About External Relations:

The Vice President of External Relations (VPX) portfolio touches career development, national/regional advocacy, competitions, outreach, and institutional partnerships. It is highly visible and highly impactful. 

Our approach is simple: 

● Maintain what is working. 

● Improve based on feedback from those directly affected. 

● Build systems that future VPXs can maintain and execute confidently. 

We are not running to overhaul the External Relations portfolio. We are running to execute it well, represent students effectively, and hold ourselves accountable to the standards we set. 

Our three pillars, Consistency, Representation, and Accountability, guide how we approach all four portfolios that fall under our purview. 

About Aaron Song (He/Him) - 3rd Year Mechanical Engineering Co-op 

Before starting his first year, Aaron joined the ESS as a Health & Wellness Coordinator, kickstarting his involvement in student governance. He’s been involved with the ESS ever since with his most recent role being the Co-Director of Competitions. Last fall, he co-hosted and planned the most organized University of Alberta Competition (UAEC) to date. His experience in various ESS portfolios allows him to have a well-rounded understanding of ESS operations.

Outside of the ESS, Aaron (grinds his life away… well) plays piano and makes fun mini-CAD projects (sometimes bigger projects).

Competitions Co-Director, ESS (2025-Present)
Sponsorships Co-Director, ESS (2025-Present)
Sponsorships Director, Canadian Engineering Leadership Conference (CELC) (2025-Present)
Mechanical Member, Albertaloop (2024-Present)
Alberaloop Mechatronics Showdown Co-Organizer, Albertaloop (2024-Present)
Health and Wellness Director, ESS (2024-25)
First Year Relations Coordinator, ESS (2024-25)
Health & Wellness Coordinator, ESS (2023-24)
VP Finance, FYEC (2023-24)

About Sanaa Bhaidani (She/Her) - 4th Year Software Engineering Co-op 

Sanaa joined the ESS in 2024 as an Executive Assistant, gaining firsthand experience with executive operations and governance. Through this role, she continues to develop her understanding of how executive decisions impact the engineering student body.

Her decision to run for VP External is intentional. Through her involvement with TeamUP Science and Life Long Learners, she has led outreach initiatives, mentored student leaders, and strengthened community partnerships. As VP Programming for CELC, she brings direct experience in conference planning and national engagement.

Outside of engineering, you’ll find her running, baking, or travelling.

Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song 

ESS Co-Vice President of External Relations (2026-2027) 

Consistency. Representation. Accountability. 

Career Fair 

Careful planning and execution is necessary for a student-centered career fair. It must be stable, professional, and meaningful. 

Consistency 

● Begin outreach to legacy companies in May/June 2026. 

● Maintain strong oversight of payments, logistics, and communication.

● Provide accessibility and mentorship to Directors. 

● Build a strong Coordinator → Director pipeline for 2027. 

Representation 

● Increase clarity for attendees on which companies hire which disciplines and their industries. 

● Encourage participation from companies serving underrepresented streams.

● Support discipline-led industry nights while maintaining ESS oversight.

● Provide professional growth opportunities beyond traditional co-op structures. 

Accountability 

● Actively gather feedback from companies, volunteers, and attendees. 

● Maintain clear and manageable response-time standards. 

● Publish clear expectations for Directors and Coordinators. 

● Ensure budget neutrality with contingency planning. 

● Collect data on company and student demographics, identifying gaps and addressing them through transition goals. 

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Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song 

ESS Co-Vice President of External Relations (2026-2027) 

Consistency. Representation. Accountability. 

Competitions 

Competitions are pivotal opportunities for students to apply their engineering knowledge and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment. They must be fair, competitive, and structured. 

Consistency 

● Align the University of Alberta Engineering Competition (UAEC) standards with the Western Engineering Conference (WEC) and the Canadian Engineering Conference (CEC). 

● Create a structured planning guide for annual replication. 

● Secure judges and sponsors earlier in the planning cycle. 

● Strengthen marketing so competitions remain staple ESS events for students annually. 

Representation 

● Adjust competition timelines to reduce midterm conflicts. 

● Improve accessibility for students on co-op outside Edmonton. 

● Encourage participation from a broader range of disciplines. 

● Explore opportunities, such as a high school engineering competition, to expand reach. 

Accountability 

● Integrate competition feedback into transition materials for future years. ● Clear communication on judging criteria and expectations. 

● Transparency of competition judges and their qualifications prior to its start. ● Budget oversight and sponsor transparency. 

● Evaluate student demographic and competition data to promptly address diversity and competition outreach. 

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Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song 

ESS Co-Vice President of External Relations (2026-2027) 

Consistency. Representation. Accountability. 

Conferences 

Conferences are where UAlberta’s voice is represented regionally and nationally. They are often a student’s first exposure to national engineering networks. As such, the opportunities and processes should be accessible, transparent, and engaging. 

Consistency 

● Continue structured delegate selection through the Delegate Selection Oversight Committee (DSOC). 

● Clear pre-conference consultation with representatives of the ESS and/or Canadian Federation of Engineering Students - La Fédération canadienne étudiante en génie (CFES-FCEG). 

● Maintain organized reporting and reimbursement systems for internal use and delegate access. 

Representation 

● Send diverse delegates across disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences. ● Promote lesser-known conferences and available funding opportunities like the Engineering Student Activity Fund (ESAF). 

● Advocate strongly for UAlberta’s interests within the Western Engineering Student Societies’ Team (WESST) and CFES-FCEG. 

Accountability 

● Require post-conference reflections from all delegates, including VPXs. ● Report major motions, outcomes, and situations back to the ESS. 

● Ensure WESST and CFES-FCEG voting decisions reflect prior consultation and are in the best interest of UAlberta students. 

● Monitor financial commitments to national organizations. 

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Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song 

ESS Co-Vice President of External Relations (2026-2027) 

Consistency. Representation. Accountability. 

Institutional Outreach 

Institutional Outreach is about long-term pipeline building: high school students, transfer students, and underrepresented groups. As such, it should be student-informed, not assumption-driven. 

Consistency 

● Maintain activity in the existing Transfer Discord and through structured outreach presentations. 

● Strengthen collaboration with faculty advisors for accurate and up-to-date information. ● Build a yearly outreach calendar in collaboration with existing UAlberta clubs, organizations, and other partners. 

Representation 

● Ensure transfer students have a path to share their concerns with the Institutional Outreach team. 

● Support outreach to rural and underserved communities. 

● Create avenues inviting and celebrating French engineering students across campuses. ● Collaborate with Indigenous and International student groups meaningfully. ● Develop accessible documentation for transfer students. 

Accountability 

● Ask transfer students directly what would improve their transition. 

● Avoid overstepping academic advising boundaries — delegate to advisors. ● Track outreach outcomes and engagement. 

● Ensure Directors have clear expectations and communication standards. 7

Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song 

ESS Co-Vice President of External Relations (2026-2027) 

Consistency. Representation. Accountability. 

Our Commitment to You 

Our responsibilities and actions will directly impact you. As such, it is important that each of you, including our Coordinators and Directors, feel supported and empowered. 

We commit to: 

● Establishing clear goals early in the term. 

● Hosting an annual strategy session with Coordinators and Directors. 

● Maintaining 24-48 hour response standards. 

● Building team cohesion intentionally. 

● Creating realistic goals instead of overextending early. 

● Asking, not assuming. 

Through Consistency, we will ensure stability. 

Through Representation, we will ensure fairness and voice. 

Through Accountability, we will ensure continuous improvement. 

We are prepared to execute this role with both structure and intention. 

Sincerely, 

Sanaa Bhaidani & Aaron Song