Hello Anteaters, I hope everyone is having a great school year so far!

My name is Nicole Nowak, I am a 1st year International Studies major, although I would like to double major in Political Science as well, and I am thrilled to be your Deputy Elections Commissioner for Candidate Coordination for the 2024-2025 academic year.

In high school, I was involved in clubs such as Model United Nations and California Scholarship Federation. However, my biggest achievement was being able to solely represent my school at the American Legion Auxiliary’s California Girls State in 2023! Being a part of the Elections Commission will be my first extracurricular experience here at UCI, therefore I am super excited to grow as an anteater leader and also use this opportunity to get to know other students in this community. I am always looking for opportunities to grow as a student and develop my skills in public speaking, community leadership, and collaboration!

As your Deputy Elections Commissioner for Candidate Coordination, one of my goals is to actively spread awareness about the elections and inform students about how to file for candidacy. I also hope to make the election process more exciting, empowering, and enjoyable for all UC Irvine students. Lastly, I hope to establish great friendships with fellow students during the election process as well as be someone students turn to for support, encouragement, etc!

Outside of the Elections Commission, I have an awesome part-time job at See’s Candies which has allowed me to break out of my shell a bit more, and yes, I can snack on some chocolate on the job! I absolutely love to read books of all genres, mainly classics and contemporary fiction, and I paint and draw whenever I have the time to. My current favorite TV shows are Abbott Elementary, The Bear, and The Office, and my all time favorite movie is Clueless! Please don’t be scared to say hi if you see me around campus – I’m probably wearing some Snoopy/Peanuts merch! :P