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Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes a new year of student representation. Your 2025-26 Representation Executive Council has officially begun their terms!

SAMRU’s Representation Executive Council (REC) is comprised of four students, selected by the Student Governing Board (SGB) and elected by students to serve the interests of all SAMRU members. From dealing with issues on campus to government lobbying, REC is the frontline for all things student advocacy.

Keep reading to learn all about your new and returning REC members! And don’t forget to tune in close to the fall semester as REC outlines their position statements and advocacy goals for the 2025-26 academic year!

Why did you decide to run for the Representation Executive Council?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh: Running for a second term as REC President came from a strong sense of responsibility and unfinished work. Over the last two years, between my REC VP Academic and REC President terms, I’ve seen the impact student advocacy can make, and I wanted to continue pushing forward on key issues like affordability, student housing, and access to inclusive services. There’s still more to be done, and I’m committed to building on the momentum we’ve created.

Meekena Erkin: As a Criminal Justice student, I am passionate about advocacy and representation. I decided to run for REC because I was eager to represent student voices in the academic field here at MRU. I am motivated to utilize my skills and experience to contribute meaningfully to campus.

Mariana Mejia Salazar: As a sociology student with a passion for advocacy and social justice, I’ve always wanted to be part of meaningful change. Running for REC felt like a natural step toward that. I want to use my role to amplify student voices—especially those who often feel unheard—and to make sure student concerns are at the forefront of political conversations that shape our education system.

Anita Surujbally: I decided to run for REC because SAMRU was a big support for me when I first started attending MRU. The resources they provided really helped me navigate life outside the classroom. Now, I feel like it’s my turn to give back and support the campus community as much as I can.

What makes you a good fit for the position?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh: With a full year of experience as REC President already behind me, I bring continuity, institutional knowledge, and a proven track record of advocacy. I understand the systems, I’ve built strong relationships across campus, and I know how to navigate the space between student needs and institutional decision-making. I’m also deeply committed to representing all students with authenticity and care.

Meekena Erkin: I believe my academic and personal experiences within and outside of the campus community make me a strong asset to this team. These experiences, along with my involvement in work and community volunteering, have cultivated crucial skills of leadership, communication, and conflict resolution, which will translate well into this role.

Mariana Mejia Salazar: I bring a strong foundation in critical thinking from my studies, and I’ve developed excellent organizational and teamwork skills through years of balancing school and demanding work. I may be new to student representation, but I’ve always been passionate about advocacy, and I approach this role with fresh energy, a different lens from my background in women and gender studies, and a deep commitment to learning and representing students with integrity.

Anita Surujbally: I believe I’m a great fit for this position because I genuinely care about students and their experience at MRU. No matter what year someone is in, it’s important to know that support is available. As a student, I always felt that the REC team had my back when I needed it—and now, I am confident in my ability to offer that same support to others, helping them have the best, most stress-free experience possible.

What skills are you hoping to build on during your time on REC?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh: This year, I’m focused on advancing my strategic leadership skills—especially around policy influence and long-term planning. I also want to continue improving how we communicate with students so they feel informed, heard, and empowered to engage.

Meekena Erkin: I am hoping to build more skills related to policy development and collaboration.

Mariana Mejia Salazar: I’m hoping to gain more experience working with policy and learn how to bring different people and groups together to work toward common goals.

Anita Surujbally: I want to develop my leadership skills.

Have you been involved with SAMRU before? If so, what did you do with your Students’ Association?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh:  Yes, I’ve been involved for a few years now. I served as REC Vice President Academic in 2023–2024, and this is now my second term as REC President. Over that time, I’ve led work on everything from academic appeals and policy reform to student affordability campaigns and enhanced student representation at institutional tables. I have previously established and helped run the Student Refugee Program as a volunteer, as well as holding various executive positions on the Policy Studies Students’ Society.  

Meekena Erkin: Yes – previously, I was involved in the Peer Support Centre with the Free Breakfast Program as a volunteer. This included setting up and keeping track of inventory, restocking food items and maintaining a clean and welcoming environment. This experience expanded my knowledge of the services provided by SAMRU for students. 

Mariana Mejia Salazar: This is my first time being directly involved with SAMRU! My work and school schedule kept me pretty busy in the past, but I’ve always kept an eye on what SAMRU was doing and appreciated the opportunities it created for students. I’m excited to finally be part of it in a meaningful way.

Anita Surujbally: While I haven’t been directly involved with SAMRU, I’ve actively used their resources and attended various REC events to better understand the nature of the role and stay informed about their current advocacy priorities.

What’s a fun fact about you?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh: I recently learnt how to ride a bike, and I have been enjoying rides along the Bow River! 

Meekena Erkin: I really enjoy watching nature documentaries! 

Mariana Mejia Salazar: I speak a couple of languages fluently and love connecting with people through language and culture.

Anita Surujbally: I speak Russian fluently.

What are you most looking forward to this coming year?

Tala Abu Hayyaneh: I’m looking forward to deepening the work we’ve started—especially on improving housing support, transit access, and inclusive campus spaces. I’m also excited to support the growth and development of our new REC team and continue empowering student voices on campus.

Meekena Erkin: I am most looking forward to continuing to build relationships among the MRU community and strengthening student voices in academic representation. 

Mariana Mejia Salazar: I’m really looking forward to connecting with other student leaders across Alberta and Canada and working with the rest of the REC team to make meaningful change.

Anita Surujbally: I’m most looking forward to contributing to student advocacy and helping make students’ lives a little bit easier.

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REC members are employed in their respective roles full-time for a year, which means every day is full of advocacy and representation happening behind the scenes, dedicated to improving your student experience at MRU. You can visit this link to learn more about your student representatives this year, view updated position descriptions of each member of REC, view their position statements and advocacy priorities, and even learn how YOU could potentially become a Representation Executive Advisory Committee (REAC) volunteer, or perhaps an elected student representative next year!

To follow along with your new REC team as they begin their 2025-26 terms advocating for you, stay tuned to our socials @samrurec on X (formerly Twitter), @samrurec.bsky.social on Bluesky, and the all-new @samrurec on Instagram (coming soon!).

Looking for an opportunity to get involved with your REC team? This summer, your Representation Executive Council (REC) will be filling student volunteer roles on REAC to help with their advocacy efforts. These are some of the best opportunities around to get involved with your elected representatives and help improve campus life. Stay tuned to learn about each position and sign up to be notified when positions go live.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to email your representatives at representation@samru.ca.