I am currently in the Student Senate. That was already a big motivator because being a part of the Student Senate allows me to view different angles and different avenues of the student experience that I was not able to before. That was very eye-opening. I wanted to take it a step further, as I am in a pretty close relationship with a lot of people on the Board of Trustees. This includes things like the sustainability competition, for example, or speaking at the Board of Trustees – they’re wonderful people. So, I learned that the Student Trustee position was kind of the bridge between those two worlds in conveying the student interest to the Board of Trustees and influencing change or improvements within the school. And I thought, wow, this is amazing. What an honor to be that bridge for the students. I love people, and I very much love the student body here. So, if I can talk to anyone, figure out what their needs are, and then convey that to the Board of Trustees. I would love to be the person to do that. 

One of my biggest skills is being able to talk to anyone. I have led in many different facets, whether it be my high school speech team, employment as a training and assistant manager in sales or just being a salesperson in general, you speak to every type of person. So, I am not shy about speaking to people and really seeing what their needs and wants are. I do think that is a skill that has to be built up over time. I also think that I have a lot of drive, passion, ambition and ability to take on anything. You can see that with me being a mom at the same time. I hope I make it look easy, because it’s not. But this is not something even necessarily for myself, but something I want to do on behalf of students.

I would say one of my main goals would have to be our food insecurity situation. The food pantry specifically is something we’re working on in the Student Senate as well, but I know from just speaking with students that food prices can be a difficulty. Everyone needs to eat. It’s definitely a necessity. So, I want to work with what action I can take to bridge that gap between prices and students getting the food they need. So, whether that be influencing the coupon system or getting food to more students from Paisano’s. It could also be providing food baskets, like more free fruit baskets, for example to the students. Food insecurity is something I want to work on. That’s going to be one of the things I’ll be pressing for. Also, polling is a big thing for me–polling students and seeing what they need.

I do have plans. There are two main things I want to do. One goes with my mention of polling for students. I want to set up polling stations at all four of the campuses that have prompts that’ll be at the campuses regularly and change, asking students about certain concerns. So, for example, if they have a concern about this or what they think can be improved. About walkability, for example, transportation or childcare, and then collecting those, because one of the main things is gathering information for change. Sometimes the school has a hard time gathering information, so I want to be the person gathering that information. The second way is on my campaign website. If you go to the QR code on my flyers, I’ve already added a section on my website that’s titled ‘Your Voice.’ It’s a direct form where students can type in anything that they would want me to know and send it to me so that I can convey it. So, that is active right now.

If a student came to me with a concern that they had, the first thing I would do is cite any resources that I currently know of that may be able to support them. That’s the first thing – just in case they were unaware of something that I know about that can help them in that moment. The next thing I would do is reassure them that things will get better and that, ‘now that you told me, thank you for telling that to me, confiding in me, first of all, because it’s a big step.’ And then reassuring them that it will be worked on. I’d probably take their contact information to inform them of updates I make on the issue that they brought up to me, and then I would bring it to the responsible parties. So, whether that’s the financial aid office or whether that’s the president of Waubonsee.

I’m running because I truly love Waubonsee, and I love the students of Waubonsee and just being able to be a voice to the higher-ups of the school for the students. Not only do I want to be the voice, but I also want to encourage other students to use their voice that they have, and to direct them on where they can use it. So, just being that voice, being that support for all students on campus, whether they’re full credit or part-time or just here for a little bit.

So, right now, I serve as Vice President of the Student Senate. That’s given me a lot of experience to lead within the community of Waubonsee itself already. So, having that role has been great, and then also back in high school, a year ago, I served in a similar position with my school board. I served as the Student Ambassador to the Oswego School District School Board, and so I basically did the same thing that a Trustee does: representing the students to the board and to the higher-ups of their school. That’s kind of my long term experience that I’ve had, and just serving as Vice President this year has given me the opportunity to lead and serve with other students of Waubonsee and learn the culture and learn what the students want to see here.

