Meet our new Student Council President

The student elections at UNYP have concluded, determining the individuals who will hold the roles of President, Vice President, Events Manager, PR Manager, and council members. The newly elected President, Angel Daniel Bringas Fonseca, participated in an interview where he discussed his campaign, shared his response to being elected, and outlined his strategies for fulfilling the promises made during his campaign.

Congratulations on being elected as the new student council president of UNYP! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Angel Daniel Bringas Fonseca, and I come from the USA. I am twenty years old and currently finishing my second year here at UNYP, studying International Relations. When I was sixteen years old, my family sent me on a trip to Germany and Poland, and I knew then that I wanted to study in Europe. I looked at many cities in Europe, pondering which would be the best fit for me. Prague’s beauty as seen in online photos, and the excellent correspondence I had with the University of New York in Prague, led me to the conclusion that Prague and UNYP were for me. Being from the United States, I was afraid that the cultural differences in Europe might mean that I would not be accepted by the local population, but thanks to UNYP and many of my fellow classmates, this was never an issue. This is one reason I ran for UNYP Student Council President; I want to enable UNYP students to further integrate their university life with their studies, for example by having the UNYP Student Council host major events for the student body to mix. Another reason that I am running for President is to be the voice of the students and to properly address their valid concerns. I will make sure that university life is not a burden, but more of a fond memory.

As the new president, what are your plans for improving the student experience at UNYP? Are there any specific initiatives you plan to implement during your term?

As President, my plans for improving the student experience at UNYP are based on three main pillars. The first pillar will focus on Student Council events. I want to host many events with an ambiance of grandeur, and one of the main focuses of my administration will be to start the tradition of an annual black-tie event in the spring, where all UNYP students and faculty can attend to better build community. The second pillar of my administration is to work more closely with the university administration, not just for event planning but to ensure that students are better informed about any changes and updates that they should know about. This will showcase the hard work that the administration does for its students, and advise students of possible opportunities that will be advantageous after their studies. The last and most important pillar is ensuring that students are heard and their problems addressed as far as possible. To guarantee that students are properly heard, my administration will host monthly town hall meetings, where students can present their concerns to the Student Council so that we may properly address them.

What advice would you give to incoming students who are just starting their academic journey?

To the new students joining UNYP to start their academic journey, I would say: live and breathe what you study. When you pick a major to study at UNYP, it might not be the major that you graduate with, but it is important to love what you study and make it the craft that you live by. I study international relations, but I started as a business major in my semester at UNYP. Switching my major was a great choice because I knew that I had always loved geopolitics, and motivation became so much easier despite some setbacks. In addition to staying motivated, switching majors made reaching my goals and celebrating my success so much more gratifying. Another piece of advice I have for incoming students: attempt to meet as many new students as possible, especially international students. The friendships that you make in these four years can be life-changing, and can lead to relationships that last the rest of your life. For this reason, I implore everyone to be as outgoing as possible and meet as many new people as you can.

Finally, how do you like studying at UNYP so far? Are there any aspects of the university that you particularly enjoy or find challenging?

I love studying here at UNYP! I came all the way from Washington D.C. and I have never felt that studying here was disappointing. I enjoy the great scheduling that UNYP gives me, as well as the curriculum of my major. I have expert professors in the fields that I study, and the university has great guest speakers, such as the Japanese Ambassador to the Czech Republic. His Excellency gave a presentation about security in the Indo-Pacific, and I have now started to ponder if this is the direction I want to move in for my career, something that I would not have considered without UNYP inviting him to speak. Another aspect that I love about UNYP is the friendships I have been lucky enough to make. My friends here come from around the world, and I think it is vital for human development to get out of one’s comfort zone and meet new people from different cultures and backgrounds. UNYP has provided me with this exquisite opportunity, which I do not think I could have found anywhere else. I do find some aspects of the courses challenging, as UNYP really compels me to think critically and analytically. However, I love this challenge; it is how I know that I am becoming a master at my craft in the field of international relations, and I would not have it any other way.