Last week, five freshmen were chosen to represent their class in the SA Senate. They will work with other students to make major decisions regarding UWM’s budget and allocation of student segregated fees.
Freshman Senators include: Kyle Burns, Sahithi Chatradi, Amanda Springbob, Gretchen Turner, and Ognjen Obiparipovic. Learn a bit about their interests in education and the Student Association below.
Kyle Burns is a Business major from Burlington, Wisconsin. His biggest hobby (or passion, rather) is studying politics.
Why did you chose UW-Milwaukee?
Burns: I really liked the campus layout, and also the diversity here. Great atmosphere to meet a lot of new people. I also like being in a big city.
How do you feel about being a Freshman Senator?
Burns: I am very excited to be elected as a Freshman Senator. I can’t wait to represent the class of 2019.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Freshman Senator?
Burns: Something that is extremely flawed currently is the shuttle system that needs to be reformed from the bottom, up. I also realize parking is a big issue for our commuter students, something I want to look into. I also want to work on the safety of this campus. The Wisconsin state legislators are proposing legislation to legalize firearms on campus, and we need to consult the students and see if this is in their best interests, after all, that is who we represent. I personally agree with the proposed legislation. Chancellor Mark Mone claims campus is secure and safe, yet we have robbery attempts quite frequently!
Sahithi Chatradi is from Cedarburg, Wisconsin. She is majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Why did you chose UW-Milwaukee?
Chatradi: It is diverse and I’ll have a lot of new experiences and also because I’ve heard that it has a great engineering program and I’ll have a lot opportunities once I graduate from the college of engineering.
How do you feel about being a Freshman Senator
Chatradi: I am really grateful to everyone who has voted for me and I am really excited to work with all the other senators. I hope that the freshmen feel that they have made the right choice.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Freshman Senator?
Chatradi: As a freshman senator, I want to be the voice of class of 2019. I want to make UWM a safe and fun place to be.
Amanda Springbob is from the small town of Spencer, Wisconsin. She is majoring in Acting and minoring in Creative Writing, and her hobbies include acting, writing, singing, and has a strong passion for motivational speaking.
Why did you chose UW-Milwaukee?Springbob: I chose UWM because even though I’m a small town girl, I’ve always loved the city, and Milwaukee has amazing opportunities for actors like me, as well as a thriving arts community in general. Being here has already taught me so much about who I am, and I am falling in love with city life. It’s never boring here!
How do you feel about being a Freshman Senator?
Springbob: I’m thrilled to be a Freshman Senator; being given the chance to share my ideas with my campus is something not a lot of kids my age get to do, and I’m thankful that my class trusts me to be their voice. I hope I can make my fellow panthers proud
What do you hope to accomplish as a Freshman Senator?
Springbob: The biggest thing I hope to accomplish this year is to spread more awareness about mental health to students and faculty. Although UWM does an amazing job of letting students know how and where to seek help, I think there’s a more empowering way to help those with mental health issues than sending them to a therapist. I’d like to start groups where students feel comfortable to talk about their issues in a judge-free zone, and to take part in the many national mental health awareness days that occur throughout the year. I’m also interested in defending the arts community from budget issues, supporting LGBTQ+ students, and making each student’s college experience as enjoyable as possible.
Gretchen Turner is from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and is majoring in Business with an emphasis in Marketing. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, going to concerts, playing guitar and watching Netflix.
Why did you chose UW-Milwaukee
Turner: The moment I toured it, it felt like home. I could envision myself living here and I felt like it was somewhere I belong. I definitely made the right choice, because since moving here I have never been happier! I love it here!
How do you feel about being a Freshman Senator?
Turner: I’m so honored that my peers chose and trust me to represent them as a freshman senator, and I hope I get to really connect to more of my fellow freshman through this opportunity.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Freshman Senator?
Turner: By being a freshman senator I hope I get to help make UWM more awesome than it already is. I want my peers to be as happy as possible here, and I’m so excited that I get to help make a positive change in people’s lives! I hope to spread as much positivity as possible, and help fix any problems people might have with optimism!
Ognjen Ubiparipovic is a Film student from Doboj, Bosnia. He enjoys reading, writing, dancing and acrobatics.
Why did you chose UW-Milwaukee
Ubiparipovic: I chose UWM because of the Film school and that I loved everything about it when I toured. I have loved film and acting since the dawn of time. I have always wanted to be an actor and I feel that since I am a writer, film can help me put my works into reality.
How do you feel about being chosen as a Freshman Senator?
Ubiparipovic: I feel wonderful and extremely excited to be a Freshmen Senator.
What do you hope to accomplish as a Freshman Senator?
Ubiparipovic: I hope to give back to the city, help all of our students and improve the reputation for both the city and our school.