Endorsements
Jason Scott ’10
“As President of the Class of 2010, I have been thoroughly impressed by the dedication that Martin has shown as President of the Class of 2008. He seemed to invest endless amounts of time and effort to plan and execute events, and motivated me when I took office. Time and again, he has shown a great appreciation for student government at MIT, perhaps more than anyone else I know. I have full faith that he will bring a much-needed rejuvenation to the UA’s presence on campus, and he and his running mate, Ali Wyne, most definitely have my vote in the upcoming elections.”
Matt Zitzmann ’08
“I have had the pleasure of getting to know Martin and Ali over the past three years. They are among the most driven, trustworthy, and passionate individuals whom I have met at MIT. I fully support their campaign to maintain tradition while pushing for change. Martin and Ali have the experience and contacts to make MIT even better.”
Zach LaBry ’08
“I have complete confidence that Martin Holmes and Ali Wyne would bring an unmatched and uncompromised level of dedication and professionalism to the UA as President and Vice-President. I believe that this team would make the UA as effective as it possibly can be.”
Christina Sher ’08
“Ever since working with Ali on the UA Committee on Student Life, I have been unduly impressed by his commitment to making a positive impact here at MIT. I find him to be an inspirational leader who takes the time to really listen to his peers. Ali has great ideas to improve the UA and will make sure to see them through.”
Juan Prajogo ’08
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Ali and working with him on several occasions since my freshman year, and it’s hard to find people with his passion, commitment to making a difference, ability to inspire others, and determination to take projects from mere ideas to grand completion. Ali’s commitment to our campus is evident from (to mention only a few of his involvements) his hard work as the President of Forum on American Progress and his insightful opinion pieces in The Tech, both of which continue to inspire me and bring important issues to the consciousness of the entire student body.”
Alia Whitney-Johnson ’08
“Ali is many things: experienced, organized, dedicated and thoughtful. But, above all else, he is passionate and committed to all he does, concerned about serving others, and willing to listen and adjust to best meet the needs of those whom he serves and achieve the goals to which he is committed. He has a big vision of the world and MIT’s place in it, and a big vision of strengthening and preserving our MIT community. I can think of no better person to serve as UA Vice-President.”
Sharlina Hussain ’07
"Martin and I have known each other for three years now, first as members of the UA Senate, and this year as members of the UA Executive Committee. He has done a phenomenal job as Class of 2008 President, putting on big events like showings of “Borat” and “300.” He is a vigorous leader who never fails to show his passion for doing his job well and serving his classmates.
Ali and I have also known each other for three years now, and I have to admit – he never fails to impress me with his friendliness and knowledge. He has been active on campus in many ways, and thus has a great sense for where MIT is heading and the role that we as students can play in shaping that course. I have full confidence that he will be a great Vice-President.
I know that Martin and Ali will do a great job of leading our undergraduate community. In addition to being friendly and approachable, they have an amazing track record of getting things done. They have years of experience and the passion to improve our life at MIT."
Stephanie Wu ’07; Co-Founder of the Network of Sloan Undergraduate Women
“Without a doubt – vote for the Martin and Ali ticket. They are both dedicated to the UA, and have been so throughout all their years at MIT. In addition to having UA experience, they influence the campus in many other ways – for example, by founding organizations such as Foreign on American Progress.
I was intensely involved with the UA my freshman and sophomore years as the chair of various committees, and worked personally with the past UA President on the Executive Committee, so I understand what it takes to be a good UA President and Vice-President. Martin and Ali fit the bill dead on. They have what the UA needs right now – dedication, passion to make positive changes on campus, and, most importantly, years of experience to know how to bring about that change.”
Ada Lipkin, ’08
"Having worked with both Martin and Ali in the past, I cannot think of a better pair to run the UA. In my interactions with Martin through Class Council, he has consistently gone beyond his responsibilities to ensure that our events reflected the needs of our class and were run smoothly and effectively. Furthermore, on a day-to-day basis, he was organized, responsible, and productive – while still ensuring that Class Council was a fun organization to be a part of. Similarly, Ali’s dedication to the UA Senate and numerous endeavors on campus reflect his commitment to the student body as well as his initiative. If elected, I’m confident that Martin and Ali will stand behind students and lead the UA to success."
Jizi Dai, ’08; Current UA Assistant Vice-President and Public Relations Chair
"Martin and Ali are both dedicated and extremely capable leaders who focus on the needs of the students. As the 2008 Class Council President, Martin’s initiative, motivation, and leadership have led to many successful and innovative events that garnered the interest and appreciation of the entire class, a feat never before accomplished. Ali’s dedication as Senate Vice-Chair has led to the passage of many important pieces of legislation benefiting the entire student population. Never ones to boast of their accomplishments, both candidates always keep the needs of us, the undergraduate students, in mind while working hard to enrich our undergraduate lives. They strive to defend student interests. They strive to learn of and understand students’ situations and efficiently go about improving them to the best extent they can. I am confident that as UA President and Vice-President, Martin and Ali can accomplish even more for us."
