Not everyone was happy to see fall come, but I was. I was eager to welcome new and returning undergraduate students to campus as the new president of the McMaster Students Union (MSU).

I have been in the job officially since May 1, and that means I spent my first full summer in Hamilton, getting to know the city in a new way.

I embraced the local businesses and coffee shops of Locke Street South. I treated myself to a visit to the Art Gallery of Hamilton and hiked to a few waterfalls. I met people and learned things about Hamilton that confirmed for me that this is a city where I could see myself living in the future.

That was not always true. The issue, though, was never the city itself. It was getting to know it, and I know too many who have never had the pleasure.

I am convinced more than ever that there is still a gap between our student community and the wider community, and as a result both sides are missing out.

Like many McMaster students, I grew up in the GTA — Mississauga, to be precise — and arrived at McMaster knowing the reputation of the school better than I knew the reputation of the city.

For those who live on or near campus or who commute to school like I did then, it is all too easy to miss the bigger picture of Hamilton and leave after four years without really ever getting a feel for the place.

I remember taking part in the MSU's Discover Your City program and how it helped me get past the campus bubble. In addition, I applaud the efforts of the university to integrate the community and the campus more broadly through such efforts as the public events of the Socrates Project, the university experience provided through Discovery Program and the senior citizen-student roommate matchmaking of the Symbiosis co-housing program.

As MSU president, I am also a member of McMaster President Patrick Deane's Advisory Committee on Community Relations, which gives me a window into how the university's neighbours view things. In my role, I see some connections, but I also see some misunderstanding. Most of all, I see opportunities.

I believe that a critical missing piece in joining the two communities is students mobilizing themselves to participate in Hamilton life, as true citizens.

This brings me to the Oct. 22 municipal election. It is not widely known among students that as long as they are at least 18, they are eligible to vote wherever they are living during the school year, even if their permanent home is somewhere else. Students can vote, and they should.

Some politicians have the tendency to forget, or even actively avoid investing much time or effort engaging, student voters — many voting for the first time. That's a missed opportunity for both. With every election cycle, the MSU conducts an advocacy campaign for students, under the banner of #MacVotes. The MSU does more than simply promote the election. #MacVotes provides analysis and insight on campaign platforms, as well as information on registration and the voting process. In addition, the MSU will host a Ward 1 candidates' debate on Oct. 16 in the Student Centre.

In the case of McMaster, bringing a community of more than 23,000 undergrads into the fold can make the difference both on the local ward level and in deciding who is elected mayor.

Voting in our local election makes students a constituency that must be considered.

If students use their power and vote, politicians will be much more likely to recognize the importance of their concerns and to reconcile issues that affect them and their nonstudent neighbours.

By voting, students can make an affirmative statement that they care about where they live, and what makes a better neighbour than that?

By voting, they can bring attention to the full picture of their experience, including their needs, such as more lighting on the routes they take home from campus after dark, or HSR schedules that give more complete service when and where students need it.

Engaging in elections can help students realize that the city where they live is complex, diverse and worth knowing, and I know the leaders at City Hall are eager to have more McMaster students settle here after graduating.

Our students and graduates can contribute even more to the fabric of our broader community, through volunteering and advocacy work, and can benefit from the quality of living and character of the city, and the opportunities it offers for employment and entrepreneurship.

With more young people settling in Hamilton after university, the city can continue to grow and change.

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Hamilton is a place where McMaster students and graduates can afford to get a foot on the ladder. There is beauty, momentum, culture and pride here, and a can-do attitude that fosters success.

This is a place to grow, and to grow together.