Rohan Dhingra

Junior Rohan Dhingra hopes to involve Student Government more in the community, making Parker more inclusive. “I want Parker to be safer, regardless of race, creed, class, and orientation,” Dhingra said. “I want people to feel comfortable speaking and voicing their opinions in front of their peers to bond with each other.”

Dhingra’s plans to make Student Government a more significant part of the community include working with committee heads, Student Athletic Council (SAC) Heads, and the Director of Committee Affairs (DCA) to organize more casual, high school-wide events. 

“I want to work with SAC Heads to develop intramural sports and work with Cabinet to do a back-to-school cookout,” Dhingra said. “I want to change plenary to make it more energetic, more fast-paced, and more interactive.”

Dhingra wants to change many aspects of the way plenary operates, swapping note cards for an online form and using small remote clickers to interact with a presentation and vote. Faculty advisors would give out clickers and copies of “The Student Voice” as students make their way into plenary on Fridays. “Instead of voting taking fifteen minutes, it will be faster, and we’ll have more time for student feedback and input,” Dhingra said. “The notecards have always been outdated, but they’re a great way to give people a chance to participate if they don’t want to come up to the microphone. We could put something online during the comments and questions period for students to tie in, and the Sergeants at Arms can monitor it.”

Dhingra also wants to start plenary by sharing good news and shouting out friends, an idea inspired by his experience volunteering at the Museum of Science and Industry. “If it’s something the students don’t like, we can get rid of it,” Dhingra said. “A lot of what I want to do is be receptive to the student community, and I want to give a platform to make their voices heard.”

While Dhingra proclaims himself an “unconventional candidate,” he believes the experience he has from volunteering and leading clubs makes him a strong candidate. Dhingra has served as Morning Ex Committee Head, and President and founder of Parker American Red Cross Club, and he has led more than two Morning Exs. 

“I’ve learned to lead by example, delegate based on strengths, present in an articulate manner, be comfortable public speaking, and control the room when necessary,” Dhingra said. “When it comes to being that intermediary between the administration, I have to speak on behalf of the students. I’ve worked with people of all ages, and I’m not afraid or uncomfortable when faced with having hard conversations with the administrations.”

These experiences have taught Dhingra the value of listening. “I used to love the sound of my own voice, but I’ve learned that to give a thoughtful response, you need to hear other perspectives before,” Dhingra said. “It doesn’t just help you understand your peers. It helps you understand the issue more and the problems you’re facing.”