Over the next few days, IRC representatives will be posting information about their positions in order to make sure everyone who may be interested in these opportunities will have a chance to become a candidate.

IRC Vice President Communications

Nicole Ferreira, the current IRC Vice President Communications, speaks about her role and why you should consider running in the upcoming election here:

My position is, in my opinion, the best position. There are so many perks and rewarding opportunities that I am constantly given in my role which results in me constantly having a blast! Essentially, my job is to keep students informed, help plan a provincial conference, attend conferences, market the council and work with external partners while helping the representatives settle into their positions and making sure the yearbook is being completed on time. In this role, you are always meeting new people from all over North America. I attended a conference in the States last semester. I met some of the most incredible people in my life and I was re-inspired to be the best I could be! If you’re the type of person who loves conferences like the MSU’s Horizons and CLAY this is the best position out there! Second semester, I have a more hands on role in the planning of a provincial conference which means I need to get a group of delegates together and work on a variety of competitions so that McMaster takes home each award! If you like planning events, this is also a great position because you can work out the little details of the conference as well. I also helped promote residence wide events at my committee to ensure that students in residence were making the most out of their first year experience by coming out to our events like Bed Races, Res-Wide formal, Frost Week and so on. I’m the one who gets the IRC’s name out there by whatever means, for example, I order IRC clothing for the volunteers. If you’re a people person this is such an amazing position. You’ll constantly be surrounded by people and working with others on various tasks. It’s a really interactive role. Another plus, you’re guaranteed a spot in residence as long as you have a minimum of a 5.0 average which is always great.

The worst thing about my job is probably the number of meetings I have to attend. There are a lot of meetings! However, it’s not that bad. I have one meeting I need to attend where I get to sit at the same table as Peter George—definitely amazing! I also run my own committee which allows for flexibility of what I need to accomplish. It also means that I always can get help from the volunteers if there’s a lot going on at a certain time.

If you’re interested in any of the upcoming IRC positions, feel free to contact me at nicole.martinsferreir [email protected] or attend one of our Proper meetings held in Gilmour Hall 111 on Tuesday nights at 10PM for the opportunity to speak to a current representative. IRC Presidential elections will take place on February 2nd, 2010 while the Vice-President elections are yet to be set. The Presidential campaign period opens January 25th and ends on February 1st at 11:59pm.

IRC Vice President Administration

Shanika Fernando, the current IRC Vice President Administration, speaks about his role and why you should consider running in the upcoming election here:

The interactions, friendships, experience and the memories that I have gained in my three years with the IRC has truly shaped my life in university. The IRC is more than just an organization, it is a family. A very big family actually! Starting off in first year I was lucky enough that my brother was the programming rep in Bates, and informed me of the IRC, and told me to go to some meetings to see how it was. From there, the rest you can say is history. After my first budget meeting I was a bit overwhelmed but excited to see how the IRC works, and to see how it affects student life, and the importance of it. About two years back around this time, Bates Hall was starting elections for the 08-09 Bates IRC reps. Without a doubt I knew that I wanted to run, and luckily enough I was elected as the programming rep. From programming events in Bates to helping organize res-wide formal, I really learned a lot. Not just about how to do my job, but how to work as a team, how to manage myself to make sure I get my deadlines completed. Now moving on to the main reason for this article! In my role as Vice President Administration, or VP Admin for short, I am responsible for rather mundane duties. Taking minutes for meetings that can last for more than three hours, booking rooms, compiling history of the IRC, and keeping the IRC organized. Seems rather boring right? How on earth can being the VP Administration be exciting, or how will being VP Administration help me later on in life? I mean, booking rooms? You’d think that I could have used my time much better. Apart from being able to network with different university groups such as the University Secretariat, Housing and Conference Services, Conference Services, MUSC administration, as well as Environmental & Occupation Health Support Services, or EOHSS. Networking, so bland right? Minute taking for the IRC. Should be an alright job, nothing much to type? Well no, not really. When meetings run for hours, and end at 2 AM, you know you are bound to get some sore fingers. How can learning how to type faster, and being able to stay awake and concentrate for 4 hours straight help you in any aspect in life. I know that it won’t help me take notes on my laptop in class… Knowing how McMaster is structured and being able to interact within it makes you feel as if you are a part of a bigger system within the university, in an aspect totally detached from the academic side of university life. University is way more about studies and education. What you learn in the classroom. Organization? How can being organize help me? …Well let’s be honest. Being the VP Admin has given so much to me. The skills that I have learnt I will defiantly keep for the rest of my life. The friendships, the memories are priceless. If you are looking to get involved with the university and give back to the community then you know what to do!

IRC Yearbook Editor

Current IRC Yearbook Editor, JP Del Carmen, speaks about his two years of experience as the editor for the IRC's yearbook:

A project that you spearhead is like a lasting relationship with a significant other. Sometimes you think you weren’t meant for each other; at other times it feels like a match made on eHarmony. You always have to work on the relationship; you can’t let anything slip past. If it’s an exclusive relationship, you’ll sometimes look at other projects, fantasizing about how good it would be to break the current one up and run away with the new project, but you’ll let your sensibility get the best of you because you know THIS project is good for you. Your relationship with this project, no matter how tumultuous and rocky, will always leave a positive impression because you believe that you didn’t choose this project, it chose you. It’ll teach you lessons about responsibility, and commitment, and believe it or not – like in a lasting relationship – this project will help you grow.

