Royal Court Candidates
Trenesha Anderson – Miss UDC
Trenesha Anderson was born in the Caribbean, in the country of Jamaica. She attended the Marymount High School in St. Mary, Jamaica, where she played the role of a Student Council President who advocated for student rights. As a biology major, she is currently a Junior at the University of the District of Columbia. Trenesha aspires to become a pediatrician and a motivational writer. She intends to attend medical school after graduating where she will become one step closer to achieving her dream. Her passion for helping people and being a voice for what is right- is what drives her perseverance and optimism.
Platform: If given the opportunity to represent and serve the University of the District of Columbia, my focus will be on the mental health, academic performance, and comfort of our students. The transition of this unprecedented time to online has been one that requires students to adjust, robbing us of the social interaction that we would benefit from in-person at school. This is a major factor that can affect students. Returning on campus will require students to adjust once more. I want to help students in adjusting to these transitions. For example, sessions that give advice on how to adjust and assurance that all will be fine. The academic performance of our students is linked to their mental health; therefore, it is of paramount importance that the needed support is given which will positively impact their ability to heal, adjust, and grow. The mental health of students determines the mental health of the institution and ultimately, society’s mental health. Additionally, for students, who may be struggling, they should have mentors that can assist them with/advise them on problems that they may be facing. Another factor that is linked to the academic performance of students is their general well-being. Measures should be put in place to ensure that the basic needs of our students are being met. This will help to ensure that each student is given a fair chance to succeed.
Shavonne Fraley – Miss Firebird
Shavonne Fraley is a Washington, DC native and is a proud alum of Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy. Shavonne is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with the option of Computer Engineering at the University Of The District Of Columbia. Shavonne has also been an intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Maryland since her senior year of high school. She is now a pathways intern, who intends to make this her full-time job after graduation. Shavonne is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, where she serves as the treasurer of the luxurious organization. She is also a member of NSBE and NSLS. After graduation, Shavonne plans to convert full-time at NASA, as an engineer.
Platform: Implemented consistent support for the student body. Increasing the opportunity for students to utilize their leadership potential and ensuring that they have a voice. Establishing meaningful and effective community service activities allowing students to become more involved in school and their communities. Promoting and establishing more scholarship opportunities. But for the most part, I want to ensure that my peers know that I step up will be their voice to try to make things happen.
Eden Amare – Miss Homecoming
Eden Amare
My name is Eden Amare and born and raised in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Came to the USA in 2015 and joined Cardozo Education Campus in 2016. I graduated with a high school diploma in 2018. I pursued my bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). I am the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) student ambassador. I present the UDC’s campus life and courses to the new DCPS high school graduates. After graduation, I want to become a web developer and programmer in my future workplace.
Platform: My stance is to build relationships between the international and local students. I want to empower the women’s soccer team of the University of the District of Columbia. I want to improve the customer service in each department, especially financial aid, that the student needs immediately.
Ra’Don Johnson – Miss UDC-CC
Radon Johnson is a Washington, DC resident and a proud alum of Cornerstone School of Washington, DC which is a private school in Southeast DC. Radon is currently pursuing her Associate’s degree at the University of the District of Columbia Community College majoring in Law Enforcement. Radon is a Licensed Security officer and has her own business in photography. Radon has been Miss Sophomore of the University of the District of Columbia. Radon also is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Radon has been on the Dean’s list all of her years of college and has maintained a high GPA of 3.5. Radon plans to get her Bachelor’s and Law degree in the future to become a young Black African- American lawyer.
Platform: My platform concerns contributions to the University of the District of Columbia Community College and brings change and equality. I want to show that we as a people can do all things, no matter what. We will achieve our goals. Firebirds will achieve. No matter the color of our skin, or the area we live in, we are all equal.
Oshane Orr – Mister UDC
Oshane Orr is a native of Portland, a small parish in the eastern end of Jamaica. Oshane is a student at the University of the District of Columbia where he is studying biological science with a pre-med focus. Oshane has devoted his time to both his academics as well as helping his community. He has received numerous awards and scholarships for academic excellence. Oshane has spent the last two summers teaching children in and around the DC area the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Oshane has also been a volunteer at COVID-19 testing sites In an attempt to assist with the pandemic in any way possible. After graduation, Oshane plans to advance to medical school where he will earn the skills needed to pursue his dream career as a plastic surgeon.