Jiang Wei Zhu, ’08; UA Secretary General, Class of 2008
"Vote Martin and Ali! Martin is a compassionate leader who will assuredly work to meet your undergraduate needs at MIT. From working with him through the UA, and seeing his leadership and efficiency as 2008 Class Council President, I am absolutely confident that he will make a strong UA President. Ali is a creative, energetic, and passionate leader. He was the friendly face who first greeted me in Burton-Conner when I moved there freshman year, and he has held many impressive roles in Burton-Conner leadership and in the UA Senate. From working with Ali in Senate, and from working with both Martin and Ali on the UA Executive Committee, I am a true believer in their dedication to the undergraduate class. I firmly support their ticket."
Sean Liu ’10
"As my O-Leader, Martin not only gave us a warm welcome to the Institute, but also shared his advice and experiences (i.e. how to survive MIT and have fun!). He was very responsive to my 2010 orientation group and our needs, helping make the first weeks at MIT an awesome time. As the UA President, I know he'll do the same for the entire student body, continuing his leadership excellence, responding to our needs, and making student life a little easier and a lot more enjoyable."
Akash Chandawarkar ’09; 2009 Class President
"Martin has leadership capabilities that parallel none other. My first experience with him was through class council. As 2008 President, Martin single-handedly and dramatically upgraded the quality of events and student life for all '08s in just one year - all class councils should strive for a term as successful as Martin's.
Ali has been involved with the UA for as long as he has been at MIT. He is also involved at MIT with his involvement in many politically oriented groups. As one of the most outspoken members of Burton-Connor, he has always advanced his constituent's needs and has the knowledge of the complicated MIT structure to get things done. Also, he does a great Borat impression. Together, the combined experiences of Martin and Ali make them a perfect team who will instill change that leaders in the past have been afraid to do. Easily approachable, driven work ethic, far reaching vision. The characteristics that Martin and Ali possess give me hope for the future of the UA."
Trevor Chang ’07
"The opportunities created by bringing these two talented leaders together are undeniable.
Martin is an approachable leader who not only listens but understands what students want and need. Beyond his sensitivity to our Institute's cherished traditions, Martin recognizes areas of campus that can be improved and acts on them. Through his no-nonsense leadership style, Martin creates practical but innovative solutions, draws concrete plans of action, and effectively leads our campus dreams into reality.
Ali is an individual not afraid to act; he is a leader that will fight for us. His ability to analyze campus issues that matter to us, distill them to the core decisions, and clearly articulate the options ensures that we will always understand how Ali is working for us; communication is easily one of his top strengths. Using that skill, Ali will provide us the UA transparency that we've all been looking for.
With a team of this caliber that has understanding of campus issues, the experience to propose realistic solutions, and the ability to execute, I have no doubt that Martin and Ali together will build MIT into the Institute we need; they've done it before and will do it again."
Reid Van Lehn ’09
“In my opinion, the strength of the Holmes/Wyne ticket lies in the simplicity of the solutions they offer to some common problems we all face. I feel that many of their goals are feasible without taking excessive time to implement, requiring only the effort of focused leadership. The solutions they propose to problems such as communication with the UA, insufficient performance evaluations, Stellar access, and expensive textbooks can be implemented in the short-term. Based on my personal relationships with Martin and Ali, I am certain that both will go the extra mile to ensure that they uphold their promises and improve the overall campus life of all undergraduates.”
Quinn Vollmert ’08
“There are no two people who I trust to secure the future wellbeing of MIT more than Martin and Ali. Both are extremely responsible, intelligent, and vocal leaders for tomorrow. They took the time to seek me out and actually listen to what I think about MIT now and how I think it can improve, and I greatly appreciate their willingness to listen. They are the ones who can and will transform the UA into a great and far-reaching organization.”
Tony Kuzhippala ’08
“Some people have told me that the student council’s presence never really affects their day-to-day lives. I have to disagree – this year, Martin put on so many awesome events. Also, I always look forward to reading Ali’s opinions in The Tech. Both of these guys really care about the students at MIT.”
Adlai Grayson ’08
“I know Martin and Ali on a personal basis, and I’ve had the chance to work with them professionally a number of times. Their platform is all about serving the needs of the undergraduate community by strengthening communication between the institution and the students, and by providing solutions to whatever problems we’re dealing with. And I see that their campaign is rather ambitious, but if there’s anyone who can do what they SAY they will do, it’s definitely these guys. Based on their vision and ability to fulfill it, I totally trust them with making my experience at MIT better.”