Now, you’ve probably already realized how masterful I am at metaphors/similes. OR, more likely, you’ve already realized that I am not. Regardless, let me make the connection.

In early May of 2008, I was hired as the Executive Editor of the IRC Yearbook. For two years I’ve worked with two different versions of the IRC and two different committees to produce two similar, but distinct, editions of the IRC Residence Yearbook. In a nutshell, my job entails a few things: -Page management and design
-Organization of the Yearbook budget and decision-making related to the best options for Residence Students
-Chairing weekly meetings with residence representatives (Yearbook FLIRCs)
-Organizing training sessions for FLIRCs who have minimal experience in the design
-Taking floor photos; preparation for floor photo sales
-Reporting back to the IRC and providing constant updates about the Yearbook project
-And so much more

It has been a great experience, to say the least. It wasn’t the easiest, but it’s never fun when something is too easy to reach. The challenge of it was the best. There were definitely some trying times when you have strict deadlines to follow and peak times when work needs to be done, but at the end of it all, it will be worth it. I often say that I have the best job on the council because I get to take home a book that I tirelessly worked on for the entire year – it’s a concrete reminder of a job well done. You’ll get to work with many incredible people – IRC Reps, the IRC Executive, Residence CA’s, HPA’s, and HCA’s, residents and most importantly – your Yearbook FLIRCs. This committee will keep you afloat as they help you shape the yearbook with the pages that shine the most. Residence Pages have always had a unique touch, and you will be amazed by how hardworking and resilient your FLIRCs will be.

So if you’re a person who is organized, responsible, and creative; if you love to interact with tons of people; if you have a knack for design; if you were born to lead - this position is for you. I can honestly say that these past two years of Yearbook have shaped my work ethic and introduced me to a lifetime of opportunities and of lasting friendships. It won’t even be a job – it’ll be an experience to remember.
Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] if you want to learn more about the position, and I’d be glad to give you some more insight.

Cheers,

JP

Originally Posted by temara.brown

IRC Yearbook Editor

Current IRC Yearbook Editor, JP Del Carmen, speaks about his two years of experience as the editor for the IRC's yearbook:

A project that you spearhead is like a lasting relationship with a significant other. Sometimes you think you weren’t meant for each other; at other times it feels like a match made on eHarmony. You always have to work on the relationship; you can’t let anything slip past. If it’s an exclusive relationship, you’ll sometimes look at other projects, fantasizing about how good it would be to break the current one up and run away with the new project, but you’ll let your sensibility get the best of you because you know THIS project is good for you. Your relationship with this project, no matter how tumultuous and rocky, will always leave a positive impression because you believe that you didn’t choose this project, it chose you. It’ll teach you lessons about responsibility, and commitment, and believe it or not – like in a lasting relationship – this project will help you grow.

Now, you’ve probably already realized how masterful I am at metaphors/similes. OR, more likely, you’ve already realized that I am not. Regardless, let me make the connection.

In early May of 2008, I was hired as the Executive Editor of the IRC Yearbook. For two years I’ve worked with two different versions of the IRC and two different committees to produce two similar, but distinct, editions of the IRC Residence Yearbook. In a nutshell, my job entails a few things: -Page management and design
-Organization of the Yearbook budget and decision-making related to the best options for Residence Students
-Chairing weekly meetings with residence representatives (Yearbook FLIRCs)
-Organizing training sessions for FLIRCs who have minimal experience in the design
-Taking floor photos; preparation for floor photo sales
-Reporting back to the IRC and providing constant updates about the Yearbook project
-And so much more

It has been a great experience, to say the least. It wasn’t the easiest, but it’s never fun when something is too easy to reach. The challenge of it was the best. There were definitely some trying times when you have strict deadlines to follow and peak times when work needs to be done, but at the end of it all, it will be worth it. I often say that I have the best job on the council because I get to take home a book that I tirelessly worked on for the entire year – it’s a concrete reminder of a job well done. You’ll get to work with many incredible people – IRC Reps, the IRC Executive, Residence CA’s, HPA’s, and HCA’s, residents and most importantly – your Yearbook FLIRCs. This committee will keep you afloat as they help you shape the yearbook with the pages that shine the most. Residence Pages have always had a unique touch, and you will be amazed by how hardworking and resilient your FLIRCs will be.

So if you’re a person who is organized, responsible, and creative; if you love to interact with tons of people; if you have a knack for design; if you were born to lead - this position is for you. I can honestly say that these past two years of Yearbook have shaped my work ethic and introduced me to a lifetime of opportunities and of lasting friendships. It won’t even be a job – it’ll be an experience to remember.
Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] if you want to learn more about the position, and I’d be glad to give you some more insight.

Cheers,

JP

Yay JP. : )