Abdulrazaq Opeyemi Sefiu

Fellow graduate students, My name is Abdulrazaq Opeyemi Sefiu, a graduate student from the department of mathematics and statistics. I am honored to present my candidacy for the position of Executive Director (External Affairs). Like many of you, I came to graduate school with ambition, curiosity, and a desire to make meaningful contributions to my field. Along the way, I have also experienced the current challenges that is unraveling our union. Instead of staying away from the union and calling for it dissolution, I decided to contest for a position and correct some of the abnormalities in the union. If given the opportunity to serve, I will work with other stakeholders to investigate the past financial mismanagement and report back to all GSU members. I will also work with relevant stakeholders to amend the constitution in such a way that GSU elective positions will become less attractive to people that see the union as a means to enrich their pocket. Our graduate student union exists to ensure that every graduate student has a strong voice, meaningful support, and opportunities to thrive academically and personally. If elected as Executive Director, my goal will be to strengthen that mission by focusing on three key priorities: Accountability, advocacy and opportunity. Accountability: As part of my responsibility to schedule and chair weekly meetings of the executive, I would use that opportunity to make sure that accountability is a major priority of the administration. Advocacy: Graduate students deserve clear representation and strong support within the university. I will work to ensure that our concerns, whether related to funding, research resources, housing, or academic policies are clearly communicated to university leadership. My commitment is to listen carefully to students across all faculties and departments and bring those voices forward in decisionmaking spaces. Opportunity: - Graduate students are preparing not only to complete degrees but also to build meaningful careers. I will support initiatives that create professional development opportunities, including job fairs and collaborations that help students grow academically and professionally. By strengthening partnerships within the university and beyond, we can help graduate students access the skills, resources and experiences needed for success after graduation. If elected as Executive Director of External Affairs, I will approach this role with dedication, transparency, and a genuine commitment to improving the graduate student experience at Memorial University. Thank you for your time, your trust, and your participation in shaping the future of our union, I can assure you that I am a person of integrity and I will never let you down. So, help me God!!! Sincerely, Abdulrazaq Opeyemi Sefiu