Ben Prunty for CSU President

LettersRafael Sordili — Published March 11, 2014

For the last three years I have been working for the Counselling and Development department as a student success mentor, and I am also the president of the Garnet Key Society.

It is with distinct pleasure that I endorse Benjamin Prunty for president of the Concordia Student Union. I am fully confident that Ben is equipped with all the characteristics that make a great leader. His commitment and ideas could greatly contribute to the work of the CSU.

I first met Ben four years ago at the Liberal Arts College. Since then, he has demonstrated strong leadership skills and openness to dialogue. During the 2012 student movement, Ben’s activism was pivotal in engaging the LAC student community with the debates of that time.

Not only did Ben become one of the leaders of the strike at the college, but his engagement and leadership capabilities made him one of the most recognizable figures of the whole city-wide movement. It is important for me to state that Ben and I do not always agree on our political views, but this was never an impediment to our dialogue.

On the contrary, Ben has always welcomed being challenged by, as well as challenging, ideas different from his own. This openness and respect towards other points of view is a rare characteristic in our contemporary political sphere. We need leaders who can navigate the challenges of dissent. In that sense, the CSU could only benefit from Ben’s leadership skills.

Ben has done an outstanding job as VP Sustainability of the CSU. He has proven himself able to inspire and lead people to pursue a common vision. His efforts to create student-run cafés and restaurants, as well as to improve the quality of food around campus, are empowering the Concordia community in terms of its nutrition. Ben’s commitment to food activism culminated in a very successful Concordia Transitions conference, an event that has generated a burst of social activism that is slowly changing the face of Concordia.

As CSU president, Ben will be able to continue the work he has started as VP Sustainability, and I fully endorse and offer my complete support to Ben Prunty’s candidacy.

—Rafael Sordili