GISA Spring 2025 Candidate Profiles: Shilpa Ann Thomas for Events Coordinator

In conversation with Shilpa Ann Thomas, International Economics 1st Year.

Q: What makes you the ideal candidate for your role, and how do you believe your background will help you succeed in this position?

I believe I’m the ideal candidate because I bring both the passion and the practical experience needed to make events meaningful and well organised for students. I am currently part of the Environmental Committee, the Junior Diplomat Initiative, the Graduate Press and I’ve served as  Class Representative. I have helped plan and coordinate a wide range of events including academic discussions, social gatherings and advocacy campaigns which has taught me how to balance creativity with logistics and turn ideas into reality. 

My background has given me a clear understanding of how GISA works, how initiatives collaborate and what students need to feel included and supported. I’ve seen both the excitement and the stress that comes with events and I know how to navigate both. I’m approachable, organised and genuinely committed to creating a student life experience that is inclusive, engaging and easy to be part of and I believe that is exactly what this role needs.

Q: How do you plan to approach the role in a way that ensures the smooth running of GISA’s operations and fosters a collaborative atmosphere?

I plan to build on the work that’s already happening by making coordination more consistent and feedback-driven. Meetings with initiative heads and class reps are already in place, and I want to strengthen those by making them more regular and focused on real-time feedback and forward planning. This will help us create more space for collaboration and co-hosted events. 

I also want to make it clearer that individuals, not just initiatives, can organise events and that they are always welcome to approach the Events Coordinator for help. Whether it’s booking a room, promoting an idea, or using GISA’s inventory, I want to be a point of support from start to finish. The goal is to create a more open and collaborative atmosphere where students feel confident turning their ideas into events that truly reflect the diversity and creativity of our community. 

Q: What past experiences have prepared you for the challenges of this role, and how will you use these experiences to improve GISA’s efficiency?

My experiences during undergrad laid the foundation for the way I approach leadership, organisation, and student engagement today. I served as the Editor-in-Chief of Contrarian Magazine where I led a team of 35 members, managed editorial timelines, organised research seminars and social events, and oversaw the publishing of a full-length student journal. This taught me how to coordinate across multiple deadlines, balance creative vision with structure, and lead a team with empathy and purpose.
I was also actively involved with Girl Up Aashayein, a UN-affiliated NGO, where I helped organise awareness campaigns, coordinated monthly field visits to Delhi slums, and worked on menstrual health education. Through that work, I learned the importance of inclusive planning, clear communication under pressure, and the power of showing up consistently for a cause.
At IHEID, my experience supporting events through the Environmental Committee, JDI, and the Graduate Press has helped me understand how campus events function in practice, from the logistics and visibility challenges to the importance of collaboration between students and GISA. I want to use this combination of past and current experience to help improve how we organise events here. That means making planning tools easier to access, offering direct help to individuals
and initiatives, and ensuring smoother communication at every step. My goal is to make GISA’s event operations more efficient and more welcoming, so more students feel empowered to take part and lead what happens on campus.

Q: If elected, what would be your primary goal and how would you ensure its successful implementation during your tenure?

My primary goal is to make event planning more accessible, collaborative and inclusive so that more students feel confident turning their ideas into well supported events. There are already resources and systems in place but many students are not aware of them or feel unsure about how to use them. I want to change that by actively promoting existing toolkits, improving visibility of GISA’s inventory and offering direct support to anyone who wants to organise something whether they are part of an initiative or not. 

To make this goal a reality, I will keep even more regular communication with initiative heads and class reps,introduce a clear and simple event planning guide and create the GISA Events Crew so students can help with events in a flexible way. By being approachable, organised and responsive, I will make sure students feel supported and equipped to shape the events they want to see on campus. 

Q: How do you plan to make GISA more accessible and transparent for students, particularly when it comes to administrative processes and decision-making?

One of my key priorities is making sure students feel informed and empowered to engage with GISA processes without feeling overwhelmed or left out. I want to ensure students can easily find the information they need whether they are organising an event accessing inventory or simply trying to understand how things work. This means improving how we communicate across channels, simplifying how-to guides and offering support when needed not just during official meetings but also through informal check-ins and drop-ins. 

The Events Coordinator already meets regularly with the Housing team and the Head of Events at the Institute and I plan to continue these meetings while making them more accessible to student concerns. I want to actively gather feedback beforehand, advocate on behalf of students during those conversations and report back clearly so there is a visible link between student voices and institutional decisions. My goal is to make GISA feel not just visible but truly responsive. 

Q: What are three core values you bring to your role?

Inclusivity 

I make it a priority to ensure events are welcoming and reflect the diversity of our community. While working on cultural and academic events with different initiatives, I’ve focused on creating spaces where everyone feels comfortable participating. 

Reliability 

Whether it was handling last-minute logistics for events or supporting coordination as a class rep, I’ve been someone people count on to follow through and keep things running smoothly. 

Creativity 

From planning event formats to designing engaging visuals and content, I love bringing in fresh ideas that make events more dynamic, memorable, and fun.

Q: Lastly, a few creative ways or plans of action (chance to do something different)

With so many great events already happening, I want to focus on making it easier for more students to get involved and feel confident organising. 

• I will improve the Event planning toolkit to make it clearer, more user friendly, and filled with practical timelines, templates and tips that reflect what students actually need. 

• I will launch the GISA Events Crew as a flexible team for students who want to help with events through logistics setup or ideas without needing to join a full initiative. 

• I will form the Grad Committee early as part of my core responsibilities so planning for the Grad Party begins on time. I will work closely with second years to gather input, advocate for the right resources and help create a celebration that truly reflects their journey at IHEID. 

These steps are designed to make events more accessible, more collaborative and more connected to what students want.