"To realize the full potential of the diverse and interdisciplinary spirit of Weitzman School."
Mission Statement
The Weitzman School Student Council is responsible for championing the interests of all academic disciplines by facilitating connections between students within the school, across the university, and with Philadelphia and the design community at large. Rather than having program-specific events dedicated to social, service, academic, or student group initiatives, StuCo works to shape Weitzman School into a healthy, integrated collective of artists, designers, planners, and scholars-in-training who share a perspective that looks beyond disciplinary labels in an environment that is stimulating for students and faculty.
Student Council leadership includes two co-presidents, four vice presidents (finance, student life, social, communications), event leads, and GAPSA representatives, in addition to representatives from each of the Weitzman School disciplines (city planning, architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, fine arts, environmental building design, and urban spatial analytics). Members of the Student Council are elected by the Weitzman School student body in the spring of the previous academic year, with the option for elections to continue in the early fall to include newly-admitted students.
Student Council Members for the 2024-2025 Academic Year:
Co-President: Jonathan Bonezzi
Co-President: Carlotta de Bellis
Publications Director: Ryan Lane
Working Wellness Group "W.W.G" Director: Nadine Nashef
Vice President of Finance: Colin Clark
Vice President of Communications: Hope Levin
Vice President of Student Life: Sara Lepley
Vice President(s) of Professional Relations: Arshia Alenaddaf and Vila Shao
Social Events Chairs: Brianna Belo and David Owe
Beaux Arts Ball Chairs: Taely Freeman and Kelly Loopz Lopez
Swap Shop Coordinator: Anaushka Goyal
GAPSA Professional Council Representatives: Riya Saini, Joyce Zhang, Breland Land
GAPSA Research Council: Yining Lei
CPLN Representative: Hailey Hyun
MUSA Representative: Aki Di Sandro
LARP Representative: Sierra Caley
HSPV Representative: Fatima Nayibi Cacares Arar
MARCH Representatives: Laura Ellis and Olivia Liu
MEBD Representative: Eliott Haddad
RAS Representative: Carina Joseph
AAD Representative: Jingxuan Hu
PhD Representative: Behzad Mondanloo
Events
Friday Night Happy Hour
When public health directives allow, Weitzman School’s tradition of Friday Night Happy Hour draws hundreds of students each week and serves as the cornerstone of the weekly calendar. In the warmer months, Student Council hosts Happy Hour outside on the Meyerson Hall patio. The Lower Gallery provides a warmer environment during the winter.
Budget
Each year, Student Council is responsible for managing a sizeable budget consisting of funds that are allocated to social programming, school wide celebrations, and the activities carried out by various student groups.
In recent years, the Student Council budget has been distributed as follows:
Share of BudgetDedicated Use
35% Weekly Friday Night Weitzman School Happy Hour
25% Student Group Funding
40% Schoolwide celebrations + events
Friday Night Happy Hour
Weitzman School’s tradition of Friday Night Happy Hour draws hundreds of students each week and serves as the cornerstone of the weekly calendar. In the warmer months, Student Council hosts Happy Hour outside on the Meyerson Hall patio. The Lower Gallery provides a warmer environment during the winter. Funding for Happy Hour goes towards refreshments (beer, cider, soda, and water) and snacks.
Student Groups
Weitzman School students are involved in a variety of activities outside of the classroom, including student groups that include extensions of academic interests, affinity groups, shared interest groups, and social groups. Student Groups receiving funding from a variety of university sources, including from the Weitzman School Student Council operating budget. In the fall, we solicit requests for funding through an application process. We evaluate applications based on the following criteria:
Mission: Group purpose and alignment with Weitzman School values
Budget: Proposed utilization of funds for the academic year
Track Record: History of delivering valuable, inclusive programming in past years
Leverage: Ability to solicit additional funding through GAPSA
Please stay tuned for a meeting from your Student Council Presidents announcing funding application!
Schoolwide Events
A third bucket of Student Council’s budget is directed towards school wide events. These events range in scale from snacks and coffee around midreviews and to the annual Beaux Arts Ball.
Student Groups
If you would like to consult with Student Services about creating or maintaining a student group, email Kayla Richards.
Who elects the Student Council?
Members of the Student Council are elected by the Weitzman School student body in the early fall of each academic year, though the presidents and vice presidents are elected in the spring in order to ensure continuity over the summer.
How can I find out about Weitzman School and Student Council Events?
If you’re a current student at Weitzman School, you receive weekly emails from your StuCo representatives with upcoming events! You can also check the Student Council calendar of events on Weitzman SharePoint, follow us on Instagram @weitzmanstuco, or reach out to your fellow representatives.
When and where does the Student Council hold meetings?
Student Council holds monthly meetings in Meyerson Hall. For more information about upcoming Student Council meetings, please reach out to your StuCo Presidents.
Can I attend a Student Council meeting?
Student Council meetings are generally attended only by members, but others are welcome to attend with prior notice. In the event that you are interested in attending, please contact your StuCo Presidents.
Where does Student Council money go?
For information on the uses of Student Council’s budget, please refer to the Budget page.
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