Candidates Personal Statement

(in alphabetical order)

Parham Bokaei Jazi
Status: Undergraduate Student, Double Majoring in Pathobiology and Psychology, 2nd Year 

Dorud ✌️,

My name is Parham, and I am currently a second-year student studying Pathobiology and Psychology. This past fall, I began volunteering at UTIRAN, and in the winter semester, I joined the events team as an intern. My experience with UTIRAN has been incredibly rewarding, and I am eager to become more involved and continue serving this amazing community.

I will keep it short and sweet. If elected, I will prioritize organizing events such as Khodemuni, Mafia Night, and the Book Club, where students can enjoy a variety of relaxing and engaging activities. Above all, my goal is to create fun and memorable experiences that also promote our rich cultural heritage.

With your vote and support, I am confident that I can have a positive impact on the UTIRAN Board of Directors. Together, we can make our community stronger and more vibrant.

Thank you for your consideration 🙏

– Parham 🌱

Shokoofa Dehghani
Status: Undergraduate Student, Mechanical Engineering, 2nd Year

Hi UTIRAN family,

I’m Shokoofa, an undergraduate here studying Mechanical Engineering. As an active member and volunteer at UTIRAN for almost a year, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible sense of community and belonging that the club fosters. UTIRAN has truly become my family here, a place where I feel welcomed and connected to lovely people.

Considering the small number of Iranian undergraduate students, especially in the faculty of engineering and applied sciences, UTIRAN provides an invaluable space to connect with others who share my background and speak Farsi. YEAH! I sometimes missed speaking Farsi with people, and that’s mostly when UTIRAN events became my weekly go-to, even with my crazy busy schedule. 

I’m eager to join the Board of Directors to ensure that every Iranian student at U of T has access to this incredible support system. I’m passionate about strengthening our community and deeply care about the people whom I call my family. I can’t wait to see UTIRAN become a place that values integrity and continues to serve Iranians.

Mohammadshayan Farzanegan
Status: Undergraduate Student, Life Sciences Stream, 2nd Year 
Hello! I’m Shayan, a Life Sciences student entering my second year this Fall. I am running for a VP position at UTIRAN because I see tremendous unrealized potential in our club at U of T, which I believe can materialize as I trust in the competence of the team I am running alongside in this election.
We need to focus on identifying and meeting the needs of our members through various initiatives, such as: expanding collaborations with other clubs, organizing and hosting networking events on and off campus, offering program-specific workshops, and much more. While my academic aspirations gravitate towards genetics and neuroscience, my passion for business and marketing led me to start my own business with my sister and friends. I intend to use these skills to advance UTIRAN’s goals and initiatives as a VP. As an Iranian-Canadian student, my ultimate goal is to advocate for combining leisure activities with our Iranian heritage, to ensure that our university and club experience is both memorable and meaningful.
Our team–Nazgol, Dorrin, Niki, Shokoofa, Kian, Parham, and I–represents a diverse cross-section of the student body, including Life Sciences, Rotman Commerce, and Computer Science. This diversity equips us to fulfill our executive duties effectively and allows UTIRAN to transcend the role of a typical social club.
Our promise to our Iranian peers at U of T is summarized in three objectives:
Create a cheerful and fun atmosphere – because fun keeps us young!
Keep our activities rooted in our values and traditions – as we are proud of our Iranian heritage!
Act as a robust support system that aids academic success – since that is what we all need as students!
These objectives reflect our commitment to serving the youthful, determined Iranian students at U of T. If our message resonates with your expectations of the club, vote for us!
Kian Keshtkar
Status: Undergraduate Student, Double Majoring in Computer Science and Statistics, 2nd Year 

Dear UTiran Community,

My name is Kian Keshtkar, a second-year student at the University of Toronto. Last year, as a volunteer and intern in UTiran, I witnessed the significant impact our association has on fostering cultural pride and belonging among Iranian students. This experience has inspired me to run for the Board of Directors.

I am committed to UTiran’s mission and confident in my ability to contribute to its growth. I plan to expand our outreach, increase member engagement, and introduce new programs to meet our community’s needs. As a Board member, I will strive to create an inclusive environment where every voice is valued. Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of UTiran.

Warm regards,

Kian Keshtkar

Niki Khadivi 
Status: Undergraduate Student, Rotman Commerce, 2nd Year 

My name is Niki Khadivi and I have been a volunteer for UTIRAN in the past year. I have had so much fun being part of the team and participating in events. In addition, getting to know other Persian students in the university and being able to get closer with this community has been a rewarding experience for me. For this reason, I want to become more involved with the club and use the knowledge from my program to contribute to the club and become a finance director for UTIRAN.

Nazgol Moheimani
Status: Undergraduate Student, Double Majoring in Human Biology & Molecular Biology and Immunology & Disease, 4th Year 
As an immigrant like so many of us, I’ve been in a constant search for finding a new « home », a community that makes me feel belonged, supported & connected to my roots. Although it’s a never ending journey, UTIRAN has managed to be my place for the past almost 3 years. Despite all the bitter sweets, from the burn outs after huge events to the pure joy of celebrating our culture together; I’m yet out of words to describe the feeling of bringing together a community & empowering it. Enough said about my emotional attachment to UTIRAN; my service as a board member this year & an executive last year has equipped me with invaluable skills ranging from an in depth knowledge of the community, broad connections, leadership and teamwork; all motivating me to want to bring my expertise to the table alongside the passion of new members. As a board member this year, I am hoping to diversify our community events (such as khodemooni) & support new ideas to reach various groups within the community; increase the engagement of new members (ex: newcomers, first years, etc) & offer more support services to the community. At the end, I’m no perfect and have my own flaws but UTIRAN has taught me so much that makes me eager to take this opportunity to further develop myself.
Thank you for your support & reading this inevitably long statement! I hope to serve you for another year!
Your friend,
Nazgol
Dorrin Taghdisi
Status: Undergraduate Student, Double Majoring in Human Biology and Psychology, 4th Year 
My name is Dorrin, and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. I am deeply passionate about bringing the Iranian community together and believe that I can contribute significantly to this goal. With a strong enthusiasm for event planning, organizing, and managing, I have developed skills that I am eager to put to use in creating meaningful and engaging events. Serving on UTIRAN’s Board of Directors would provide me with the perfect opportunity to give back to the community. I aim to foster a sense of belonging among Iranians through innovative ideas and initiatives, helping to strengthen our community bonds.