Afua Asante

As a first-year Cybersecurity graduate student, my journey with the GSA began in Fall 2024 when I was appointed Administrative Officer. In this role, I worked diligently to improve efficiency, ensuring that every meeting was documented, every action item was followed through, and every voice was heard. I introduced innovative tools to streamline GSA operations, eliminating inefficiencies and creating a functional document management system that has become a cornerstone of our organization’s workflow.

Recognizing the importance of accountability and transparency, I developed a peer evaluation tool that empowers executive board members to assess performance and efficiency, fostering a culture of responsibility and continuous growth. My commitment to operational excellence extends beyond administration—I played a key role in the Fall 2024 Professional Development Event, designing a signature card system that enhanced student engagement with career advisors and expanded professional networking opportunities.

When the Vice President position became vacant, my peers and faculty advisors unanimously entrusted me with the role. In this capacity, I have had the privilege of representing graduate students at critical forums, advocating for improved systems (especially for international students), increasing access to campus resources, and addressing issues that impact our well-being. My leadership has always been centered on ensuring that every graduate student at GVSU feels supported, valued, and empowered.

Now, as we approach a pivotal moment for the future of the GSA, I am ready to take on the responsibility of President. With my institutional knowledge, proven leadership, and deep commitment to student advocacy, I am fully prepared to lead our community forward. In my tenure as President, I intend to work more closely with the Padnos Center for International Students, strengthening support systems for international graduate students and ensuring that they have access to the resources they need to thrive academically, professionally, and personally.

I am not just prepared to take on this role, I have already been excelling in it. My work speaks for itself, and my dedication to this community is unwavering. I am asking for your support to continue the momentum we have built together.

 

Francis Xavier Monari

Having served as the Admin Officer, I have actively participated in Funding Board meetings, gaining valuable experience in the financial approval process and understanding how funds are allocated to support student initiatives.
With my background in biostatistics and data analysis, I bring strong analytical and financial management skills to ensure transparency, efficiency, and strategic resource allocation. My experience with GSA finances gives me the insight needed to advocate for responsible budgeting and ensure that funding decisions align with the needs of our graduate student community.
I will work to enhance financial accountability, improve accessibility to funding for student organizations, and streamline processes to make financial decisions more transparent and effective. My goal is to maximize GSA’s resources to support professional development, networking, and student success.
I would be honored to serve as your Finance Officer and contribute to strengthening GSA’s financial impact. I appreciate your support and look forward to the opportunity to represent you!

Ranjith Kumar Patil

I am committed to making the graduate student experience at GVSU more enriching, inclusive, and impactful. As an international student, Teaching Assistant, and Mental Health Ambassador, I understand the academic, professional, and personal challenges we face. If elected to the GSA e-board, I will work to ensure every graduate student feels supported, connected, and empowered.

With my leadership experience as a Quality Assurance Engineer Team Leader, I have successfully collaborated with diverse teams, improved processes, and organized knowledge-sharing sessions. These skills will help me advocate for student needs, facilitate better communication between the administration and students, and drive meaningful initiatives.

One of my key goals is to enhance career development opportunities by organizing networking events with industry professionals and alumni, ensuring students have access to valuable mentorship and job prospects. Additionally, I will focus on fostering a more inclusive community by creating spaces where students from all backgrounds feel welcomed, heard, and supported—just as I have done by actively challenging stereotypes and making new students feel at home.

I am also passionate about mental health advocacy and will work to improve resources and awareness initiatives to ensure students can balance their academic and personal well-being.

To me, leadership is about fostering a culture where people feel valued, ensuring that decisions are made with integrity, and having the confidence to take risks while considering their impact on others. It’s about listening, learning, and creating opportunities for growth. These values guide my leadership, and I am ready to serve, support, and represent you. Let’s build a stronger, more connected graduate community together!

Lucy Groothuis

As a rising second-year graduate student, I am eager to bring my skills in organization, communication, and leadership to the role of Administrative Officer for the Graduate Student Association (GSA).

As Administrative Officer, I would aim to accomplish the following:
- Foster a connected graduate student community—ensuring that all individuals feel heard, supported, and empowered to succeed.
- Promote interdisciplinary collaboration and a positive graduate student experience—supporting the Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs) that enrich the graduate student community.
- Ensure effective communication within the GSA and broader student body—to cultivate a positive, inclusive environment where all students have a voice.

I graduated last year from the University of Chicago with my degree in Biological Sciences cum laude and minor in Spanish. During my undergraduate experience, I participated on the cross-country and track teams which gave me the opportunity to develop key team-building and recruitment skills. As an All-American student-athlete who worked many jobs, I learned to balance various roles and responsibilities, which will undoubtedly be an essential quality to serve as a board member of the GSA.

From my research experiences as an undergraduate, to working as GA for the Anatomy and Physiology laboratories at GVSU and my thesis work on immunology education, my background is grounded in the hard sciences. Despite this, I am passionate about the value of a meaningful, well-rounded educational experience across disciplines. If given the opportunity to serve on the Executive Board of the GSA, I would uphold this value by striving to cultivate a cohesive and well-supported graduate student community.

I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with fellow board members to continue to better the graduate student experience here at GVSU. 

Kwaku Boamah

I am eager to bring my leadership, communication, collaboration, creative vision, technical expertise, and passion for storytelling to support the mission of the Graduation Students Association. 

I have served in many students' leadership positions ranging from being a House Prefect of an on-campus residential facility to being the vice - president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of my alma mater. In these roles, I advocated for the general well-being and interests of the people I represented, creating an enabling environment for academic and career success and building strong relationships between students, faculty, school administration and external communities through active dialogue and collaboration, empowering students and ensuring their voices were heard.

Subsequently, I served as a two-term President of the Young People's Guild (YPG)  and the Captain of the Boy's Brigade of my congregation. Hitherto my relocation to the USA to further my studies, I worked as Manager, Business Continuity and Crisis Management of a multinational telecommunication company where I lead and worked with people of diverse backgrounds, ages and different expectations to achieve set goals. These experiences deepened my understanding of creating a collaborative and inclusive environment, global perspective, and strengthened my ability to create positive, inclusive, and belonging environments for students, skills that I believe are directly applicable to this role.

As the Senior Lead Photographer and Videographer at Inphynite Images, I have led a team of eight professionals and assistants in delivering high-quality visual content for clients. In this role, I managed end-to-end content production, from concept development and shooting to editing and post-production, using tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and Premiere Pro. I developed and implemented social media strategies that boosted online visibility and client engagement across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. To get the events of the GSA to the target audience, these skills I believe are crucial to this position. My ability to communicate clearly and effectively whether through emails, designing flyers, or writing social media posts would help the GSA maintain a professional and consistent voice.

Beyond my professional work, I have volunteered as the Head of the Technical Team at the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Praise Congregation, where I built and managed the church’s social media presence, creating engaging content to connect with the congregation and promote activities. I also trained volunteers in sound engineering, photography, videography, and social media management, ensuring the sustainability of digital media efforts. 

Currently, I volunteer as the Photographer, Social Media and Communication Officer for International Friendship Inc. (IFI) in Grand Rapids,  where I manage the social media accounts, creating and posting content that increases visibility and engagement on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram. I develop and execute social media strategies that align with the organization's branding and resonate with target audiences.   

I am proficient in tools like Canva, CapCut, and Premiere Pro and have a deep understanding of design principles and storytelling. My ability to create visually compelling content, combined with my experience in managing social media platforms, makes me a strong fit for this role.