The new student government represents all programmes and includes 17 members.
On 20 September, the Hertie Student Representation Council 2023–2024 convened for the first time. With the new academic year, the student body elected a new student government. The new chairperson is Yana Pidlisna, the deputy chairperson is Gabriela Vargas Báez, and the treasurer is Alvaro Guijarro May.
The Hertie Student Representation (HSR) serves as the student government at the Hertie School. This year, the HSR Council comprises four Master of Public Policy students, four Master of International Affairs students, four Master of Data Science for Public Policy students, two Executive Master of Public Administration students, and three PhD researchers. Elections are held within the first weeks of every academic year, and members serve one-year terms. These representatives then elect the HSR Board, which consists of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and a treasurer.
The new HSR is composed of 17 students. Aranxa Marquez, Gayatri Shejwal, Alvaro Guijarro May and Maria Jose Lee will be representing the Master of Data Science. Yana Pidlisna, Carl Johan Steninge-Otto, Nicolas Deriquehem and Gabriela Vargas Báez will be representing the Master of International Affairs. Kathrin Gretener, Catherine Kennon, Julio Vazquez and Priyanshu Krishnamoor will be representing the Master of Public Policy. The representatives of the Executive Master of Public Administration are Kit Kuksenok and Natalia Figueroa Lima. The PhD representatives are Greta Gross, Kinga Koranyi and Elena Schulz-Ruhtenberg.
The duties of the HSR Council include attending and voting at meetings of the Academic Senate, the school’s official decision-making body, addressing student concerns, promoting student interests, and allocating club and event funding.
Driving constructive change and serving the common good
“As your chairperson, my main commitment is to foster a strong, healthy and productive environment within our community,” says newly elected chairperson Yana Pidlisna to the Hertie student community. “I am eager to use my experiences and ideas and my enthusiasm to contribute to positive change, as this position offers an exceptional chance to drive constructive transformations.”
“We all share an ambition to put the interest of our classmates first while also serving as a strong liaison to the Hertie administration and departments. To me, being an HSR represents an opportunity to give back to our community,” commented deputy chairperson Gabriela Vargas Báez. “I believe it is our duty to continue the wonderful work that the previous HSR Board carried out.”
Ximena Stefani Docarmo Cohaila, the former chairperson, wishes “the next HSR Council the energy to actively represent our fellow students and strengthen our wonderful student community by working with consistency in your time as representatives. Political representation is an opportunity to lead by example and serve the common good.”