YouAlberta
One of things I love as a YouAlberta writer is that I get to connect with a great many people who are working very, very hard to make a difference, both in our U of A community and the wider world.
Pedro Almeida, the president of the U of A Students’ Union (UASU) is one of those people. I reached out to learn why he’s so passionately involved in student governance, how the experience has impacted him and also to get some tips on how we can become more involved at the U of A.
Pedro, could you please tell me a bit about yourself and your background?
I was born and grew up in Brazil. I moved to Canada in 2013 and to Edmonton in 2016. I came to the U of A in 2020, which makes me a bit of an “ancient” student in my world.
I completed my degree here at the U of A in immunology and convocated in June. I’m now in open studies to serve out the remainder of my executive term here at the UASU.
Why did you decide to become more involved in student governance and student life?
When I was in my third year at the U of A, I was a member of the U of A Senate, which was a really enriching experience. I got to know many folks who provided mentorship and advice, which really shaped my growth as a member of this community.
That year, I saw things happening around the world and in my home country in particular, which made me want to create change on a larger scale.
I decided to run to be the UASU VP Academic and was fortunate enough to be elected in a tight election. I served my term, which meant working full-time for a year as part of a team of 5 executives. That was an incredible experience.
As I reached the end of my term, I took a year off from the UASU but stayed involved in governance, including a second term in the U of A Senate and as the president of the Interdepartmental Science Students' Society (ISSS).
Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to return to the UASU — that is, if students were to give me a chance to implement my vision. I ran for president and was once again fortunate to win, largely thanks to the incredible campaign team I had around me!
Through it all, I've tried not to ask myself too much what my community of students here at the U of A can do for me … but what I can do for my community. This principle has shaped how I see governance and involvement at the U of A.
How has this experience contributed to your personal and professional growth?
I tell folks entering university that the person who crosses the stage at convocation will not be who they are today. The experience of being at the U of A leads to so much personal and professional growth.
Staying involved on campus has played a key role for me. It’s taught me new ways to strive towards my goals, to work with people and advocate for students to folks in authority.
Being involved pushes you out of your comfort zone, letting you interact with people who hold different opinions. This challenges your point of view in a phenomenal way. It leads to growth by forcing you to examine why you think the way you think and solidifying your principles.
Ultimately, it helps you identify how you can move forward together despite your differences.
What actions and initiatives does the UASU do to support student life at the U of A?
The UASU is responsible for all student groups at the U of A, as established by the legislation that governs universities in Alberta. We work in partnership with Student Success and Experience to make sure that our 450+ student groups are well supported, especially through Student Group Services.
The UASU is also responsible for events like Week of Welcome, Antifreeze in January, Campus Cup (a cool dodgeball tournament) and the Last Class Bash.
Finding ways to partner with student groups and make collective change is a huge focus for this executive team. Our efforts to encourage students to vote in the municipal elections were done in partnership with many student groups, and my VP Academic also ran a Women's Health Night with the Interdisciplinary Women's Health Association.
Why is being an active and involved member of the U of A community important?
I love the U of A so much; it’s given me more than I could have ever asked for.
I believe that our community is only as incredible as the effort that we put into it and the work that we do to make it our second home. As students, the more we can take part in shaping the community, the more we can come to campus and be present.
This means talking to folks in class, attending a student group event, joining governance or reaching out to an executive on the UASU to communicate the issues that matter to them.
Whether it’s an issue of sensitive importance around safety or simply building access, we can always hear you out. We can try to shape our community so that we can make it our second home. I truly believe that this active role is key in why I have grown to love the U of A so much.
Do you have any tips for students who would like to be more active in student life?
Coming to talk to the UASU, whether it’s emailing me, one of my co-executives or the staff over at Student Group Services, is one of the best ways to find out what interests you. We have truly incredible programming for folks wanting to get started in governance or advocacy, including the Stride Campaign School and the Emerging Leaders Program.
Reach out and try to identify your interests. With a community of 37,000 undergraduate students here, there’s definitely a community of folks that partake in something that interests each of us, like the debate society or the chess club.
Getting involved — even becoming a general member of a student group — is a great way to spend a university career doing something meaningful.
Start with the small steps. The smallest of actions helped to shape and improve my own experience. For me, that began with challenging myself to talk to someone sitting next to me before class. That eventually led to getting to know folks better and forming what I hope will be lifelong friendships.
If you take a small step each day to socialize and interact, the U of A will eventually be your second home, just like it became mine.