Womeng’g’s Month: Meet the Women of UP CURSOR’s Eng’g Week Team
“Eng’g Week is a way to reaffirm my spirit as an engineering student and a way to have fun amidst the bustling academic chaos in my life… It’s a stressful time but it feels like home.”
- Annika Domondon, UP CURSOR’s Eng’g Week Affairs Team (EAT) Records Committee Head
Last March 24, we witnessed the end of UP Eng’g Week 2024 — a week-long event filled with fun competitions and team-building activities that had our players running all around the campus. However, that isn’t the only thing to look forward to this March. We also celebrate National Women’s Month, so why not commemorate the contributions of our very own women in UP CURSOR, especially those who poured all their efforts into making our Eng’g Week endeavors a success?
Today, we’ll have a short chat with UP CURSOR’s Eng’g Week Records Committee (Rex) Heads, Alee Alampay and Annika Domondon, as they tell us what being a leader for Eng’g Week means to them.
Eng’g Week Feels Like Home
Eng’g Week for our Rex Heads are often stressful as they go through countless registration forms, roster changes, and communication issues. Nevertheless, Alee and Annika have found Eng’g Week to be one of the reasons why they love UP CURSOR.
“I enjoy being able to work with the other [division heads], divisions, and the whole org to make Eng’g week happen! I like seeing the passion in our members and I hope to inspire and motivate others as well,” Alee said. This is her second time as an EAT Rex and first time as the Rex Head. “My first Eng’g Week was one of, if not my most memorable experience with kerser! Personally, Eng’g Week is what really introduced me to the org, brought me closer to everyone, and gave me the love I have for kerser now!”
Annika seconds this thought and recounts how she met some of her closest friends through Eng’g Week.
“[Eng’g Week] reminds me of why I love CURSOR. EAT was my first ever org work. I remember Mon messaging me immediately after my first genmeet and asking me to join EAT, which I accepted immediately. I also met most of my close friends in CURSOR through EWeek. I met Alee when we both volunteered to take minutes for the first EAT genmeet, and Kai and Angge when we all joined Indakan 2023. Eng’g Week is a stressful time but it feels like home.”
Leadership in Eng’g Week
When asked about the significance of being the EAT Rex Head and taking on leadership roles, Alee remarks on how important Eng’g Week is as it is many members’ introduction to org work and org life. She notes that, in this sense, she has a responsibility to new members and a duty to record the memories of the org.
“Being one of the Rex EW co-heads is a responsibility, especially as this is many new mems’ first major task in kerser, to introduce and guide them to our org and the duties of the rex committee. It is also our responsibility to make sure that we are able to keep our memories and records to help the org and future EAT have the same or an even better experience for Eng’g Week.”
Annika notes how headship to her was relatively new, and it “served as a learning experience.”
“I learned how to lead a team and not just follow instructions from another person…Being the Rex Eng’g Week heads, Alee and I were the primary organizers of this year’s roster, and it was the first time that the weight of the headship settled into my being.”
A Message For Future Heads
Just like Annika, headship can be a learning experience for all UP CURSOR members new and old. We asked Alee and Annika to share a few pieces of advice for aspiring heads.
Although it requires responsibility and level-headedness, Alee reminds us that org work and headship is about collaboration with other committees and members.
“I think communication and preparation are some of the most important things you need to have,” she said. “One, you need to be able to communicate well with your members as well as your fellow heads. Two, preparing in advance and consulting the work of previous heads or event iterations is highly suggested (and that’s why we have the records committee to keep records!!)”
Additionally, she notes that headship is never a solitary endeavor. Future and aspiring heads should always look to their peers for support.
“With that being said, you can’t always be prepared for everything and you can’t do everything on your own. Events are made possible by many different people and you shouldn’t take all the help and support for granted. It’s always okay to welcome and ask for help.”
Annika states that leadership is not solely about your own competence, but also your ability to rely on your members and to bring out the best in them.
She says, “Believe in your members’ abilities but be proactive in correcting them should a reprimand be needed. You are both with them, in the sense that you are learning and doing the same work alongside them, and above them, in the sense that you are responsible for the team’s regulation.”
For Alee and Annika, leadership is about being with others — supporting them, learning from them, and sharing in the same pains with them.
Aside from Alee and Annika, we have many Women in CURSOR deserving of praise and celebration, and we hope we can commemorate all of their achievements and contribution to the org.