One big thing is getting a food pantry established here on campus. That’s been a big goal of the Student Senate in my term in the Senate. We’ve gotten the baskets full with our Feed the Need Challenge. We placed fourth in the state, but I would like to continue to oversee that, to get a full time pantry here. It’s a slow process. It’s not easy, but trying to encourage and get that through, that’s a big accomplishment. And then another big one for me is some more Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) initiatives. Waubonsee is a Hispanic Serving Institution. That’s what we are. I’ve heard from a lot of students that they want to see some more representation with that and some more of that HSI influence and resources here on campus. So, and that’s one that came directly from the students that I was hearing. That’s another big initiative, just seeing what we can do to help serve those ideals.

A big thing is just being seen at those campuses. You know, I can’t take a class at all campuses at once, maybe, but just being present for me, showing my face, talking to as many students as I can from all campuses, and just listening and talking to those students. For example, if they feel shunned or far away, I can figure out how we can assist them. That’s another really big priority of mine is ensuring that, while yes, we are spread out, we are still one college, and how can we bring everybody together? And you know, that’s not an easy thing to do, but it just starts with making everyone feel included with all campus activities. Maybe we bring some activities to their campus and not just make it Sugar Grove. And that’s some of the things that the Senate has been talking about and that I would want to continue.

So, first we would talk, and like I said before, it just starts with listening–active listening, not me just sitting there nodding my head, agreeing so they’ll go away. Actually listening. Is it something that I can do as Trustee to help you? Is it something that maybe I can point you in the right direction of a counselor here on campus or some services that we already offer?  Or do we not have any services? And can I bring that to the Board? Can I bring that to the admin? Do we need new services? Do we need new opportunities to serve that issue that you’re struggling with? Because if one student’s struggling with it, it’s worth the while to address it here on campus. So, you know, it depends on the issue. If I can point that individual to the right direction that we already have, great. If it’s something that I need to address on the higher-up level to get something done, I can do that as well.

The reason I’m running is because, including myself and other students, there’s not many resources here at the Sugar Grove campus, and this is the main campus here at Waubonsee. At Aurora Downtown, they have the Latinx Resource Center. I feel like having a Latinx Resource Center here at the Sugar Grove campus would be useful for others with all the resources we could get here. Not many students go to Aurora Downtown to take their classes, it’s not really where people go to take their classes, you know, so I think having that here would be beneficial.  I do not want to take the Latinx Resource Center away from Aurora Downtown because it’s useful there as well, but let’s make another one here at the Student Center. Also Waubonsee doesn’t really have sanctuary spaces for when ICE could come for undocumented students, and that’s very important. There’ve been a lot of complaints and concerns that students tell me about, and I feel like I do have a strong voice, and I really want to express that when I get the position of Student Trustee.

I feel like I motivate others to do something. I do take leadership skill workshops at other places. I feel that I am using my voice and giving credit to other students to make them realize that their voice, or their concerns, aren’t dumb. Just being able to uplift students with their concerns and being able to express that for them, that’s how others have done that for me.  I do work with a lot of adults and teenagers with intellectual disabilities like Down Syndrome and Autism, so I help them with their voices as well–so I do it for work as well. Throughout my entire life, I’ve had a loud voice, so whatever I can express, or whenever I have concerns, it gets heard.

I do want to figure out how we can get a daycare center here. I think my main goal as well is the Latinx Resource Center here at the Student Center. I also want more jobs for student workers. I feel students need more opportunities here at Campus where there’s a lot of students who struggle finding work. So, why not have more job opportunities here? That means let’s have a daycare: students can run that, and for early childhood classes, that’s useful. I want to put fruit baskets all over campus, because I don’t feel like students need to pay $4 for grapes, you know. It shouldn’t be like that. So, I want more  job opportunities for us as students. The Latinx Resource Center is very important. And also, another thing that’s my goal in every building, as other students and one club has expressed to me: gender-neutral bathroom signs around campus, would be very helpful and make all students feel included here. 

This week, I am going down to the Fox Valley Center because I do want to talk to students down there and advisors. At Aurora Downtown, I’ve talked to many students, and they voiced their concerns to me. Plano is the only one I have not been to, and I do plan on going this week to see what they have to say as well. I’m a part of so many clubs here, and I’m really involved. I know many students, so I feel that people are comfortable enough to come up to me. Hosting events as well, other people who walk by feel comfortable enough to walk up to me, because they see my face a lot, especially on the Waubonsee page.  I feel like people feel comfortable coming up to me, and I think I’m a pretty happy person, so I feel I’m easy to approach.

