Two candidates for the Undergraduate Students Association Council Student Wellness commissioner attended a debate Thursday.

The Elections Board and the Daily Bruin co-hosted a series of debates between candidates in the upcoming USAC election. Four candidates are running for the position of Student Wellness Commissioner. Reuben Broudy, a first-year political science student, and Evangelina Ocampo, a psychology student, did not attend the debate.

Chiara Frank, a third-year neuroscience student, said she wants to promote campus safety and uplift marginalized voices in on-campus student health policies.

“I aim to ensure accessibility of basic needs, empowering students through health literacy education, addressing interdisciplinary help and fostering transparency to support student wellbeing,” she said.

Frank said she has been a part of the Student Wellness Commission for the past three years and is currently the executive director of Active Minds, a mental health committee under the Student Wellness Commission. 

Frank said, that if elected, she would ensure all students have access to mental health services by listening to student experiences, building relationships with services on campus and identifying gaps in health literacy and access to resources.

In her closing statement, Frank said her background working with different groups and organizations – including the Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, Center for Accessible Education and Counseling and Psychological Services – has taught her that navigating health needs to be a collaborative effort. 

Paige Zwerner, a first-year communication and political science student, said her focus if elected would be on partnerships, accessible wellness, open lines of communication and diversity. 

Zwerner said she has four years of event planning and organizational experience including holding a wellness fair in her hometown.

To directly identify the actual issues with accessibility, Zwerner said she wants to ensure that there is a diverse group of students represented in the Student Wellness Commission because people have differing experiences with mental health, physical health, discrimination and accessibility.

Zwerner said she believes communication and community are key parts of wellness, especially at a large school like UCLA.

“Community should be an option for everyone, especially because our social supports are integral for wellness and especially mental health,” Zwerner said.

Students can vote in the election on MyUCLA starting Friday and ending May 17.