to organize events at GM and Picciotto given frequent misunderstandings and difficulties between GISA and Housing Admin. Delays happen, kitchens and other shared areas are left a mess, extortionate cleaning fees are imposed, and nobody is happy. My goal is to narrow the gap between the interests of students and the expectations of the Housing Admin, and I want to act as an effective mediator who works to find realistic solutions that benefit both parties. At the same time, I strive to be transparent, ensuring that all decisions are communicated to all students well in advance and with their best interests in mind.

Second, I want to tackle an issue which was raised to me by a fellow student – it was the fact that event communication support efforts from GISA to some regional initiatives were not endorsed impartially. This creates inadequate event outreach which can be unequal, unrepresentative treatment that can be interpreted as favoritism. Although this may not be intentional, the initiatives that are affected would be evidence of these shortcomings. Working with the Communications Director, I would ensure that all events organized by student initiatives shall receive fair and equal treatment for event outreach support.

Third, there is often a lack of synchronization between event planning and communication with students’ availabilities and interests. Moreover, I believe the current communication method in group chats may be overwhelming for students, resulting in decreased attendance and engagement at events organized by initiatives and GISA. To tackle this issue, I propose collaborating with initiatives to establish a shared calendar, prioritize planning in advance, develop communication guidelines, as well as establish physical monthly bulletin boards around campus that are updated regularly. At the same time, working with the CRs and initiatives, I will utilize survey tools to identify the most suitable periods for event organization in the semester.

Q. What is one aspect of the role of Events Coordinator that you would like students to know about?

It’s not just about organizing events and answering e-mails! Having spoken with Vrishalee Jadhav, the current board’s Events Coordinator, I’ve come to understand that it’s more than a simple administrative job – I think it’s also about taking the initiative to collaborate, being a good listener, being empathetic, and always striving to do better for the good of their community.

Q. If elected, what would be your primary goal as Events Coordinator?

Simple – that would be to make outgoing students feel celebrated, and incoming students feel at home here in Geneva! From now until the end of 2024, here are my plans (for now!):

• May: The End of Semester Party (with BBQ!) in collaboration with MINT and MADIS Coordinators.
• September: Graduation Party, Welcome Week, and Geneva Tour.
• October: 7 Days, 7 Regions (Movie Night Week) – Middle East/North Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania, all chosen by students.
• November (Diversity Month!): Pangea Potluck – Dress Code: your traditional garments!
• December: End of Year Party.

Voting for the 2024 Spring Semester GISA Elections will open on Friday, May 3rd, at 17:00, when students will receive the online voting form, and remain open for 48 hours until Sunday, May 5th, at 17:00, with the results announced on May 6th at 10:00. The winner will be declared by a plurality of votes, requiring the winner to have the largest vote share among the other candidates, official abstentions, and write in candidates. Best wishes to all the candidates from the TGP Editorial Board!

Photo provided by Khanh-Phan Trinh