GET TO KNOW THE ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES FOR 2019-20 OFFICES

As the end of the school year approaches, election campaigns for Associated Student Government (ASG) president and vice president in 2019-20 are under way.

Running for president are Collin Kazu Lewis and Kenneth Mendoza; running for vice president is Chelsea Allison.

On Monday and Tuesday, MHCC students had the opportunity to meet the candidates and ask what each wants to do for Mt. Hood. On Wednesday, they also met with students and presented their goals, visions, and platforms.

Kazu Lewis is currently the academic affairs representative for ASG. He said something that sets him apart from others are his ideas of what MHCC should be, and what it can be in the future. Some of his goals are: spreading awareness of, and improving, Barney’s Pantry; restoring and implementing a community garden on campus; new campus activities based on art and nature; creating an accessible textbook borrowing system through ASG, and expanding the amount of recreational opportunities on campus.

“I don’t want to focus on just one thing, because I believe I can achieve a lot of different things, and I don’t fear failure,” Lewis said.  

A lot of times, having too many ideas can lead to some being neglected. But Lewis said he believes in being able to achieve his goals for the school, faculty, and students. He said, “Don’t fear time, trade it. We don’t have to leave a project, instead, we can do it on a later time.”

Lewis is taking prerequisites for an associate degree in pre-medicine and plans to transfer to a medical school. His strong desire to help students and volunteer brings him many joys, he said: “For me, a ‘thank you’ and a smile can be better than a paycheck.” 

Mendoza, also running for president, is currently the legislative affairs representative for ASG and has recently taken the position of communications and marketing representative. Some of his responsibilities include advocating for students in regards to tuition increases and speaking to state legislators. He has closely seen the tasks of the ASG president and believes his transition, if elected, would go smoothly. 

Something that sets Mendoza apart from others is his experience in leadership, he said. Besides the leadership involved in his ASG position,  he is also a leader at his full-time dental assistant job. 

His stated goals include increasing safety on campus; further expanding Barney’s Pantry; increasing intramural sports opportunities; adding gender-neutral restrooms; and increasing awareness on Open Educational Resources. He said he also plans to add talent shows, and open mic nights, to support all the talents at MHCC: “I want students to know that I can have their back, I want to hear their concerns, and I want this school to be a comfort zone for them.” 

Mendoza is taking prerequisites to enter the Mt. Hood dental hygiene program and is currently working as a dental assistant. He plans to use his time efficiently to succeed in all his responsibilities, he said.

Allison, running for vice president, is currently the ASG executive assistant. Some tasks that come with her position are scheduling, writing down plans, and working very closely with Bob Hansen, current ASG president, to make sure his deadlines and plans are met. One of Allison’s biggest reasons for running is to get more student voices heard, she said. 

“Before student government I didn’t realize the power I had as a student, and I’d like to advocate for students and let them know they have so much power with their voices,” said Allison.

She will be working closely with Mendoza and will share three similar goals if elected, she said. They are to increase awareness and use of OER; increase students’ awareness of non-campus resources available to them; and collaborative and entertainment opportunities between co-curricular departments and students at MHCC. 

Some of Allison’s individual desires for Mt. Hood include better communications between students and faculty; improving connections between the main campus; the Bruning Center and Maywood Park campuses; implementing eco-friendly containers at dining areas on campus; and offering discussion forums for students to express their concerns and needs.

 She said she hopes to demonstrate to students how genuine she is, her strong willingness to serve, and her desire to give back to her community. Along with being a full-time student and ASG member, she is a mother to her 6-year-old son, who is the center of her world.

A busy schedule like Allison’s could make some others wonder, “How does she do it?” 

She replied, “I just do it. I know what’s best for me and what’s best for my family. I prioritize, and manage time very well to get the work done.”

Besides good time management, Melanie Roberts, who is leaving the position vice president in June, said during the “meet the candidates” event that a good leader should always be open to trying new ideas. 

“Of course you can keep going on a certain idea you have, but a good leader should always have a new goal after finishing one,” Roberts said. She stressed the importance of students voting and wants them to know it’s a way of getting their voice heard. 

Polls to vote for the ASG candidates will open online at at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, and close at 11:59 p.m. the next night, April 24. Students can also vote in person at the Student Union, during business hours, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days.

The new ASG president and vice president will be announced at noon on Thursday, April 25 in the Student Union.