Lyric Doshi ’08
“I strongly support Martin and Ali for UA President and Vice-President. I’ve been nothing but impressed with how Martin has completely turned around the role of 2008 Class Council this year. They’ve already put on countless great events including professor dinners, sports games, and a ski trip. Before Martin took charge, I barely noticed that we had a Class Council. If they did anything besides the Ring Ceremony, I honestly don’t remember. I think this only goes to show how much of a difference Martin has made as President. In addition to instituting rotating meetings and a quarterly newsletter to keep everyone informed and encourage input, he’s also been extremely approachable and available, responding to e-mails usually within a day and sometimes even within a few minutes! I think Martin will bring this same drive to the UA. He’s already proven with his actions this year that if he says he will work hard and get something done, then it will get done.”
Susan Shin, ’07; Class of 2007 President
“Serving as President of the Class of 2007 this year, I have had the opportunity to work with Martin on several joint class events. He is a very ambitious leader who is able to communicate effectively with vendors, administrators, his council, and the 2008 class. In co-hosting the Borat movie premiere with the 2008 Class Council, I was impressed by Martin’s ’above and beyond’ outlook on the success of the event. Just as he has been excited, progressive, and organized as 2008 President, Martin will be able to motivate, change, and run the Undergraduate Association effectively.
As someone who cares about the class I represent and the student body I am a member of, I know the importance and impact of having qualified students lead the UA. On Thursday, my vote will go to Martin and Ali.”
Zahir Dossa, ’08
“I have worked with both Martin and Ali in the past and I have never had better experiences. Combining vision with initiative, these two make a rare ticket that we should take advantage of!”
Sanjay Divakaran, ’08
“It is clear that both Martin and Ali have significant prior experience serving our student body, but it is their future plans that will make the difference at MIT. Their commitment to fostering proper and necessary communication between administrators and undergraduates through the CIC will lead to a more unified student body. We will be more educated on the issues at hand and more equipped to handle them.”
Joe Pokora, ’09
“As UA Senator, Martin has made a positive impact on MacGregor by lobbying for the installation of an Athena Cluster in the dorm; the cluster is now in place and has been very popular. He has continued to make a difference as President of the Class of 2008. With all the events he put on for his class, I’m jealous that I’m an ’09 instead of an ’08!”
Ainsley Braun, ’10
“Martin is one of the most approachable guys I have encountered since coming to MIT. If you want to discuss a political issue or just need someone to approach with ideas, he is your go-to guy. The events he has organized for his class throughout this year have had an amazing turnout, and whenever there was an empty seat, he always tried to get other people to join in for the fun. He cares about our school and is the best candidate for UA President. My support fully lies behind Martin and Ali.
Robert Leke, ’07
“Martin and Ali are great fits for UA President and Vice-President. They are both powerful leaders, as proven by their past achievements. In addition, their platform aims to bring the UA closer to the MIT undergrads, while at the same time increasing its influence with the administration. That is why they have my vote, and I hope they have yours.”
Dwight Chambers, ’07
“I would heartily endorse Martin and Ali for UAP/VP. They recognize real problems (hacking, textbooks, etc.) and can identify solutions. When I read their platform, I see good ideas without any of the typical double talk characteristic of UA insiders. Martin and Ali for UAP/VP.”
Pete Kruskall, ’08
“Martin Holmes and Ali Wyne are easily the top choice for UAP/VP. Martin’s done an awesome job this year organizing cool events, including the crazily subsidized Sunday River ski/board trip. On the other hand, Ali’s got his head in the right place, and while he might ’break his neck’ if he hit the slopes, he’s the got the spirit that MIT needs for UAVP. The two have got the right idea for really backing the students’ collective interests. Stop them in the hall any time and ask them why you should support their platform, and you’ll be amazed at how knowledgeable they are of the key issues that face students these days. Traditionalists, as well as developers of innovative and intelligent educational policies, these two have got my vote, and definitely should have yours.”
Augusto Tentori, '09
"Martin's motivation and initiative guarantee that he will do an excellent job on anything he sets his mind to."
Mustafa Dafalla, ’09
“Ali Wyne is an excellent candidate for the position of UA Vice-President. In addition to having a flair for communication and interpersonal relationships, he is deeply principled and truly represents what the Institute is all about. He is not afraid to speak when he feels compelled to do so, but doesn’t make rash comments, and is careful to remain respectful and open-minded in his dealings with others. He is a strong advocate for students on campus and has been involved in various activities to increase support for undergraduates. For these reasons, I strongly endorse his candidacy.”
