Meet your officer candidates and find out about their plans for the year.
Postgraduate Officer
WenZhe Xie (Vincent)
WenZhe Xie (Vincent) is on the MA Applied Theatre course.
Have a question? Contact them at [email protected]
Who are you and why would you be good for the role?
I’m an international student from China. My own culture and previous experiences have shaped me into a polite, outgoing, and open-minded person, so I’m willing to learn about different cultures and ideologies that thrived under these cultures, and of course, I’m happy to help others to build a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, allowing us to explore our possibilities without feeling anxious.
What 3 goals do you think you could make happen in a year?
- One of the biggest goals I want to achieve is to hold some activities about the traditional festivals of different countries at Central. I hope that through such activities, more international students can bring their cultures to Central, and more students can learn about the cultures of different countries, promoting the integration of cultures from various nations. I believe that such activities can not only make cultural exchange a part of the drama exchange, but also make most international students feel the warmth of home at Central.
- The second goal is that I’ve noticed some of our postgraduate students often struggle with reading and writing some essays. Therefore, I hope to organize some reading and writing exchange activities through the student union. We can allow postgraduate students to introduce books that are helpful for theatre studies and that they are willing to share with others. We can also allow some students who have good reading abilities to help others improve their reading skills. Of course, I also hope that through this activity, we can help some students who are not confident in their English abilities to have more opportunities for practice and communication.
- Finally, I hope that postgraduate students from different backgrounds can have the opportunity to organize some workshops where they can share their previous learning with others. This not only helps them consolidate and further develop their knowledge but also enables postgraduate students from different courses to have the chance to learn more about drama, opening up more possibilities for their future research.
Halle Utterback
Halle Utterback is on the MA Musical Theatre: Acting and Performance course.
Have a question? Contact them at [email protected]
Who are you and why would you be good for the role?
Hey y’all! I am a current postgraduate student in the MA: Musical Theatre course who is passionate about representing others and making sure postgrad voices are heard. I understand the unique challenges postgraduates face and want to improve communication, support, and opportunities for our community. I’m organized, approachable, and committed to creating positive change. As a hispanic/white international student from the United States, I also bring the perspective of two different group demographics and will work to make sure all students, especially those from international and minority backgrounds feel seen, supported, and included.
What 3 goals do you think you could make happen in a year?
- Launch a Postgrad–Undergrad Peer Support Program
Undergraduates could benefit from relatable guidance, and who better to give that than postgraduates who have been in their shoes and have so much experience to share. I will propose a “Postgrad Buddy” system, pairing willing postgraduates with undergrads for informal mentorship and support. This would help build connections across levels, ease the transition into university life, and offer leadership opportunities for postgrads. - Continue to expand Support for International Postgraduate Students
As an international student, I know how overwhelming it can be to navigate visas, housing, healthcare, and settling into a new country. I will work to improve the international student experience by showing resources for clearer guidance, culturally aware support services, and more inclusive induction activities tailored to postgraduates arriving from abroad. - Build a Stronger Postgraduate Community Across Courses
Postgraduates often stay within their own departments, which tends to limit and restrict the community build. I will work to bridge the gap between different postgraduate majors by organizing cross-course meetups, academic mixers, and collaborative events — creating more chances to connect, share ideas, and build a unified postgraduate community.
El Newell
El Newell is on the MFA Advanced Theatre Practice course.
Have a question? Contact them at [email protected]
Who are you and why would you be good for the role?
My name is El Newell, I use they/she pronouns, and I am a first year MFA ATP student at Central. Previously, I obtained my BFA at the University of Victoria in Canada, where throughout my four years I served as a student representative, treasurer, vice-president, and then president of the Theatre Course Union. This union represented all undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in theatre courses at UVic, and our key mission was representing the voices of the students, which I did in my monthly meetings with the faculty and staff of our department, as well as hosting weekly meetings, as president, open to all theatre students. I also worked with a 5-figure budget to plan events, award student bursaries, and pay honorariums to visiting artists to hold workshops about trauma-informed theatre practice, and to Indigenous elders for helping us keep the Theatre Course Union as equitable and informed as possible in our acknowledgement of Indigenous land and culture in our weekly meetings. I believe my experience, drive, and care towards student rights and union policies make me a perfect fit for the role, and I know I will be able to represent the postgraduate community with respect and dedication.
What 3 goals do you think you could make happen in a year?
- As Postgraduate Officer, I would work to advocate for the experiences and concerns of all postgraduate students at Central. One of the goals I have for this year ahead is to form both personal and professional relationships with members of all MA/MFA courses at Central. I believe that to be a student representative, you must make connections with the students you are supposed to be advocating for. I will be more than just a name on the SU website, but a face in the halls that all students feel they can speak to about any areas of concerns. I also hope to make the same connections with faculty, so that communication becomes easier and smoother through all parties.
- Another goal of mine is to implement and cement consistent in-term feedback, so that student experience is considered, discussed, and applied as the course is progressing, not only at the end of the term.
- A third goal of mine is to advocate for the international student community, because, as an international student myself, the transition period does not end at induction week– and having another international student representing a very prominently international postgraduate community would add to the ease of communication I would strive for as Postgraduate Officer. The Postgraduate Officer roles of attending meetings, taking minutes, and working events are all ones I am very familiar with, and have been for the past four years, so my biggest goal as Postgraduate Officer is to go above and beyond my past experience to be a change-making voice for all postgraduate students, and to help set a precedent for further Postgraduate Officers to come.