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Student Senator Luke Byram
Luke’s experience with student governance started before his time here at UWT. He previously served on the Student Senate at Tacoma Community College. Luke views being a Student Senator as a privilege that allows him to work collaboratively with students and faculty to solve challenges the campus may face and help voice the views and concerns of his peers. He is also a seasoned disability advocate in the Tacoma area serving as Vice Chair of Tacoma Area Commission on Disabilities, as he himself is someone who experiences disabilities.
Having not been on the campus until Autumn 2021 due to the pandemic, Luke looks forward to immersing himself in as many campus activities as possible. His goals for the 2021-22 year are focused on holistic COVID recovery, student retention, campus climate, student accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Through his role as Student Senator, Luke hopes to continue improving how he collaborates with others and build consensus decision-making skills. Recognizing that we may not always agree on how to get to a goal, he believes we still have the same shared goals for the university.
“The past 18 months have been long, painful, and difficult. I hope we can continue to extend grace and acceptance for everyone and build community. Remember, the UW community works in packs. Don’t be shy or afraid to ask questions or request assistance and help. We all need help sometimes. Asking for help is difficult, but it is a sign of strength and courage, not weakness.”
Outside of being a UWT student, Luke is also passionate about non-profits and serves on a few in the local Tacoma area. He loves to eat food, socialize and have insightful conversations with peers and is working towards his career aspirations of becoming a practicing attorney.
Student Senator Chanise Nycole Jackson
Chanise spends a lot of her free time doing activist work and views advocating for students on a programmatic and institutional level as no different. She became interested in the Student Senate role when she realized that nearly all her positions of leadership around campus required her to work closely and intimately with students on student issues. Working closely with the former IAS senators, and receiving their support and advice, reassured Chanise that, as a Student Senator she could help make UWT a better place for marginalized and traditional students alike.
To some being a student senator means being a voice for the students within the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. Chanise doesn’t disagree with that sentiment, but believes the position is more defined by a willingness to put in the work, draw the connections and have the conversations deeply needed to ensure equity, accessibility, and accountability in our institution regardless of major or program.
Going into this role, Chanise looks forward to working with students, faculty and staff while garnering their concerns. She will also focus on working with the rest of the ASUWT senatorial team to brainstorm and implement solutions. With the pandemic on students’ mind as we return to in-person learning, she believes that student health and safety should always be a top concern. Throughout the year, however, she will also strive towards goals of equity, accessibility, and accountability in any space she is invited into.
“If I were to leave a few words of wisdom I would remind students not to rush through their experiences here. Although higher education induces many points of anxiety, UWT has many great opportunities that will allow you to slow down and ‘smell the roses’ a bit. At this point in our lives, we are sculpting ourselves into the people we want to be, and it is important we do this strategically but not at the expense of our mental/physical health.”
Chanise truly enjoys activist work and public service. Advocating for marginalized communities is something she has known her whole life. But when she is not busy with Student Senate, course work, or diving into research about human rights and social issues, you can find her enjoying a coffee at a poetry reading, writing, or even painting!
Student Senator Kevin Liu
Kevin was looking for a way to help UWT students who would be on campus for the first time since the pandemic. He felt that becoming a Student Senator would be a great way to share his prior campus experience with new students.
For Kevin, being a Student Senator means being available to his peers to hear their concerns and their thoughts on the state of the campus. He also hopes to be a valuable source of information to students, helping them navigate and connect to the different offices and services that they may need. Whether it is in person or through Zoom, Kevin is looking forward to meeting new faces around campus.
“Be responsible. Returning to in person works best if we're all looking out for each other. Have fun with classes and any other activities you can find either on campus or online. Last, being on a hill there are lots of stairs that will be daunting and tiresome to deal with for a while, but eventually the soreness in your legs will fade and you'll be climbing up and down with ease. You can do it!”
Kevin Liu is a senior majoring in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and has been at UWT for the past 3 years. He will be graduating in the winter of 2022 and plans to continue his education and pursue a career in law. Outside of studying, some of Kevin’s hobbies include Dungeons & Dragons (both as a player and a DM), games of all kinds from cards to MOBAs, and keeping up with current events. If you ever want to chat about these or other topics, feel free to stop during by his office hours either in person or via Zoom!