Platform: If given the opportunity to serve as the 4th Mr. UDC, two major areas of concern will be my strongest points of concern. These are: – Professional and Academic development – inclusion of international and other non-traditional students in all spaces. Professional and Academic development As a UDC honor student, a member of multiple national organizations for academic excellence, a member of the dean’s list as well as the awardee for both Top freshman and Top sophomore on the basis of academic excellence, I believe that I am fit to lead the UDC community in a turnaround as it relates to the development of students academically. I will use my position as Mr. UDC to recruit other students who perform well academically from different majors and programs. This will be done in an attempt to create study sessions and groups aimed at helping students who may be facing difficulties in classes. I am well aware that there are tutors and teaching assistants available for this, however, my intended program will be a less “formal” setting, so that students can feel as comfortable as possible. The intended name for this program will be the “Turnaround project”. Study group sessions, as well as special one on one, will be provided to each and every student with the desire to participate. I strongly believe that each student has the ability to excel, so I will use this position to assist in this. inclusion of international and other non-traditional students in all spaces The UDC community is not a “typical” one in relation to other college campuses. There is a major ( and growing) population of international students as well as non-traditional. Throughout my three years at this institution, I have observed that there is a slight divide in certain spaces. If given the title of Mr. UDC, I will use my platform to create events and programs to address this. I will work to ensure that all students feel comfortable in all spaces. It is our differences that make us unique so I am a firm believer that sharing different aspects of culture and beliefs with each other will be especially beneficial to all members of the UDC community.
Undergraduate Student Government Association Candidates
Skye Webster – USGA President
Skye grew up in DC and but began her work in the community of Virginia by helping lead a housing assistance program for the students with the department of neighborhood development for the city of Norfolk. Rent Ready Norfolk educated students and first-time renters as well as provided information sessions. She later stepped into student leadership at her HBCU, the University of the District of Columbia. She served as the Vice President of the community college SGA as well as Miss UDC for the community college. In these positions, she vouched on behalf of homeless students and the lack of emergency services and solely ran a food pantry that fed nearly 50 students a day. She also brought mindful practices to the community college and held informal sessions. This past summer she has help co-found and consistently run Concerned Citizens DC by helping led community outreach. Now she manages mutual aid services and works to develop urban farming projects in DC with Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and helps harvest food to feed black seniors in low-income housing.
Platform: The platform that I will be running on is fulfilling the basic needs of UDC Students. This means ensuring that students have financial assistance to tuition, housing, food security, and overall safety. This entails, creating an environment where all students can strive without the worry of not being able to afford tuition. My objectives include ensuring that all students have access to housing and that our university maintains Title IX by having emergency services. I also plan to extend the student pantry to all UDC campuses that have students that experience food insecurity. As well as ensure that fresh produce is provided to students who are the main providers of their household. Lastly, I want to ensure that all students feel safe regardless of the UDC campus that their one. I would like to provide a safe and inclusive space to all students. In closing, I believe that by providing these basic needs I can help cultivate a thriving learning experience and create positive growth with UDC.
Jovan Williams-Bey – USGA Vice-President
Grace Zarate – USGA Secretary
Gracie Zarate is a sophomore political science major at The University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Zarate was born in Peru and moved to Virginia when she was adopted at 9 years old. After graduating high school, Zarate began to work as a nanny and a preschool teacher. When she moved to DC in 2018, Zarate began her journey to earning her Child Development Associate (CDA) at Briya Charter School in Columbia Heights, DC. With a CDA under her belt and a political science degree from UDC, Zarate pictures her future in participating in policy-making towards having necessary resources available, accessible, and affordable for all in the field of early childhood education
Platform: I am Gracie Zarate and I am running to fill the secretary position of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC)Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). My objective while in office will be to establish realistic, not idealistic, systems of record-keeping and effective systems of communication within USGA. Additionally, I hope to build and expand on the already established communication bridges between USGA, UDC campus administration, and the general student body. USGA meetings such as town halls are some of the only forums on campus where each student can be given full attention. Before the process of bringing ideas through the USGA can even begin, students must be comfortable using the resources available to them in order to participate in discussions brought up at meetings. Our previous secretary has left big shoes to fill but I can promise you that I will work tirelessly to fill them. Everyone I have had the pleasure to work with during my time at UDC knows that I am serious about my commitments. I am punctual, enthusiastic, and positive at every scheduled meeting. I firmly believe that transparency has to be not a courtesy but an imperative for effective communication to occur. Additionally, my exceptional academic standing is evidence of my effective note-taking and recording-keeping skills. During my time at UDC, I have been active in various student-led organizations. I have participated as a member in some organizations and I have had the honor to serve on the executive board of two organizations. Through these experiences, I have had the privilege to work at length with the current student body administration. I am very familiar with the responsibility that comes with student leadership and I look forward to joining SGA to be part of a larger community that works to better student life, on and off-campus.
