Interview by Aurore Laborie
Please introduce yourself
I’m Antony Rossi. I was born and raised in Chile, I’m also half-American on my mother’s side. I found out about Sciences Po through Columbia’s Dual BA and thought it was a perfect match with my interests (French language, politics, and economics).
What do you think the role of a student representative at Sciences Po Reims is/should be?
I think it’s right there in the name, isn’t it. A student representative is elected to represent his/her peers. I’ve set out a few proposals, but I think they’re less important than the students’ concerns, and that’s what I’d like to focus on if elected. Communication with the administration can sometimes be hard for some students, and reps are there to make that process less intimidating.
Why are you running to be a student representative?
There’s a variety of reasons that inspired me to run. For starters I think there’s a lot going on in the international political scene, and that students should be involved as much as possible. I also believe that if you don’t take part in politics, you can’t really complain about things not going your way. Another reason for me running was the fact that when I first got to Sciences Po, I felt that it was extremely easy to meet people. Now that several weeks have gone by, groups have settled and I can’t help but feel that some of our fellow students might have been left out. A representative must be a friend to the community, and I am prepared to take on that role.
What makes you qualified for this position?
I’m approachable, and always willing to talk to people I have not met before. Students need a representative that’s not intimidating, and I think I check that box. Moreover, I’m fluent in Spanish, English, and French (mais avec un accent), so this means I could still address the issues of students who are still struggling with their English and feel more comfortable communicating in French. I have a background in community service teaching Spanish to immigrants, and while this would certainly be different, I feel like it still links back to this idea of wanting to work for the community.
As a student representative what would be your mission/main goals (i.e. explain your platform)?
I centered my campaign around the central issue of the divides in our community. While it’s such a small campus, you can still see evident splits based on language. Having learned French in highschool, I’ve been able to break through this divide, but that has not been the case for everyone. I think that student reps could potentially work with some associations and bureaux to think of activities that might promote exchange. It’s easier said than done, but it’s definitely something I’d work on. Other than that, I want to address the quality of the sexual safety lecture we had at the beginning of the year with the administration, and I’d like to set up a bank of notes where any student in any class can submit their class notes (obviously voluntarily) for the benefit of their peers.
What is the one thing that as a student representative, you’d like to change or reform?
I mentioned it a bit earlier I think. I’d like to make the whole process of communicating with the administration a little less daunting and more expedited, and I think I’d be in a good position to achieve this.
Finally, if could be any living person for a day, who would you be and why?Why are you running for student rep?
Either of my parents. They’re both very hardworking people who’ve gone very far and achieved a lot throughout their careers. Since both of them are classical musicians, I am the black sheep of the family that decided to study politics, and yet, though I decided to follow a very different path, their work-ethic has always been a source of inspiration.
Photo: Giancarlo Di Rovasenda
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