David Ennett reflects on his enriching experience as KUCSC President

David Ennett may have been voted most likely to be the next Barack Obama by his high school graduating class, but it wasn’t until he met former KUCSC President Barshan Quadry that he considered taking part in student council.

Upon their meeting in a public speaking class, Quadry encouraged Ennett to become involved in campus activities. Within a span of eight months, Ennett quickly transitioned from deputy speaker to USC rep to president of the KUCSC.

While Ennett admits he did not have extensive council experience prior to his presidency, he believes his outside perspective allowed him to conduct a fresh assessment of previous council initiatives. Entering the role, he saw an opportunity to reach out to all students, including those who were disengaged and not benefitting from council programming. 

“The biggest goal I had going into this position was trying to make the KUCSC more relevant and accessible to the majority of students who are not actively involved,” said Ennett. “I think, as a council, we've begun to have an honest conversation about how relevant all of our services are to the student body and have set the foundation for growth and change in future years.”

Over the past year, Ennett has been able to make tangible changes that will benefit students for years to come. In February, one of his main campaign promises came to fruition with the installation of the bus shelter outside of Labatt Hall. In addition, he worked with Western to place benches at the main gates, and was able to help create $70,000 worth of funding for scholarships, trips, programming, conferences and legacy initiatives.

“I'm happy that the college and the KUCSC could work together to see these projects through so that I could live up to the core promises of my campaign,” said Ennett. “I am happy to have been able to make changes that enhance the everyday student experience.”

Reflecting on the highlights of his King’s experience, Ennett notes that he appreciates the support of faculty who made an effort to connect with students on a personal level. He adds that the relationships he has developed will serve as his best memories of his undergraduate career. 

“During my time at King’s I've enjoyed the close knit community and the faculty who are accessible to students and actually care about student’s academic development,” said Ennett. “Every professor I've had here got to know me by name and pushed me to do my best, which helped me to grow as an individual and a student.”

Ennett encourages all students to become involved in co-curricular activities, and he feels that these opportunities greatly enhance the undergraduate experience. He believes that the relationships and the experience he gained through council were among the most valuable learning experiences of his time at King’s.

After graduating with Honors in Political Science, Ennett will move on to pursue his Masters of Canadian and American relations at the Centre for American Studies at Western University. In the future, he hopes to further his education with a degree in law.