Elections of Officers and Select Leadership Positions

Cast your vote for the representatives of the IST student community to administration, faculty, and staff

Review candidates below prior to voting at bottom of page. Each voter is allowed to cast one ballot per election. Voting is confidential. Eligible voters are undergraduate students enrolled in one or more academic programs, or an INFTP pre-major, in the College of IST at the University Park campus of Penn State.

Candidates for President

As a capable leader with a lengthy history of serving the Penn State community, I am a well-qualified and capable candidate to serve as the President of the IST Student Government. My experience within the community includes both executive and service-oriented roles: I have served as the President of the Penn State Developer Student Club, the Corporate Relations Director of the Penn State ACM, and been an organizer with HackPSU. I have been recognized as a student leader by the university through the Student Leader Scholarship, and have developed relationships with a diversity of figures in the IST community, including students, professors, faculty, and staff.

Outside of the Penn State community, my experience is also a testimony to my focus on service and capability for leadership: I have served as the executive director of two youth-led nonprofits, been a volunteer and organizer with robotics competitions and political campaigns, and acted as a founder and manager of community-oriented online initiatives. I currently work with Major League Hacking as a hackathon coach, travelling around the country to assist and lead high school and collegiate hackathons, making an impact on hundreds of people every single month.

As the president of the IST Student Government, I will be a focused and mindful advocate and representative for the IST student body. My focus will be on the betterment of the College of IST, with an initial goal of promoting student engagement and increased career opportunities.

Thank you for your consideration, and the opportunity to serve.

With previous involvent in student government in high school. I will help get the voices heard of all in the College of IST. My objective is to try and make this the best college on campus with trying to improve everything we can. WE ARE

Hello, my name is Olivia Olchowoj. I am a junior majoring in cybersecurity here in the College of IST. At Penn State, I am also a member of Army ROTC and the Penn State Women’s Rugby team. I am very passionate about my school work and strive to improve my environment every day. If elected president my goal is to receive as much feedback from students within the College of IST and relay that information up in order to improve the college overall. I also want to explore new ways with professors of teaching us students due to the difficulty of the ongoing pandemic.
In Army ROTC I have learned leadership, and as a member of the rugby team, I have learned to be an effective communicator, but also how to work as a team. I believe these three qualities would make me a very efficient president in the College of IST. In Army ROTC I have learned leadership, and as a member of the rugby team, I have learned to be an effective communicator, but also how to work as a team. I believe these three qualities would make me a very efficient president in the College of IST. I am excited for this opportunity and if elected look forward to working with the College of IST to try and improve an already great college within Penn State.

Hello College of IST! My name is Caroline Sparrow and I am a rising senior studying Cybersecurity with an econ minor. I am running to be part of your 2021-2022 IST Student Government because I want to work towards meaningful change for the benefit of students within the college. One way IST Student Government could work towards meaningful change is by creating an advocacy program to teaching faculty and staff, lobbying for low-cost textbooks and courseware alternatives for students. Textbooks can break the bank any year for students, and it should not be that way when there are so many alternatives out there. IST Student Government should also be working towards implementing the changes you want to see around Westgate. One way I believe we could make this by creating an improvement survey. Feedback on this survey could help IST Student Government look for ways to improve what we are doing as well as discuss with faculty and staff ways the college can improve as a whole.

I believe that by listening to what you have to say, the College of IST Student Government can work towards improve your 4-5 years here. As someone who has previously served as IST Student Government Secretary, I know there is room for us to do better and make meaningful change for everyone. Other leadership experience has included serving as Tech Director for Homecoming. I am ready to advocate for what you need.

I am currently a third-year student majoring in Cyber Security & Analytical Operations at Penn State University. My current occupation is as an AppleCare Technical advisor. My role as a technical advisor is to be the voice of Apple and strive to deliver world class customer service solutions. I excel in challenging and placing my critical and analytical thinking to the test. I am currently focused on developing more real world business skills to coincide with my current experiences and develop a strong foundational background in Technology and Business. I feel that this position would give me the opportunity to sharpen my leadership skills and repay the institution that has given everything. I am determined and willing, and I sincerely hope you consider me for this position.

Candidates for Vice President

I am a current sophomore studying Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations with a focus on law and policy, and I am committed to ensuring that all our students feel included and welcome in our amazing IST community. Through my work as a diplomat and learning assistant for the college, I have the privilege of representing the college to prospective students, as well as being an academic resource for current students. Being in these roles, I have strived to improve the student experience in the College of IST, and I would like to serve in the IST student government for that exact reason. I strive to improve the college experience for all IST students in any way that I possibly can, and if elected, I can ensure you that I will serve in the interest of all students in any way that I can. This includes things like creating more prevalent opportunities to provide feedback, putting career events and opportunities in the spotlight, and providing all the necessary academic resources that students need. I want to help make your experience as an IST student better, and I believe that I can achieve this goal as a member of the IST student government.

