April 22, 2013 - 9:59pm
From the President's Desk: Thank you, not goodbye
BY MANISH PARIKH
About a year ago — in a departure from past precedent — you elected Omar Hashwi and me as your Student Body Vice President and President, making us the first independent candidates to be elected in recent University history. Your mandate was just the beginning. Justifying your confidence in us has been our yearlong endeavor. It’s with a deep sense of gratitude, responsibility and pride that we present to you our year-end report.
Our central mission has been “returning student government back to you the students.” That was our central campaign pledge and we hope that we’ve realized it. We’ve worked hard on fulfilling every single one of the platform promises we made to you last March, along with a host of other initiatives.
We like to believe that our work in reengaging our student body played a part in the voter turnout in this March election — the highest ever in the 106-year history of our organization.
In this report we’ve categorized our accomplishments in seven key areas: improving your campus experience, entrepreneurship & innovation, reforming CSG, making the University more inclusive, graduate students, a united student government, sustainability, social justice & service, and campuswide events. This report to you delineates our work in these areas.
The first 24-Hour-Café on campus launched. The nation’s first ever university-wide Month of Entrepreneurship began. The CSG Interns Program taught highly motivated freshmen the leadership skills required to affect big change on campus. The Take U-M Abroad grants enabled Wolverines to spread Michigan across the globe. U-M Heroes, recognized outstanding Wolverines who’ve created an impact in the world, and the Big Thank You A2 thanked the Ann Arbor community for being such a wonderful neighbor — it’s been one hell of a journey!
I cannot tell you how thankful and grateful we are for all those late night conversations, for those moments of support in times of need. Your support and engagement with our initiatives have meant the world to us.
As we move on from CSG this year Omar and I would like to say thank you and farewell, but not goodbye. If there’s anything you’d like help with, I’ll be around all summer and would be happy to grab coffee, and help in anyway!
Michigan leadership is not about titles or accolades; it’s about a lifelong commitment to this Wolverine nation. For today, tomorrow and always we are there for you.
Manish can be reached at mrparikh@umich.edu.
