CANDIDATENAME: Sarah Lebovitz  

SCHOOL/YEAR:     CC/2010

EMAIL/CONTACT#: sbl2110@columbia.edu

WHAT CAN & DOES AN ABC REP DO?

ABC Reps help groups navigate the Columbiabureaucracy, aid groups in event & financial planning and support thedevelopment of student life on campus. Reps are advocates for the groups theyoversee and are crucial in identifying areas in which ABC, the administration,and other student leaders can help improve students' experiences at Columbia.

The Rep sits on the Activities Board, whichconsists of 20 members. Throughout the year, the ABC votes on the allocation offunds, recognition of student groups, the granting of appeals and has a vitalrole in determining the agenda for the Activities Board. We are seeking 13highly motivated and passionate individuals to apply for these positions. Thisis a great place to learn more about student groups and funding, to gainleadership experience and to make an impact on campus.

1.     ABC Website:http://cuactivitiesboard.org

2.     ABC Funding Guidelines:http://www.cuactivitiesboard.org/FundingGuidelines.doc

3.     ABC Clubs:http://www.cuactivitiesboard.org/Public/ourclubs.php

CandidateStatement:

Allcandidate statements will be put up on the ABC website in the order they arereceived.It is to your advantage to submit early as your candidate statement willappear before the others are up. In your candidate statement, please explainyour interest/qualifications/ideas for the position of ABC rep, making sure toanswer the questions below. You may either give separate responses to each orjust address them all in one statement. Please also attach a photo with your application.

EachABC rep represents one of the following 13 general groups:

CulturalGroups (4)

SpecialInterest (i.e. Culinary Society) (2)

Competition(1)

Publications(1)

Scienceand Engineering (1)

Academicor Pre-Professional (1)

Performance:Dance (1)

Performance:Instrumental/Vocal (1)

Performance:Theater (1)

1)Why do you want to be an ABC rep?

AsTreasurer for the Class of 2010 this past year, I had the opportunity to managethe Class budget and learn about many student groups. I really enjoyed servingas Class Treasurer. I also developed a familiarity with financial statements,budgets and e-forms. Serving as an ABC representative is in many ways a logicalextension and next step after my work as Class Treasurer. I will be able towork on the allocation process on a school-wide basis instead of just aclass-wide basis and also take advantage of much of what I have learned in myresearch internship at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and during my ADVANCE!Leadership Program internship.

2)As an ABC Rep, which groups would you be most interested in representing?Explain your interest in those groups as well as any prior experience withthose groups or other related qualifications.

Iam most interested in representing the Publications and Science and EngineeringGroups. My work as Class Treasurer has given me an excellent workingunderstanding of the extracurricular group structure at Columbia as well as afirm grasp of the economics of the extracurricular system.

Inaddition, as one of ten students from the Classes of 2009 and 2010 selected toparticipate in Columbia’s accelerated mentored ADVANCE! Leadership Program, Iworked at Zing USA, a bi-coastal PR company, this semester. I researched niche markets for clients and different mediums(magazine, television, internet, etc.) to promote their products.  Iperformed administrative work and improved my communication, procedural andinterpersonal skills by interacting within and without the company. Mywork at Zing USA provides me with a good perspective to work with and representthe Publications Group.

Ialso interned at the Pediatric Brain Imaging Laboratory at Columbia for thepast two years. I assisted in the implementation of a computer database for asocial cognition study and abstracted research on processing as it affectschildren and adults with autism. This past summer, I worked with Dr. SimonBaron-Cohen at the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University in England. Both of these experiences provide me with a familiarity and insight intoscience and engineering.

3)Name some changes that you believe would positively impact ABC?

Ifwe can provide more flexibility and ease in the application process, we may beable to increase participation in the program. We should think aboutalternative and creative sources of money for the groups other thanco-sponsorship.

4)Name 1-3 policy initiatives that you think ABC should pursue next year.

I thinkthat ABC should consider a campaign to improve its identity around campus andalso demonstrate the transparency of the approval process. The goal will be toincrease the number of projects that ABC is asked to fund. If studentsunderstand the approval process, then there will be less criticism of theapproval process.

Past& Current Activities at Columbia:
Pleasedetail your involvement at Columbia (you may attach a resume).

ADVANCE!Leadership Program  Spring 2009

            Oneof ten students from the Classes of 2009 and 2010 selected to participate inColumbia’s           acceleratedmentored leadership program.

Treasurer,Class of 2010(2008-2009)

PediatricBrain Imaging Laboratory at Columbia University directed by Bradley S.Peterson, M.D. NewYork, NY January 2007 - present

            ResearchIntern for Andrew Gerber, M.D., Ph.D.

·      Assisted inimplementation of computer database (Prometheus) for social cognition study

·      Abstracting research onglobal/local processing as it affects children and adults with autism in preparationfor article on same topic

·      Certified in IRB andHIPAA training

Women’sVarsity Crew(2006-2007)

Commitmentsfor 2009-2010:
Pleasedetail your commitment to other club positions, jobs, internships,responsibilities (i.e. RA) for 09-10.

Iexpect to continue my internship at the Pediatric Brain Imaging Laboratory nextyear.

Deadline:Sunday, April 26, 2009 by 11:59pm to abc@columbia.edu