Team WRC, a play on the word “teamwork”, is looking to propose fresh ideas that will “decentralize” and diversify Concurrent Education student opportunities and increase involvement.

Presidential candidate David Wiercigroch, vice-presidential (external) candidate Hannah Ramsay and vice-presidential (internal) candidate Sarah Chin, all ConEd ’16, are the only team in the race for the Concurrent Education Students’ Association (CESA) executive.

Wiercigroch currently sits on CESA Council as treasurer, and was academic affairs commissioner last year, during which time Ramsay served as CESA’s senator. Both said their experience on CESA Council has given them an understanding of the society’s inner workings that will be a major asset in their intended positions.

Unlike Wiercigroch and Ramsay, Chin’s experience has been more external. Her experience as a Teach Executive, Walkhome staffer and supporter of the Jack Project have helped her develop her understanding of the diversity of people and interests, she said.

A major focus for the team is establishing new opportunities for students and increasing awareness of the existing opportunities.

“We’ve heard a lot from people who want to get involved,” Chin said. “We’re hoping to bring fresh ideas and are asking for feedback so that we can meet the needs of the students in our Faculty.”

“In Con-Ed, sometimes you see the same people involved over and over again,” Wiercigroch added.

“We want to see people who might never have been involved in Con-Ed before get involved.”

One of Team WRC’s proposed initiatives is establishing the faculty’s first internal clubs, where a new “CESA Club Grant” will be made available for Con-Ed students who wish to start their own club.

“We want to get students to think about what makes them passionate,” Wiercigroch said.

The team also wants to continue this year’s effort to expose first-years to Council opportunities. To increase interest, they plan on creating a space during frosh week where Council members and first-years can interact organically.

In commemoration of the Concurrent Education program’s 40th anniversary, Team WRC wants to establish new Homecoming traditions that are “unique to Con-Ed alumni”, Ramsay said.

The goal would be to give alumni a space to reconnect with their class and to share their experience with current students.

“It’s also an excellent experience for us to talk to the alumni and to hear stories and to re-fulfill them with that sense of Queen’s pride,” Ramsay said. “I met with the Alumni Relations Office and they said it was very feasible.”

Team WRC is also looking to improve the practicum experience, where Con-Ed students gain hands-on experience working in a classroom.

Ramsay described the practicum process as “bleary”.

The team is looking to collaborate with the Education Graduate Student Society to develop a resource to help students gain a better sense of what the practicum is, Wiercigroch said.

The resource would benefit both student bodies, as they both have placements, he added.

Developing stronger interfaculty relationship is another of the team’s main goals.

According to Ramsay, Team WRC has already met with the two teams running for ASUS executive, and they said they could have a good relationship with either of them.

Team WRC will be at CESA’s Candidate’s Forum on Thursday, Jan. 22, in Dunning 12 at 6:30 pm.