GISA Spring Election 2025 Candidate Profiles: Aanvi Singh for Vice President of Master’s Programs

In conversation with Aanvi Singh, International Relations/Political Science 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 attended this year’s Master’s Forum and that was one of the moments that solidified my thoughts of running. I believe in students having their voices heard, and that they get to shape the events and initiatives that define our academic year, as they should. Being an international student, I know how important it is to put your opinions out there, to make a difference, and this helps situate me in a relatable position with my peers. I am quite organised and patient, which helps me be an A1 listener. I am firm in my stance [read: my peers’ stance], and I try my best to not take no for an answer.

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 believe in always trying to maintain a combo of drive, practicality, and commitment, and with this outlook in mind, I plan to continue the work that GISA has been doing over the last year. I also believe that GISA and the Student Initiatives being in each others’ corners would help make us a stronger force, and I would like to work towards strengthening this relationship. Outside of my academic commitments, I am an easy-going person, and I believe that having a very friendly environment which has its work expectations and boundaries set is all it takes to work efficiently as a group.

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?

I have always been very vocal in student governance, albeit I was not a part of the student council in my undergrad, I was one of the representatives from the college’s student initiatives and I have seen how much hard work it takes for the council and the institution to come together and work. At the Institute – I have seen, experienced and heard of many of the resounding issues. I have been in classes where professors have shrugged off non-European ideas or downplayed non-Western experiences and realities. I have had so many of my friends miss out on signing up for courses they like as they are not double-coded. I have also seen how people have been simply sent out grades with no feedback whatsoever, when the class size is not even that huge and this is one of the things that they are paying for – personalised feedback. I have become aware where we need change and I am committed to work towards them. All of these experiences together have helped me see how efficiently I need to put the hours in, work with the rest of GISA and build an environment that blooms well together. 

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

This is a super tough question as I can not bring myself to pick one over the other. But, to answer the question, I would like to see the previous VP’s mission of ‘decolonising the curriculum’ be taken forward and see some, if not all parts of it, come to fruition. This is an extremely important initiative that needs to be strengthened, and it personally speaks to me. I am from the Global South and I would love to see various and all identities be represented by an institution that they have worked hard to get into, and picked over others. To ensure its successful implementation, I think it begins with listening to your peers, standing your ground and making sure that the Institute takes notes of the students’ demands.

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

Well, other than the weekly board meetings and the meeting agenda being sent in, I would like to pitch this idea to the GISA Board – to have batch/programme-wise feedback forms sent in every month to see how we are faring together. Along with that, I would like to have the Graduate Press and GISA coordinate – it’s always a good sign to see an independent press stay in the loop with ‘administration’ – it establishes a sense of connection and accessibility. I would also like to have a Master’s Forum organised every semester, to have a checks-and-balances system in place.

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

One, openness – openness in communicating what we want, what we need and what we have felt about any of the events organised. You didn’t particularly like the Thesis Writing Workshop you attended? No sweat, tell me and we will try to work it out and see what needs a do-over. Two, inclusivity – inclusion of everyone where a student body from all over the world is respected, heard, welcomed and celebrated. Three, flexibility and open-mindedness – all voices and different perspectives are heard and shared.

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

I mentioned this earlier as well – I would like to see a Master’s Forum happen each semester, and for the risk of sounding too ambitious, I would try my best to organise it twice in a semester. These two times would be to discuss what our expectations from the incoming semester are, and to sort of oversee our progress and see how closer we are, as the student body, to our checkpoints. I believe this will foster more communication amongst the student body, bring us closer together than just being people we know and pass in the hallways, and it will deepen the students’ connection with GISA’s ways of working, especially when you are a first year student who is new to the IHEID environment.