Jonathan (Divine) Angubua

Jonathan (Divine) Angubua, a second-year student specializing in history and political science, is running for vice-president equity of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) with the It’s Time UTM slate. 

In an interview with The Varsity, Angubua identified as an artist and a writer. He believes that students want to experience a livelier campus life and a more connected community. He hopes to create a campus that supports students outside of academia and “really shows up for the students where they need it the most.”

Angubua currently serves as the co-president of the African Students Association. He believes that serving in this position has helped him understand the support clubs and student groups need. This experience also helped him learn how to run a team and best utilize the resources that are available to students. Angubua is also an executive member of the Black Literature and Arts Club, and served on the planning committee for the UTMSU’s Black History Month.

Angubua hopes to increase the UTMSU’s transparency and hold biweekly town halls where students can address issues and promote their ideas and solutions. 

Ruth Alemayehu

Ruth Alemayehu is a fourth-year neuroscience specialist who also majors in Biology and Health Sciences. She is running on the Thrive UTM slate. 

In an interview with The Varsity, Alemayehu mentioned that her time this past year as a racialized student coordinator at the UTMSU has given her insight on addressing equity-related issues. While in this role, she planned UTMSU’s Black History Month programming. This past year, she also served as the co-president of the Black Students Association at UTM and mentored Black youth in the Peel-Halton area. 

Alemayehu told The Varsity that as a Black student in STEM, she has noticed the low number of Black students in the field, and wants to advocate for them. 

She also claims her personal experience with Accessibility Services, as well as her experience growing up in a low-income community in Toronto, will help her succeed in the role of VP equity. 

If elected, Alemayehu hopes to expand the Black mentorship program that she implemented this year, and increase accessibility on campus. She also emphasized that her team would like to expand cultural diversity at the UTMSU. 

Zaryab Nisar Ahmad Chaudhry

Zaryab Nisar Ahmad Chaudhry is a second-year financial economics student running for vice-president equity with the United UTM slate.

“It’s just the role that spoke to me the most,” Chaudhry explained. “After my experiences having lived in residence for my whole two years of university, I found that I had a very special connection with my community.” 

In an interview with The Varsity, Chaudhry explained that his experience as a Residence Student Staff allowed them to serve the student body as well as work with and support others within a team setting. 

This unity will be the central focus of Chaudhry’s campaign. He explained that he and his slate “wants to establish the city connection between the student body and the UTMSU.” He continued by saying that “this is essentially a commuter campus, and I want to get rid of that vibe.” 

“I want to declare outwardly that I am stealing all of my campaign ideas and where my perspective is coming from Hazel McCallion,” Chaudhry said, highlighting the late mayor of Mississauga. “I want to be that sort of a contributor in this community, where people regard me in that regard, like Hurricane Zaryab… I feel like that is my true purpose.” 

Mariam Matar

Mariam Matar, a second-year student double majoring in biology and chemistry, is running on the Elevate UTM slate. 

In an interview with The Varsity, Matar highlighted the importance of collaborating with different student organizations across UTM to ensure that the UTMSU’s activities are inclusive. Matar said she is “zealous to promote the beauty of different cultures” by working with student clubs. 

She mentioned her experience as a first-year representative of the Lebanese Student Association, where she helped organize the Haritna charity event in concert with the Middle Eastern Students’ Association, raising $2,000 for charity. She hopes to organize more charity events for countries in crisis. 

Matar wants to promote Indigenous cultures on campus, saying that she would organize regular events with Indigenous organizations. 

Matar told The Varsity that her campaign prioritizes elevating women’s rights. She wants to create an accessible online platform that women could use to anonymously lodge sexual harassment complaints. She also wants to address women’s needs by advocating for women-only private fitness spaces at the Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness Centre.