End-of-year message from Tomiris Kaliyeva, President and CEO of the UWSA

“The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake – you can’t learn anything form being perfect.” – Adam Osborne 

Dear Members,  

As my Presidential term comes to a close, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you. Serving as your President has truly been one of the greatest honours of my university life. Throughout the years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the strength, passion, and resilience that make our student body so special. Whether it was through advocacy, events, campaigns, or just everyday conversations in the hallways—I’ve been constantly inspired by your commitment to making our campus a more inclusive, supportive, and empowering place for everyone.  

Thank you for trusting me to represent you. Thank you for your ideas, your feedback, your energy, and your care. Everything I’ve done in this role has been shaped by you, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together. Although my time as President is coming to an end, my belief in the power of student leadership and community is stronger than ever. I’ll carry the lessons I’ve learned with me for the rest of my life.  

I would like to thank everyone who kept me accountable, saw the best in me, and believed in me. I would like to also say thank you to my team, Abrar Abdelmahmoud (VPSA) and Chhavi Dhir (VPEA), as well as my previous team Jonathan Henderson (VPEA) and Christine Quiah (VPSA). Nothing would be possible without my team, who provided me with support and guidance in hard times and was there for me in good times. To everyone reading this, I strongly recommend getting involved with the UWSA. There are definitely ups and downs, but the experience you get from this cannot be replicated anywhere else. Thank you for voting for me and allowing me the privilege of serving you. I wish the best to my successor and the UWSA! 

Wishing you all a restful summer and continued success in whatever comes next.  

With gratitude and love,  

Tomiris Kaliyeva 
President & CEO (2023-2025)
University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA)