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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2016)
; lackama o © The eight Latino members of.CCC’s student government make up nearly h^lf of the leadership team. ASG embraces diversity STORY A ND PHOTO BY MERARI CALDERON RUIZ Some people work, others are students and only a few are leaders. The Associated Student Government is the representation and voice for students attending Clackamas Com m unity College. They provide many benefits and opportunities for students. Some of it includes the lending library, book exchange, lost and found, calculator rentals and grants. This year, ASG created a new department called the Com m unity W ellness Department, which includes the free food market, the Cougar Cave and other programs; Currently, there are 17 student leaders in ASG. This is the first time at Clackamas that both the president and vice president are Hispanic. Jairo Rodriguez is the president of ASG and Alexa Carrera is the vice president. “ W hat they contribute to ASG can be contributed by anyone, no m atter the race or eth n icity,” said Kevin Villanueva, an ASG student that works in the Grants Departm ent. “ I feel like everything they do, they do it with a purpose and they do- it because it’s necessary. They are setting a great example for other Latinos in the community—that you don’t have to be white, like I said it doesn’t matter what race or ethnicity you are, you are capable of holding high positions in a department like A S G .” There are currently eight Hispanic ASG students. According to Carrera, throughout her tim e at ASG she has seen the number of Hispanics grow in student leadership. “ I never really thought about it until recently,” said Carrera. “ It’ s am azing. I feel really proud to be. a representation of my culture. You don’t really see a lot of Hispanics stepping up to leadership positions and the fact that the V.P. and the president of ASG h ereon campus are both Hispanic is great.” Everyone works hard and as a team . Even th ou gh A SG students work in their own departments and have their own responsibilities, they lend each other a hand. “ Under our constitution, my job is unrestricted as far as what I can doinside A S G ,” said Rodriguez. “ My V.P. is also an elected official, and they have responsibilities that fall under different things. Essentially, l am the voice and she is the backbone.” Any student going to CCC has the opportunity to apply to be a part of ASG. But there are some requirements for becoming a student leader, including a minimum GPA of 2.75, two references and a resume. The application to apply is online. There are three different positions available: ASG Officer,- ASG Senator and ASG Senator at Large. The mandatory work per week ranges from four to 15 hours depending on the position. Many of the current ASG members joined student leadership not just to benefit them selvesbut to help other students. They have the opportunity to set up different events around campus. “ I like the connections that it brings,” said Villanueva. “ I used to eat lunch alone and once I came here, .it’ s like I have new friends. And it’s kind of like a second family for me now, where if these people become lawyers, if ,they become doctors, I can be proud to say that I know a lawyer and a doctor, personally.” I t ’ s a constant learning experience. Students enjoy the positions they are in because everyone gets som ething out of it; whether it’s leadership skills, learning time management or just making new friends. “ The fact that I have so much to offer to the team and the team has so much to offer back, it really is motivational, ” said Rodriguez. “ The whole atmosphere of having people there with you throughout this journey is really what keeps me going. ” Even w ith the am ount of tim e th at they spend per week working in A SG , as well as trying to balance their classes and jobs, these students are involved in leadership for the benefit of the long run. ON THE COVER: Bruce Mulligan welds metal rh the Training Center on campus, . Cover design and photo by Austin Boltz. Most Trafficked Story This Week: Letter from the editors. 2 Clackamas Print NOVEMBER 25,2016 thedackamasprintcom PRINT EDITORIAL Co Editors-in-Chief Blake Swan Victoria Tinker chiefed@clackamas.edu Copy Editor KristenW ohlers' copyed@clackamas.edu Photo Editor Austin Boltz photoed@clackamas.edu News Editor Merari Calderon Ruiz newsed@clackamas.edu Arts & Culture Editor Elizabeth Kessel aced@clackamas.edu Sports Editor Travis David V Whittaker spoctsed@clackamas.edu Opinion Editor James Harley oped@c|ackamas.edu Web Editor Alexis Wagar webeditor@clackamas.edu Ad Manager David Avis admgr@clackamas.edu STAFF WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Collin Berend Ty Delbridge Debbie Fox Doug Fry PRODUCTION Nick Allison TomBoggess Chelsea Pagan JOURNALISM ADVISER Melissa Jones j melissaj@dackamas.edu The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner. Content published in The Print is not screened or subject to censorship. Email comments, concerns or tips to: chiefed@clackamas.edu or call us at 503-594-6266 . Roger Rook Room 135 19600 Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045
