A Letter From The Student Equity Action Committee (SEAC).
Fellow PLHC Peers,
The Patrick Leahy Honors College (PLHC) can be described as a community with an abundance of academic curiosity and intellectual diversity. Despite this, our community continues to be a reflection of the demographic homogeneity of UVM as a whole. It is important that we acknowledge this fact because marginalized communities are already at risk in diverse contexts — even more so within the realm of higher education. This is why we must work hard to support and uplift underrepresented voices. We strive to do this through institutional advocacy, programming, self-education, and open, meaningful conversations.
That being said, the UVM community is not a safe haven where issues cease to exist. The fight for equity isn’t over merely because many of us acknowledge its existence; it is an ongoing effort which necessitates continued hard work, listening to student voices, and coalition-building. It is key to identify issues which affect students of marginalized identities, and to then construct actionable plans with targeted policies specifically designed to help support these students. It is often the societal assumption that it’s the duty of individuals of marginalized backgrounds to educate their peers on their identity, but this often emotionally draining, and time-consuming task should not be their sole responsibility. Therefore, extra effort must be placed on educating students on diversity and inclusion within structured courses.
Overall, it is within the power of the students to be the change for a better and more equitable future and it is the role of faculty and staff to be mentors who aid students as they develop and transition into that role. We want to empower and support students to get involved. It is the community's responsibility to have respectful, open, and supportive communication in addressing injustice. SEAC strives to maintain and encourage this dialogue on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in order to help develop a more culturally competent environment, and to inform students on how we can dismantle systemic injustices. It is through these efforts that PLHC can achieve its goal of creating globally responsible citizens.
The Student Equity Action Committee (SEAC) strives to build and maintain an equitable Honors College community of globally responsible and multiculturally competent individuals. We will embrace the knowledge, skills, and voices of those with diverse experiences to foster an atmosphere of inclusion and excellence in alignment with university-wide efforts.
Members of the Student Equity Action Committee
Zane Zupan, Student Equity Action Committee Co-Chair
Hello, icon. My name is Zane Zupan, and I’m from Manchester, Vermont, (which is about three hours south of Burlington). I’m a senior Political Science, Sociology, and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies triple major. I’m minoring in Behavioral Change & Health Studies. Within SEAC, I focus on queer coalition building, mental health advocacy, and trans & non-binary advocacy. Additionally, I have personal experience with SAS (Student Accessibility Services) and the Title IX office. I am happy to offer support and insight into how they interact with the Patrick Leahy Honors College from a student’s perspective. A large portion of my free time revolves around advocacy, including my political/queer issues TikTok, which I recently used to conduct a UVM-sponsored queer history research project. I love plants, yoga, and good hummus! Email me at zane.zupan@uvm.edu, or zanezupan@gmail.com if you have questions or need an advocate.
Elliot Baird, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hello! I’m Elliot Baird, a junior from Fairfax, Virginia, majoring in both Linguistics and English. My goals for SEAC are centered around accessibility and LGBTQ issues, especially support and safe housing for transgender students. On campus, I’m an officer for the UVM Ballroom and Swing Society and a research assistant on linguistics work surrounding body positivity in the media. I spent this past spring at University College Maastricht in the Netherlands on one of the PLHC’s direct exchange programs. Reach me at ezbaird@uvm.edu :)
Padma Mendelsund, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hi everyone! My name is Padma Mendelsund (she/her) and I am from Brattleboro, Vermont (so, about two hours south of UVM). I am a sophomore double majoring in CAS in both Health & Society and Political Science with a focus in Economics. As a member of SEAC, I hope to encourage accessibility and inclusivity within the UVM community. This includes working on everything from affinity spaces, to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. I am also personally passionate about gender equality and sexual violence prevention/awareness. Outside of class, I am part of the Prison Partnership Club and volunteer in the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility. Also, I am an AdvoCat and work with UVM Admissions as a tour guide and resource for prospective students! In my free time I love to run, polar plunge, and read (I am always looking for good book recs, so feel free to share)! I am also always happy to talk about SEAC, The Patrick Leahy Honors College, or UVM in general, so please feel free to reach out to me at phmendel@uvm.edu!
Aditi Saleh, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hi everyone! My name is Aditi Saleh and I am a sophomore from Keene, New Hampshire, majoring in Molecular Genetics and minoring in English. At UVM, I am part of FeelGood and Kesem. As a member of SEAC, my hopes are to foster a more open community where students feel comfortable to speak on issues that affect them, advocate for minority groups, and share enriching resources and opportunities. In my free time, I love to read, write, bake, make art, and be outside. Please feel free to reach out to me at aditi.saleh@uvm.edu!
Cyará Wimmer, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hey everyone, my name is Cyará (she/her)! I am from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. I am a history major and am looking into minoring in American Sign Language. I identify as pansexual, and I am also a mixed baby (black and white.) I am a part of the Classics Club. I have dealt with the AAEO Committee and have had several deep conversations with individuals in charge of Residential Life. I hope by being a member of SEAC, I can help negate the issues I went through and help make other minority groups feel at home here at UVM. I love to crochet and go to random rock/metal concerts (I will have driven 7 hours one way to see KISS live.) If you need anything or feel like my experiences can help you, please reach out to me at cwimmer@uvm.edu <3
Paige Wondrasek, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hi everyone! My name is Paige Wondrasek and I am from a suburb of Chicago. I am studying Environmental Studies in CALS with a minor in Geospatial Technology. Within SEAC, I focus on women and gender equity as well as student rights advocacy. At UVM, I also work at the Spatial Analysis Lab and Campus Recreation. Beyond academics and work, I enjoy live music, spending time outdoors, and vegan cooking. Connect with me at pwondras@uvm.edu!
Angelina Woychosky, Student Equity Action Committee Member
Hi! My name is Angelina Woychosky, and I am a Neuroscience major minoring in Health & Society. I’m from Springfield, VT in the Upper Valley/Southern Vermont region. I care about promoting justice in the healthcare system and healthcare accessibility and have been a member of the Vermont Workers’ Center for a couple of years. I also have experience with the Vermont Professionals of Color, an organization focused on promoting BIPOC prosperity in the state, and I hope to do similar work within SEAC. Movement energizes me - I love to dance, run, and be outside! I also enjoy art and bringing it into communities. Feel free to reach out to me at awoychos@uvm.edu, I would love to connect!
SEAC Events
The Student Equity Action Committee puts on events such as affinity spaces and movie nights.
Keep up to date with the latest SEAC events by following us on Instagram at @plhcolseac!