Euram Candidate Interview: Krystof Stupka

Interview by Mariam Ben Slama

Please introduce yourself

My name is Krystof, I come from the Czech Republic but I lived in different countries. I am a very open-minded person, I am 19 years old. I am someone that likes talking to people and making connections. I have studied Anthropology and History which opened my understanding of social sciences and made me want to study them, so I am more than happy to be here in Sciences Po. I love the community, the people and the environment. I also have good communication skills. I have worked with NGOs, including the biggest one in my home country that deals with providing employment to disabled people. Therefore, I know what to ask for how to ask for it.

What do you think the role of a student representative at Sciences Po Reims is/should be?

Many people don’t really understand what the role of a student representative is. Before running, I went to old student representatives that are now 2As and asked about their jobs last year. I believe that it is not about telling people what to do, it is about talking to the administration and trying to find a consensus between them and the students by explaining our needs. I am not here to make people do things but rather to communicate with them and deliver the necessary focus to make the administration do what they should do.

Why are you running to be a student representative?

Although I love the campus, I still think there are things that should be changed. Considering the fact that I am social on campus, I can communicate what the students need to the administration and deliver the change the campus needs. It enables me to talk to people outside of my bubble, which is my favorite part about this. The reason why I am running is that I believe that students should be better represented and I think I can do that.

What makes you qualified for this position?

I have worked with many NGOs including one that provided people with jobs. I also worked for the European Youth Parliament where we organized events for 50,000 people every year. Besides that, I have constituted a whole student council at my school and worked with the students and the administration so that they’re effective. Unfortunately, I changed schools before the council started operating but it’s still working now. The fact that I lived in eight different countries and was around people from 35 nationalities made me completely open minded and convinced me that a consensus could be made even between completely different people.

As a student representative what would be your mission/main goals (i.e. explain your platform)?

I have three categories of goals:

• The Reims/Paris merge: I want to make sure that the administration is telling us what is happening and keeping us updated about how many people are coming, what classes are going to be given, how we are going to accommodate all our working space, and how we are going to solve the different issues raised due to this merge. I believe students should know about all this.
• Digitalization and environment: This includes the improvement of the Wifi and the organisation of a work space that is available for as long as possible.
• Communication and transparency: This is not about doing what I want but rather what the students want and to be their voice, which is the slogan of my whole campaign. For that to work, I want to implement mini referendums and questionnaires with specific questions about what people want to do. I am advocating for what the people think, and these procedures will show us what the students need and want. Being approachable is very important for me, that is why I use hashtags, a free hugs sign and social media platforms. Some people are just behind their computers and talk to the administration without being in touch with the students. I think that it is when you talk to new people that you learn new things. For example, last time I was talking to a fellow student she told me about how there were only three microwaves in the cafeteria and sometimes they don’t even work because the electricity is out. I would’ve never known if I didn’t ask her. I also want to make sure the associations have what they need and that the administration is providing them with that. I think a student representative should ensure that there is communication between all associations so that we’re all on the same page.

Finally, if you could be any living person for a day, who would you be and why?

This is a very interesting question. I think I’d like to be myself in 17 years to see what’s up and how my future looks. It will give me the ability to reflect on what I did and how I worked with what I had. Opportunities are always there, you just have to seize them. I think seeing my future self will definitely open my eyes.

Photo: Chloé Joubert

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