"I Want Every Student to See that Their Opinion Matters"

The Student Council of Samara University has elected a new chairperson following the resignation of the previous head, Alina Bakhitova. Based on the voting results, the new chairperson is Yana Stepanova, a student from the Institute of Economics and Management.

Yana is an honors student who combines her studies with active extracurricular and creative work. Since her second year, she has headed the Student Council of the Institute of Economics and Management and now has the opportunity to represent the interests of the entire student community of the University.

Among the new chairperson's priorities are supporting educational initiatives, cultural and sports projects that unite students, as well as maintaining regular dialogue with the university administration.

"The tasks of the Student Council are not limited to representing student interests to the administration. It is important for us to assess the problems students face, how they are developing, and how we can help them. We want to unite students from across the university through educational, cultural, and social projects, creating a space for mutual support and self-realization," Yana explained.

She emphasized that the Council is not a formal structure, but a vibrant community of students: "For me, the Student Council is, first and foremost, about support. It's a platform where we can hear each other, propose solutions, and implement them together. I want every student to see that their opinion matters and is genuinely taken into account by the University. That is why the Council has representatives from all institutes, and that is why we will build an even more open dialogue with the university administration."

In conclusion, Yana shared her personal feelings about her new role: "Student self-government opens up so many opportunities – from organizing projects to communicating with people I might never have met otherwise. I am genuinely interested in building these connections, helping fellow students, and developing self-government. There is a lot of new and important work ahead – and I am confident that we will succeed together."

Photo from Yana Stepanova's personal archive