Matt Zedler, ’07
“While I have only known Ali Wyne for a short time, I can honestly say that he approaches every task with a passion and enthusiasm that is nearly unrivaled. As an ’unorthodox’ Course 17 (Political Science) major at MIT, he strives to educate his peers about global politics by helping to run classes, holding forums, and planning lecture series. He has also been involved with campus governing bodies since coming to MIT, and he has sought to make positive changes on MIT’s campus. Ali is an engaging and articulate young leader; as such, I feel that he is an excellent candidate for the position of UA Vice-President.”
Jeremy Katz, ’09
Ali Wyne epitomizes the values needed to make change. He puts immense time into bettering MIT, and he has an unwavering can-do, never-fail attitude. In addition, Ali is always willing to communicate – he never hides what he does, and he listens to your every word. He is driven only by the desire to improve MIT for the whole community, and I can neither think of nor imagine anyone better to hold the position of UA Vice-President.”
Jimmy Zhu, ’08
“Entering into our senior year, it’s important to trust those people who have delivered before. Martin and Ali have operated in similar capacities before trying to take on the positions of UAP and VP, and at the end of the day, it’s their experience and their history of foresight and execution that makes them the best candidates.”
Wendi Zhang, ’09
“Ali is a very well-spoken and personable guy. He is always ready to listen to new ideas and will take the extra mile for anyone. I think that Ali would make an excellent candidate for UA VP.”
John Velasco, ’06
“Martin Holmes, a veteran leader of the 2008 Class Council, and Ali Wyne, a passionate advocate in the UA Senate since his freshman year, are fresh faces who can bring renewed energy, effectiveness, and vision to the Undergraduate Association in 2007-2008. Their ideas for defending tradition, advancing change, and restoring communication are original and innovative. Martin and Ali have the experience, the ability, and the desire to represent and empower MIT's undergraduates as UA President and Vice President; I urge you to take part in this election at this critical moment by casting your vote for Holmes and Wyne for UAP/VP.”
Priya Ramaswamy ’10, 2010 VP
"The MIT community needs a leader like Martin Holmes. Along with Ali Wyne,
his campaign platform outlining his goals for the future of MIT truly express his devotion and spirit for MIT and its students. More so, I personally believe that Martin would make an exceptional candidate because he is kind and helpful to all around him. Martin goes above and beyond–he not only leads others, but also helps others, such as myself, pursue and instill leadership. It is this quality, combined with his good nature and analytic ability, which will help solve the problems that MIT students are
facing today."
Amanda Maguire ’09, UA Senator from Simmons
“As much as every ticket will talk about what they plan to do, I think past experiences speak for themselves. While most people follow the status quo, Martin was the one Class Council President throwing events for his class. He was the one I saw at least once a month at a Lobby 10 booth, taking action and making the '08 Class Council visible to the Class of 2008. Honestly, no one cares about policy changes and internal UA business (I know I don't, and I'm in the UA!) -- the student body wants to SEE something being done. As UA President and VP, I know Martin and Ali will give us something to see, let us know what's going on at our school, and actually involve all undergrads in the
Undergraduate Association!”
Katrina Kimovec ’08
"Martin and Ali are definitely two of the most passionate people involved in student government at the Institute. Martin has brought the class of 2008 together with open council meetings and successful social events. Ali has defended student interests in areas such as housing and has spear-headed major student movements such as fundraising for Hurricane Katrina victims. Every action taken by Martin and Ali has been to serve the student body they have represented. Their current platform addresses many concerns that have been expressed by undergraduates, and I have no doubt that if elected, Martin and
Ali will exhibit the same commitment and drive to accomplish their goals and to address our concerns as they have done in the past."
Mike Yee ’08
“Martin is a dependable guy who has always been receptive to feedback. During my three years here, he's always been my representative in some capacity; first as my dorm's UA Senator, then as our class President. I know that if Martin is elected to UA President, I can look forward to another year of open and reliable leadership.”
Wendy Wen ’09
"I want Martin and Ali to be my UA President/VP because they are dedicated to our needs, motivated to improve, and incredibly capable of carrying out their promises. I know these two are the types of guys who will undertake every responsibility with 100% vigor and diligence. They will no doubt enact revolutionizing improvements to ensure the UA is aware of and addresses our needs. Vote for Martin and Ali if you want SafeRide SafeRide Shuttles that go back and forth on the bridge, ShuttleTrack that actually works, TechCash that can be used at Star Market, and much much more! I know I will!”
Phi Ho, '08
"Martin and Ali would bring diversity to the UA, not only through race or color, but through their hearts and mindsets. I have worked with Martin for an entire year, and I can be assertive when I say that Martin is the most reliable and most organized person I've met. Always taking the initiative and always going beyond what's necessary, Martin has the heart to improve the UA as well as the MIT community.