I’m Gulim, and I come from Kazakhstan in the heart of Central Asia. I’m planning to major in Computation & Design or Media, but honestly, what drives me isn’t just academics. It’s figuring out how to make things work better for people around me. Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in educational projects where the real skill wasn’t having big ideas, it was learning to listen to what people actually needed and then building something that addressed those needs. I co-founded DebateLink AI (the first AI debate training platform with over 3000+ users from Central Asia) and worked with an EdTech startup for children with special needs, and what those experiences taught me is that good advocacy starts with understanding the problem from the people living it, not assuming you already know the answer.
I want to join the Student Advocacy Board because I see gaps between what students need and what actually gets implemented on campus. The SAB should be the bridge that turns student concerns about academic policies, campus resources, and student life into concrete improvements. I’ve worked as a business analyst for an EdTech startup where my job was literally to talk to users, understand their frustrations, and translate those into product changes. That’s exactly what student advocacy should be: systematic listening followed by strategic action.
I want to focus on three areas. First, improving transparency around how student feedback actually influences campus decisions. Students need to see that their voices matter, not wonder if anyone’s listening. Second, strengthening academic support systems through peer mentorship because I’ve seen how much students help each other when given the right structure. Third, advocating for better resource allocation for student initiatives. I know how to make the case for why student projects deserve funding and support.