By Lis Zandberg
Can you briefly introduce yourself, and what position are you running for?
I am Matthijs Roobeek, 19 years old and in my fifth semester. I am majoring in Cognitive Science and Life Science, and am running for RASA Chair.
Why are you running?
I have been really passionate about RASA ever since I got here. The community has given me much joy, I really want to give something back.
Why are you running for this position specifically?
I am running for RASA Chair because the RASA board needs an enthusiastic and engaged leader, something I would qualify for. I like being in charge and responsible, and would love to be the new face of RASA. I believe that communication is key, and want to be involved to my best extent.
How would you encourage students to participate in events and improve commitment to societies?
In my opinion, there is a need for more structure amongst the societies, something I hope to work on if the community agrees with my plans. It is very easy to lose track of all the events that are organized by the many societies. I myself am mainly involved in the affairs of SportsCo and CogniCo. I feel like I have not been in contact enough with other societies to be aware of the events. I propose a change to an umbrella system, where closely related societies communicate and work together under a controlling unit. This will allow for more structure, better promotion, and more communication, improving the clarity and participation of students.
Do you have any other important plans?
I want to improve communications not only within UCR, but also to management of UCR. As SportsCo Chair I have been in close contact with UCR Management and other institutions whilst working on the Sports Center project. The communication there can be improved significantly. If elected as RASA chair, I could achieve much more and have a stronger position in the negotiations.
What would be a fun new event you would love to introduce in IntRoweek?
It would be great to increase bonding of students outside of their IntRoweek family. I propose games that give students the opportunity to break the ice. Games like ‘Saboteur’, where families mingle and students get to tactically sabotage each other, sound like a lot of fun to me!
Lis Zandberg, Class of 2016, is a History and Antiquity major from Helden, the Netherlands.
