Meet The Cherry Hill School Board Candidate: Aslihan Cakmak

CHERRY HILL, NJ — When voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 elections, they will be asked to choose three people from a field of five to serve on the Cherry Hill Public School District's Board of Education.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation. Below are the responses from candidate Aslihan Cakmak.

Previous elective office, if any

N/A

Does anyone in your family work for the school district or in politics?

No.

Education

BS in Economics

MBA in Management and Finance

Doctorate in International Business

Occupation

Chairperson — Business and Computer Science Department — Middlesex County College

Why are you seeking a seat on the school board?

Because education matters. Because there is a gap in the current system that my knowledge and experience can fill. What I am expected to do as a Board Member is actually what I am doing in my professional life; this is my daily job as an academic administrator. Recent struggles proved that my background in online education, student success, teacher and staff training and development will contribute to our education community in Cherry Hill.

The single most pressing issue facing ourschool district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

To safely return our students, teachers, and staff to school. I actually successfully completed this task at my school, in my department. Because of the early planning and necessary investments in human and technology resources, we started our Fall 2020 seamlessly. I would bring my experience and propose to form a committee to work with me. However, we will not be able to assume the board member role before January 2021.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board seat?

One major difference is that I already am an administrator in an academic institution in higher education where I am responsible from close to 2,700 students and more than 100 faculty and staff members. I have experience in policy making, budget management, personnel management, and grant applications. In a time when needed the most, I am an online education expert. I have been designing courses and programs, training faculty and staff for 15 years. Currently, I am serving on Building Pathways to New Jersey’s Future with 185 leaders from New Jersey.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board seat?

If I have to say one thing that makes me different from other candidates, I can probably say that I have been on all sides of the table; as a parent, as an educator, as an administrator, as a Board Member, and as an NGO representative.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I am an immigrant and my daughter is first generation American. As a minority, I did face many challenges. One of the issues dear to my heart is gender equality. I represent an NGO at the United Nations to support the SDGs. Girls and women need our support in having their voices heard. One of my campaign topics is to increase female and minority enrollment and retention in STEM education. I believe education is a human right. Everyone, including underserved populations, women, minorities, and people with disabilities deserve a high quality education where equity gaps are nonexistent. I work with organizations such as CAHSI and IWITTS to increase recruitment and graduation of females and minorities in computer and technology related fields.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective on the school board?

Let’s see, where should I start? I served four years as a member of Board for Directors (Student Affairs Director) at Chinese School of South Jersey where I am now a member of Board of Trustees. I also serve on the Advisory Boards of colleges and publishers. Under my leadership of only two years, my department, Business and Computer Science at Middlesex County College, became one of the Top 25 Business Programs (#19 out of 446 schools) that offer Associate Degrees in the US. I was able to get a grant funding to fully update 2 of our computer labs. Our enrollment rose 26% in two years including the semesters during COVID-19 crisis. Because of my work with my department, I was nominated by our President to serve on Building Pathways to New Jersey’s Future with 185 leaders from New Jersey.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

During the COVID-19 Crisis, our Food Pantry at MCC ran dry. Our students had food insecurities, fancy word for hunger. I spearheaded a fundraiser which ended up generating thousands of dollars in less than five weeks that helped our students put food on their tables. If I see something that needs to be done, I just do it. If not me then who, if not now, then when? I just want Cherry Hill voters to know that what I do, I do it with love. Us, educators, we have the fortune of making a living out of something that we deeply love. Otherwise, you cannot do it for a long time. I am an economist by trade, but I fell in love with teaching and switched careers years ago. Since, I love what I am doing, I can safely say that I am very good at it which should give Cherry Hill parents and voters confidence that I will work for our kids’ academic future, and our teachers’ and staff’s safe and happy work environment.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself; something to repair tears in your community, something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you. That’s what I think a meaningful life is: Living not for one’s self but one’s community.”