His involvement with StuCo is one of the ways Peter has remained a part of the Grebel community after moving off-campus in third-year. He appreciated the opportunity Associates have to stay connected while living off-campus. “I really enjoyed my time as a Grebel resident. When I moved to my own house with friends, I wanted to make sure that I stayed involved at Grebel.” As an Associate, Peter has been active as an intramural team captain and even produced the 2018 Beauty and the Beast Grebel musical.
As treasurer, Peter was responsible for drafting and managing the budget, and keeping track of StuCo expenses. He then went on to become vice-president for four terms. This role was “a behind the scenes act of helping out other StuCo members, being the student representative on College Council, and working with the StuCo president to make sure everything went smoothly.” The Wednesday night Student Council meetings were a weekly highlight – even when they stretched into the early hours of the morning.
Throughout his years on Student Council, Peter has appreciated the new insights and perspectives each member brings to their role. “It’s always interesting to see the different ways that people feel their role should function. The passion and drive that they bring to that role is refreshing.” Each year this leads to a diverse StuCo membership that represents the views of the diverse body of Grebelites who have elected them.
As Peter comes to the end of his time at Grebel, he noted how student leadership roles didn’t always come naturally. “I was quite nervous the first time I went up and gave a speech asking for people to vote for me as treasurer.” That nervousness grew when he was elected and he wanted to carry out his role well. However, the jitters didn’t last long. “I loved my time on StuCo - as people can probably guess, seeing as I was involved five times!” Peter encourages students to give leadership roles a try, even if it feels nerve-wracking. “It’s more rewarding than you could imagine, and a pile of fun as well!”
By Elizabeth Robertson