Hello all, I am nominating myself for a leadership position within the IST Student Government to provide a better experience for all students, new and old. I wish to keep this short and sweet and allow for my history to speak for itself. I have held many leadership positions in clubs since high school, ranging from fundraising, treasurer and vice president. I have been successful in these roles and am excited to be a voice for all who are part of the IST Student Government. Without a doubt, while I am taking classes and working in IST, my goal is to prioritize my three duties, not letting one fall behind or take priority. I want to be here for everyone in the College of IST and uphold my duties to the greatest extent. I look forward to being apart of the IST Student Government.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwburger/

I am running for the IST government board because I think I can make a major impact on how the College coordinates it’s programs/events. Also, IST needs to have more in person events next year as opposed to virtual and I will push for that to happen as much as possible! IST has a lot of benefits, but with us together we can develop a lot more opportunities and events for the students in the College of IST.

Being an upcoming senior in Applied Data Science within the College of IST, I have had many experiences in clubs, research, and internships. I currently am the Merchandise Chair for IST Benefits THON. My goal is to bring IST students together and provide students ample opportunities for engagement in the community. I know how stressful coursework can be, I want to help alleviate this stress by giving students as many resources for success as possible.

I believe that I will be an excellent choice for an appointed leadership position because I have experience leading successful groups and I am a great team player through teamwork. I grew up playing sports and being named captain of my sports teams so I know what it takes to motivate and work with a team to ensure that we will be successful. I am a junior cybersecurity major.

Candidates for Secretary

Being in the college of IST has made me grow as a person and has helped me find out what I want to spend the rest of my life doing- helping others within the areas of intelligence and information sciences. Ever since I was admitted to the college of IST, I have wanted to become more involved with sharing the things I love with others. I am a Security and Risk Analysis major with a focus on Intelligence Analysis and Modeling, and a minor in Information Sciences and Technology. Penn State has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and even though the College of IST has only been introduced to my life recently, I want to make sure my time within the college is memorable, and also make an impact. I can be found involved in multiple clubs and activities outside of doing school work like the Strategic Analysis and Intelligence Leadership Program, PSU Crossfit Club, Blue and White Society, and more. I think holding a position within the student government for the College of IST could help me strengthen my professional and personal skills, allow me to connect more with those working around me, and I think that I can bring key leadership skills like teamwork and inclusion to the table. As secretary, I would use my time-management skills and responsibility to keep records, and engage with others through managing digital media presence.

I would love to represent the College of IST as Secretary of the IST Student Government. I am passionate about this field and I believe that I have a lot to offer this position. I am an advocate for change and I will ensure every students voice is heard.

My name is Bhavya Devarsu and I am running for the position of the IST Student Government secretary. I am currently working towards my bachelors degree in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations. I believe I am a suitable candidate to be the IST Student Government secretary, as I have the qualities, skills, and experiences of leadership, along with organizing, planning, communication, and digital media skills. As the secretary, I will endeavor to do my best in delivering communication between the different channels and maintaining the digital media presence, along with doing my best to maintain accurate records and recording the meeting minutes. Lastly, I am running for the position of secretary because I want to be more involved in the IST community and want to help make positive changes.

I am a CYAOP major looking to be the next secretary for IST Student Government! As secretary, I will make it my top priority to keep the IST student body informed regarding student government decisions.

Hello my dear friends, my name is Rahul Manda, and I am currently attending Penn State University Park pursuing Applied Data Sciences as well as an Entrepreneurship minor. It would be an honor for me to serve as part of the IST Student Government as the secretary. I have always aspired to run for this position since I came to Penn State. With my previous experience including my previous internship, club positions, and social skills, I hope to serve the Student Government well if elected. Thank you reading.

Candidates for Treasurer

Ben Kabatt

Looking to get involved more in the IST community and willing to help others to do the same. I feel that becoming apart of the student government is an excellent way to do so. I am organized, devoted to school, and have great time management, so I feel that I would do well as treasurer. I’m currently a second semester freshman with the desire to be involved all four years.

Candidates for Program Coordinator

Looking to get involved more heavily in the IST community, I feel that I am a strong candidate for Program Coordinator. This is the perfect opportunity for me to create a positive influence and bring people together.
I currently serve as a learning assistant. In addition, I am involved in WIST and Women’s Club Ice Hockey. In my free time, I am a photographer and often volunteer my talents for friends, family, and those who ask.
Although I do not have a large amount of leadership experience, I am extremely interested in organizing events and communicating with faculty, staff, and students. As Program Coordinator, I am looking to increase involvement and interest in opportunities within the college. Currently, I have begun achieving this through volunteering with Women in Technology, a program created to welcome newly accepted female students to the College of IST.
For your consideration, time and effort, thank you for the opportunity to work with the college.