For the second year in a row, it was a completely digital student union election where everything from applications and interviews to campaigning and the actual voting took place at a distance. Despite this, the second highest turnout ever was noted. 371 of the union members voted, which corresponds to 16%. This is significantly more than 11% noted two years ago and only marginally weaker than last year's 18%!
- The fact that we have a high turnout despite distance studies and a membership loss shows that the students at Linnaeus University have a will to influence and change. It makes a big difference and I am sure that the newly elected board will use the trust they have gained to work for a better study time for all students, says Rebecca Esselgren, resigning president of the Linnaeus Union.
Here you can see the new board that will be presented at the members' meeting on 18 May:
President
Anton Jakobsson
Anton is 25 years old and will in June take a bachelor's degree in Political Science. During his studies at Linnaeus University in Växjö, he has been active in the student life of Växjö where he first sat as project manager in SAMVETES educational association where he was mainly responsible for arranging the introductory weeks for the new students. After this, he also sat as co-operation manager in Smålands Nation before he got the role as president of SAMVETES board 2020.
With his previous experience in the student life of Växjö, we believe that Anton will continue to lead the work forward within the union. Since he has been involved in association life, he will be able to see things from an association perspective to continue the good cooperation with the student associations in both Kalmar and Växjö. He is ambitious for the position and through his experience in the student life in Växjö, he will continue his knowledge to do a good job as president. He also expresses a curiosity and interest in also getting involved in how Kalmar's student life is and will use this to improve the business. His heart issue is the students' financial situation and the security situation on campus. Through communication with students, creating relationships also externally, further developing collaborations with the municipalities, public and private companies, he wants to use what he sees, an enormous potential, to develop Linnekåren.
Student Life Responsible Växjö
Ali Al-Zargani
Ali is 22 years old and will in June take a bachelor's degree in sociology in Växjö. During his studies, Ali has been very involved in student life. He has been on the board of Småland's nation for three years, one year in Samvete and has in addition been a mentor for Linnaeus University and a representative for both Vision and the sociology programme's program council.
Ali wants to contribute his experiences to create commitment and peace when student life can be resumed after the pandemic. He wants to include the international students, strengthen the bond between boards and their members, but also the communication between the associations and the student union. He wants to take on a leadership role where his focus will be on supporting, helping and communicating.
Student Life Responsible Kalmar
Mathias Reinius
Mathias is 25 years old and has studied media entrepreneurship. During his studies, he has been involved in the student association Meskalin and in Sjösjukan's student pub. Entrepreneurship is close to his heart and with knowledge from it he wants to help improve student life which made him want to apply for the position of Social Officer in Kalmar.
Mathias wants to be a driving voice within the student union to create more community between the associations in Kalmar, for example by creating more joint activities so that students can get to know people in other associations. He also wants to engage the students further by including them in the process of developing new events.
Responsible for Educational Matters Växjö
Jessica Hagström
Jessica is 26 years old and will take a bachelor's degree in the social sciences program with a focus on political science in June. She is currently a part-time member of the Linnaeus Corps, but has also been very involved in the various faculties at Linnaeus University in Växjö.
Already during her year as a part-time member, Jessica has been very interested in student politics and already knows what it takes to sit as an education supervisor in Växjö. She wants to continue her work to ensure that students receive high-quality education, and contribute to raising the voice of the students. In Jessica, Linnekåren will have a woman who is social and happy, but at the same time puts her foot down and will bring students' opinions forward with a solution-oriented communication. She will be effective in her work, and also highlights the aspect of collaboration with education supervisors in Kalmar so Linnaeus University offers the same regardless of place of study.
Responsible for Educational Matters Kalmar
Martin Thysell
Martin is 40 years old and has a law degree from Lund. He has extensive experience of board work by having served as chairman of a tenant-owner association with about a hundred apartments, but also sat on the Environment and Building Committee, the Children and Education Committee and the City Council.
Through his work with law, he knows how important it is to delve into details and to create a good quality in his work, but most importantly he is used to bringing someone else's action. He is good at making people feel seen and cared for. He will be independent, flexible, committed, and find creative solutions that others do not see. Martin will be the one who looks after the students' interests, reduce the injustices that arise in the studies and be a fair and responsible link between students and the university.
Board Representative Växjö
Antigoni Alvanou
Antigoni Alvanou is 25 years old and started studying for her master's degree in Mathematics and Modeling in Växjö 2020. As she is an international student, we see that this will help the student union's relationship with the exchange students in both Växjö and Kalmar.
Antigoni is passionate about student health issues and wants to help students in this by beeing on the student union board. She also wants to be a support for students who have come into conflict with the university. Even though she has no previous experience of board work, she sees it as something positive, she wants to absorb all the knowledge she can get and with that knowledge be able to reach out to students who feel that they do not get their voice heard. She is a good listener, driven and responsible person who will be an excellent board member.
Antonia Bohrisch
Antonia Bohrisch is 24 years old and is studying her second semester at her master's degree Business Process Control & Supply Chain Management in Växjö.
As a part-time member, she sees an opportunity to learn more about the university world and also a way to integrate more into Swedish society. She is passionate about safety on the Växjö campus and wants through this position to develop and create greater security for students. She will also be a good link to the international students. Antonia is driven, engaging and incredibly positive as a person and will be able to contribute with new perspectives that the student union benefits from.
Emilia Kulevska
Emilia is 23 years old and began her studies in the political science program in the autumn of 2020. Since then, she has been interested in students 'rights and obligations and now wants to take a seat on the Linnaeus Unions' board to work on these issues. By engaging in non-profit activities for several years, Emilia has accumulated experience of board work, statistics and administrative work. Among other things, she has been chairman of a youth association.
As a part-time member, Emilia wants to work for students' well-being and create meeting places where students can share experiences. Emilia wants all students' study time to feel valuable and safe and therefore wants to work to ensure that all students know their rights and obligations. She is a driven, determined and responsive person who is easy to bring her own and others' case.
Board Representative Kalmar
Frida Ikonen
Frida Ikonen is 22 years old and studies journalism and media production in Kalmar. A great interest of Frida's is communication, which she engages in both in her spare time and in her studies. She has previously been a member of youth unions and worked with environmental and sustainability issues.
Frida is an active and driven person with both feet firmly on the ground. As a part-time member, Frida wants to be a voice for the students she meets and be part of a network where they work together to make a difference together. With good knowledge of and interest in both communication and sustainability issues, Frida can contribute important perspectives for the student union's development.
Ludvig Karlsson
Ludvig Karlsson is 21 years old and has been studying Nutrition and Food Science in Kalmar since 2019. During his studies, Ludvig has been involved in student life and various educational issues by being chairman of CNaS, student representative and by sitting in the syllabus committee and the education council in health and life sciences.
As a part-time board member of the student union, he wants to raise the students' views on educational issues. He also wants to improve the relationship between the student union and the Kalmar students, which he can do with the help of his wide network of contacts on the Kalmar campus. Ludvig is a positive, social, responsible and energetic person who is passionate about getting involved on various fronts where he can help students.
Alexandra Elofsson
Alexandra is 28 years old and is studying in the basic teacher program with a focus on grades 4 - 6. During her studies, she has for several years been involved in the educational association Karolin and has held various board positions, currently as president. Through these assignments, Alexandra has arranged introductions and other events for students and carries with her important experiences about how Kalmar's student life works and what students demand.
As a part-time member, Alexandra wants to work to strengthen the contact between the educational associations and the student union, continue the work for a student pub in Kalmar and work for better well-being among students. With good experiences and a passionate commitment to student life, Alexandra can contribute very well in her role as a part-time member.