Community College Student Government Association Candidates
Andrew Montano-Ventura – CCSGA President
Andrew Montano is a Washington, DC native and is a recent alum of the Urban Alliance Internship Program, specializing in professional work development, networking, and recruiting future members to the program. Andrew is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in AAS – Computer Sci-Tech at the University of the District of Columbia. Andrew is an Offensive Security Certified Professional licensed by Offensive Security and specializes in IT and Cybersecurity. Andrew was a recent intern at the National Museum of African American History and Culture where he implemented various IT security protocols for the network and employees to ensure a secure information security environment. Andrew is a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success as a Presidential member for having a GPA over 3.3. After graduation, Andrew plans to pursue a career in Cybersecurity and IT with the attained Associates’s Degree in computer science, and various certifications devoted to Information Security and Technology.
Platform: When entering office, I hope to accomplish my academic career successfully, as well as conducting motivation for my peers to succeed in their academics as well. The newfound motivation of becoming a presidential member will ensure me to stay focused on my academic studies and continue to help fellow students in finding the right balance for school and important personal matters. My objectives when taking office will be assisting students in the virtual learning environment to motivate them to complete their courses in a proficient and timely manner. Another objective will be to assist UDC in hosting various Virtual fairs, webinars, Signature events to make a presidential presence known that he is here for the student’s academic success. My availability for students to speak to if the workload from school gets too much to bear will be one of my top priorities. My last objective to note will be getting students back on track in their studies if they have fallen off. As a former student who fell off of keeping grades up, I know the importance of getting back on track to academic studies stronger than before, improving work ethic, and reassures yourself that anything is possible.
Graduate Student Government Association Candidate
John Irungu – GSGA President
John Irungu is a Computer Science graduate from Nairobi, Kenya who also considers D.C his second home. An alumni of UDC School of Business (SBPA), John has previously served as the GSGA Vice President. He also represented UDC as a Data Science Research Assistant in a flagship program with the Mayor’s research Unit, Lab D.C (2019) and participated in the District Leadership Program as an intern in the District of Columbia. His interests include current affairs, leadership, and diversity initiatives. John is also an ardent soccer fan. He plans to pursue a career in the field of computing.
Platform: The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the learning hard. Students all over the country and precisely University of the District of Columbia. It is in realization to this new normal that as a candidate for GSGA President, I propose and run on a student’s welfare platform. In the Graduate school at the University of the District of Columbia, most if not all students, pursue their academics as they simultaneously at a job or two some of which may have been affected by the pandemic. As the UDC GSGSA president, I will prioritize and work with the school administration in the provision of the requisite resources needed by the Graduate students to ensure a smooth pursuit of their academics and endeavor to meet their needs and interests. the GSGA President, I seek to achieve the following. • Advocate for the graduate student’s academic and social welfare. • Pursue student initiative and career partnerships with HBCU affiliated organizations. • Create a GSGA platform for the graduate students to address their most pressing needs directly to the student leadership. • Ensure graduate students are well versed with their rights, benefits, and opportunities. • Market UDC GSGA as a brand and a voice on student issues and those affecting the community
Omar Abdelrahman – GSGA Vice-President
Omar Abdelrahman is an Egyptian Student who attended UDC for his undergraduate program and is now attending the MARC program at UDC, Starting the industry at the age of 16, Omar has gotten to work for various verticals and various project types within the field of architecture. Among his other work experiences, Omar has worked on multiple set design projects for music videos, theater, and films that recently arrived on Netflix. After graduation, Omar will explore opportunities related to Architecture and hopes to move and work in Tokyo.
Platform: Identify student’s needs during virtual education -Determine and explain the re-opening steps for campus -Coordinate with and support the student body -Develop a method of communication or means of collecting student complaints -Explore a new support system structure for students