Mitchel Prost

Mitchel Prost is the AMS student services manager and a recent UBC graduate, BSc 2021. Mitchel lives in the Hawthorn Place local area.

Each candidate was asked four questions about their connections to, and engagements within, the UNA. I provide the questions and candidates answers below. Rather than asking them about their political platform (we will hear a lot about that throughout the election) I asked them to reflect on the more personal aspects of their lives at UBC in the UNA community.

Describe how you are involved in the life of the UNA community.

Having lived on the UBC Vancouver Campus for the past six years, I’ve become familiar with the UNA community and its neighbourhoods. Most of my focus in the UNA community has been through my work done supporting students living on campus, including in the UNA community. Presently, as the AMS Student Services Manager, I manage several services that directly support students, staff, and faculty living in the UNA community. These services include the AMS Food Bank, an emergency food resource accessible for all UBC Students, Staff, and Faculty members; AMS Safewalk, a service dedicated to transporting community members across campus at night to increase safety and comfort; and AMS Peer Support, a service dedicated to supporting students’ mental wellbeing and running initiatives focused on education and outreach on mental wellness topics. Prior to this role, I helped found the AMS Housing service, a new service aimed at supporting students with non-UBC Residence housing issues.

What brought you to live in the UNA community?

The UNA is an amazing community composed of extraordinary community members. I knew I wanted to live in the UNA community from the moment I arrived at UBC; I regularly give my family members mini tours of the UNA neighbourhoods when they visit, showcasing the community I am privileged to live in. To me, the best part of living on a university campus is the diversity of leaders and experts that surround me. Nowhere else can you find a community where your neighbours have a collective knowledge spanning multiple fields with years upon years of experience in leading change. I am continuously in awe of my neighbours and fellow community members, and absolutely love living in the UNA.

Where in Canada, or the world, did you grow up? What about living in the UNA reminds you of your childhood home?

I grew up near UBC in Surrey, BC. My neighbourhood was always a community where I knew my neighbours and could rely on them. The UNA plays a very similar role to my old neighbourhood. Being able to live so closely to my friends and colleagues has truly been a bonus of living in the UNA. In this way, the UNA reminds me of home, and has become a second home for me.

How would you describe your normal daily routine?

I like to take my mornings slow and use that time to plan out my day. I usually schedule my meetings and commitments a week in advance, and spend my early mornings assembling my list of things I’d like to accomplish during the day. Breakfast is usually light; I typically opt for a toasted bagel with strawberry cream cheese. When I get to work (a nice 15 minute walk), my mornings are usually occupied with responding to emails and check-in meetings with colleagues and staff. For lunch, it’s usually a toss-up between a sandwich from The Delly in the Nest, or a bowl from Sesame on University Boulevard. I typically leave work around 6pm, and will usually spend dinner and my evenings with friends. To wind down, I like to listen to podcasts and will typically be in bed by 11pm, ready for the next day!