Srikar Kollipara

Hello Wildcats! My name is Srikar Kollipara, and I am a sophomore at the University of Arizona majoring in Physiology with a minor in Psychology. This year, I hope to be your Senator for the College of Medicine. Although I have only been at the university for a year and a half, there are several initiatives of considerable value that I hope to undertake if given this opportunity.

I want to start off by addressing my goals for the community within the College of Medicine. It is often easy to fall behind or get lost in this community of high-achieving individuals. Nonetheless, I truly believe that each and every student has the ability to flourish given individually tailored support. As such, I hope to create a mentorship program, connecting undergraduate students with graduate and working students who underwent these challenges as an ambitious college student. This program will not only provide resources and professional development opportunities, but create a healthy and safe environment for those who seek personalized academic and emotional support. There are a variety of opportunities waiting for those under the College of Medicine, and I seek to help everyone fully realize their future plans. Coupled with the introduction of this network of alumni and professionals, I want to continue to push for student engagement within the Tucson community as the Senator before me has. As our University continues to grow, there are many new clubs and organizations. I would love to connect these many groups, fostering a community of diverse interests. Engaging in philanthropic/service projects as a system, we can continue to pursue what makes us happy, while giving back to our home. 

Throughout my time here at the university, I have noticed that students with DRC accommodations have to really fight for the support they need, and this should not be the case. Although I am not a student within the DRC, I have discussed issues such as rescheduling tests when a professor changes dates and individual needs beyond the scope of a testing environment with students in the DRC, and have started to notice a trend. They are set up well for students with ADHD, test anxiety, and similar disabilities, but when it comes to situations with chronic pain or any type of pain flare, that support is rather diminished. Many individual accommodations are up to the discretion of professors in these scenarios, and oftentimes it can get tricky. I hope to support students associated with the DRC, and I want to continue to learn from those that are affected and support this inclusivity with the colleagues of ASUA. 

Running for the role of College of Medicine Senator gives me the unique opportunity to support those in my community, and allows me to further my knowledge of issues that affect the students at Arizona. As I continue to campaign, I hope to continue practicing open mindedness as I fulfill the role as senator.