Bassem Zaklama
Bassem Zaklama
HMC Candidate
Program: General Business
“Hey! My name is Bassem and I am currently in the General Business program as well as an active member of the Sheridan community. You can find me volunteering at the Sheridan Bike Hub, where I help students with bike repairs, or at the majority of SSU events, both on and off campus. I have also volunteered with the college through the Double-Blue Crew, helping new students find their way around campus. In addition to my volunteer work, I have participated in the Sheridan EDGE entrepreneurship boot camp, the Sheridan Leadership Conference, and the AGM. These events have allowed me to meet so many fantastic people, and learn more about my field. Additionally, I have competed at InnocaS.E 2.0, the case study presentation competition hosted by the SSU and Sheridan EDGE which has been a valuable experience in developing my public speaking skills and creative thinking in solving real-world problems. Beyond the organized activities, I enjoy meeting new people on campus and learning from those around me.“
What are some of the student issues that you would like to bring to the Board table?
✔ Environment & Sustainability
✔ Health and Wellness
✔ Transportation
Write about one of the current student issues you selected above. share why advocating for this issue is important to you:
“I believe that a better campus (or a better world, for that matter) starts with better people. The health and wellness of students are the foundation of any form of positive change. When students feel good, they have the energy and focus to do well in all the other aspects of their lives. Whether that be in their academics, their social life, or even ethical decision-making. Student health and wellness leads to a stronger and more productive world. When wellness is the priority, students perform better at school. It gives them the focus to study, learn, and think creatively. But the benefits don’t just stop at academics. It can make students more likely to engage meaningfully with the community, build stronger relationships with others, and make a positive impact through their actions. Students are more likely to join clubs, participate in events, volunteer, and take leadership roles when they feel healthy and well. This creates a great environment for everybody on campus. It improves the college experience and helps create people who are willing to contribute and help solve problems on campus and out in the world. This is because of the creativity and good decision-making that comes from good physical and mental health. This can include positive change in the other areas I want to focus on, like environmental sustainability and transportation. I do want to see improvements in those areas too, but it starts with the wellness of the students because healthy students are more likely to care about a healthy campus, a healthy community, and a healthy planet. Not only that, but the improved health of students would also mean that they are more likely to ride bikes instead of driving, which will reduce congestion on roads, and lead to better infrastructure such as bike lanes and public transit, which will be better for the students and the community. At the end of the day, healthy people equals a healthy world, so by focusing on health and wellness as the main student issue, I aim to make the biggest difference across all my key issues.”