Matthew Barnett is a junior (‘27) studying Chemical-Biological Engineering (10-B) at MIT. Matthew is passionate about medicine, health, and policy, and has been involved with MIT Catholic, New Vassar House Government, MIT Model United Nations, and The Tech. As a candidate for the Student Group Funding Council member, he aims to advocate for a transparent, public-facing funding process that will illustrate the rationales behind funding decisions.
Matt Lovely is a rising second-year MIT Sloan MBA candidate focusing on finance and analytics. Matt is passionate about entrepreneurship, innovation, and emerging technologies, having previously worked in strategy roles at Barclays, JPMorgan, and Techstars Boston. As a candidate for the Student Group Funding Council, Matt aims to ensure funding is allocated transparently and efficiently to the highest-impact student initiatives, enabling organizations across MIT to execute ambitious ideas and deliver meaningful value to the broader community.
Kemal Özkırşehirli is a junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in artificial intelligence, biochemistry, and mathematics. Kemal believes that every student group at MIT should be able to create an intentional community through resource support and collaborate with other students to engage in ambitious, interdisciplinary work, which mirrors the way in which Kemal was encouraged by collaboration among different research laboratories, professional and technical organizations, and student groups during his time at MIT. Kemal is involved with AIM Labs, MIT iGEM, UROP, BioMakers and Lambda Chi Alpha and is also the publicity chair of the MIT Class of 2028 Student Council. In running for election to the Student Group Funding Council, Kemal would like to improve transparency and access to funding for all student groups at MIT but especially for those who are new, small, or focused on STEM fields; these groups typically do not have the same amount of institutional experience to help them understand how to use the funding process.
I am a Dean’s Fellow and MBA candidate at MIT Sloan with 15 years of experience in international development finance (IFC/World Bank and EBRD). At MIT, I've served as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Simon Johnson (G-Lab) and for Professor Gita Rao (Fin-Lab). My background is rooted in managing complex capital allocations and fostering sustainable growth. I am motivated to join the SGFC because I believe student initiatives are the heartbeat of the MIT community. Having spent my career ensuring that capital reaches impactful projects in emerging markets, I want to apply that same rigor and dedication to our campus. My interest lies at the intersection of finance, policy, and community building, and I am eager to help student groups navigate the resources they need to scale their impact.
My name is Guy, and I am a Junior in Course 6-14 with a minor in Course 17. I am interested in ensuring that student organizations receive the maximum amount of funding possible with the fewest number of restrictions.
Sze Wing Wong, or Susila Wong, is a freshman studying Course 6-5 at MIT. Susila is passionate about biomimetic (humanoid and realistic) robots and have been involved in the Treasurer position of MacGregor Dormitory, Officer at the MIT Questbridge Chapter, and a member of the Combat Robotics Club. As a candidate for the Student Group Funding Council member, she aims to provide perspectives from both the conflicting sides of the budget and the betterment of students and residents, as well as maintaining sufficient resources for room of improvement to foster a vibrant, inclusive campus culture even during times of financial constraints.
Tomo is a 2nd year PhD student in Course 1 at MIT. Tomo is passionate about working with plants to address self-sufficiency and food security. He has been involved in the Sport Taekwondo Club as the Fundraising Chair where he secured tournament sponsorships, applied for school funding, and wrote thank you emails to alumni donors. As a candidate for the Student Group Funding Council member, he wishes to uphold the funding structure that has empowered many clubs including his. He also aims to add perspective on the funding structure of club sports and speak for activities that encourage grad students to touch grass and interact with undergrads.
