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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.
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