Global Union President and VP
Bios
Ayon Roy (President)
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Hello everyone! My name is Ayon Roy, and I’m a junior at RIT, majoring in Computer Science. I am an RA and have held two other jobs supporting freshmen. Originally from Bangladesh, I was immediately drawn to RIT Global Union (GU) for its inclusivity and support for international students. I loved the vibe so much that I started attending all their events and volunteering. Luckily, I joined their Executive Board in my second year as an event coordinator and treasurer, and now I serve as VP. As I begin my senior year, I’m running for President alongside my VP, Faria. I plan to use my experience running an RSO to organize meaningful events that foster collaboration and community service. Outside of GU, I enjoy staying active, exploring new cuisines, going to countless concerts, keeping up with competitive games, and watching historical fiction series/movies.
Faria Sultana (VP)
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Hi everyone, I am a 3rd year international student majoring in Computing and Information Technology. I am an RA and currently serving as the Director of Finance for Global Union. I have 3 other on-campus jobs as well. I like to keep myself busy and get involved with cool things happening on campus. I first became interested in Global Union as a freshman when they hosted this massive fundraiser for the Syria-Turkey earthquake. It was fascinating to see a group of dedicated individuals pulling off such a successful event like that on short notice. One of my goals in RIT is to be involved and motivated like that. I also love reading books (gets hard with school) and will not stop talking about Harry Potter if you get me started! This year, I am running for the Vice President of Global Union with the aim of expanding GU’s reach and having a more direct impact on the students.
Platform
This year, we want to focus on hosting and facilitating more recurring events with our affiliate clubs. With 17 affiliate clubs, we represent a vast range of cultures. Whether it’s cultural sports, a cooking class, or music, we want to highlight the best of these cultures. Smaller but recurring events will be more engaging and help build stronger bonds among international students. Thoughtful events like making and sending postcards back home will add a personal touch and create deeper connections. Language is a huge part of culture. As international students, we often drift away from our native languages and the cultural nuances they carry. This year, we want to celebrate all the languages spoken at RIT with an event dedicated to them. February 21st is UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day, making it the perfect occasion for a Freezefest event that celebrates linguistic diversity and the stories behind each language. International students make up a huge part of our organization. Whether it’s navigating the job search or dealing with culture shock, foreign students often face challenges in their college journey. GU has always worked to support them, and this year, we want to take that even further. We plan to organize more targeted events that help boost career opportunities for international students. Whether that means working with Career Services to compile a list of companies that sponsor international hires or collaborating with ISS to host an alumni networking event, we want to make sure students have the resources they need to succeed. Building connections beyond RIT is just as important. We plan to continue our initiative of working with the University of Rochester to create stronger ties with the greater Rochester area. Whether through joint cultural events, volunteering, or fundraising efforts, this will help expand our community and create meaningful relationships beyond campus. We also recognize how important it is to support new students from the very start. With our new Freshman Representative position, we want to make sure first-semester events are more tailored toward freshmen. As RAs on the e-board, hosting dorm-side events will help incoming freshmen feel welcomed, engaged, and more aware of RSOs, ensuring they feel supported every step of the way. Through these initiatives, we hope to strengthen the international student experience at RIT and build an even stronger bond with our affiliates.