I like to just mainly listen to how they’re feeling, because just giving them feedback is not sometimes what a person needs. Sometimes a person needs you to just sit there and listen. After that, let me find a way to help you and give you resources to help you with that. I don’t personally like to give people advice, because if you’re coming to me I want to let you vent to me, to know that I hear you and I understand what you’re feeling. But then let’s see what we can find to help you, such as resources. I just like to let people talk, let them express how they feel, let them know that I’m actually listening and caring. It’s important.

Well, when I came to Waubonsee, I initially was only going to take my classes here. But I think that everywhere I’ve gone – even throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school—I’ve always had to be involved. I’ve always enjoyed helping people. I think that’s something that all the Student Trustee candidates are very passionate about. I’ve been involved in public service since I was eight years old. I think making sure that the student’s voice is heard—even in high school when I served on the Student Advisory Board, the Principal’s Council, and even as president of the Key Club—I was most passionate about making sure that students got what they needed. That includes lending a hand to them personally or making sure that they are succeeding academically. And I always, throughout my campaign running for Student Trustee, have been very adamant about telling that to students. I’m very passionate about mental health and making sure that students receive that personal support as well. You can’t succeed in academics if you aren’t able to receive that support personally. So, I think that’s where my passion for running for Student Trustee lies. I feel that going to Waubonsee, there are a lot of students that come to class, and they go home, and that’s not how I was raised. I believe that being involved on campus is very important to academic success as well, and it helps you structure your time very well, even something such as running for Student Trustee.

I’ve been involved in public service since I was eight years old, and I think that I have a variety of experience in several different fields, varying from public safety to education, mainly in K through 12 settings and also in local government. I’ve served on many councils and committees and worked alongside local government leaders throughout my time in public service. I’ve served with the Village of Elburn in several capacities. Currently, I serve on the Community Emergency Response Team for the Village of Elburn and Campton-Hills. I also serve on the Kaneland school district strategic planning committee. I am passionate about public service throughout the entire community. That is something that I’m really honing in on during my campaign of running to be Student Trustee: making sure that we’re not only serving the students of Waubonsee, but we’re serving this entire community, right? Bringing everybody together is so important during those times. For example, we saw it during COVID-19, where everybody came together, and we were lending hands to everybody, no matter what differences we have. I think during the climate that we live in these past couple years, it’s very important to maintain that sense of comfort, safety and belonging, not only on campus, but off campus as well. I think that with the initiatives that I strive to accomplish as your next Student Trustee, I would be able to bring a fresh perspective to the student body and also make sure that those resources that need to be available to students are available, not only on campus but also in the community as well.

Through talking to students, there’s a lot of different concerns that need to be addressed. I think the first priority is streamlining communication practices across all four of our campuses and in the community. Something that I really honed in on is community resources. I also volunteered quite a bit with Mutual Ground this past year, serving as their secretary of the Student Advisory Board. I think once again, with the diverse areas of knowledge that I bring to the table, that enhancing the quality of life overall across Waubonsee is something that I’m really aiming for to achieve as Student Trustee. From campus safety all the way to simply advocating for students. I think in doing so, it’s really important to talk individually with students and be as present as possible. Simply seeing the Student Trustee out and about lets students know this person is out here advocating for them, this person knows what’s going on, and I think that’s very important. I’m the type of guy who does not like to sit behind a desk all day. Those jobs have to be done one way or the other, but I really am adamant about being out there, getting involved, and making sure that we’re all understanding of what’s going on. I feel like there’s a big gap right now between the Board of Trustee meetings and what’s happening between the student body. For example, they passed that $3 per credit hour tuition rate increase, and that’s something right off the bat, the students should be aware about. I think something like that is very important for students to understand what that means for them throughout the financial aid process. I also feel like there’s a large gap between Plano, Aurora, Fox Valley, and Sugar Grove. I feel, for example, with the Town Hall, they did a really good job of getting the word out that there would be translators at this event and shuttles that will provide services for students at the Aurora Downtown Campus that will bring them to Sugar Grove. 

I think it really starts with recognizing in general, where some of those gaps are. I’m going to start with online students. I took an online class last semester, and I noticed the gaps between students and the instructors. Especially those like me as a student with a disability, that’s something that I’m also very passionate about. I think that advocating for those students, especially, right? We have these students with [Verified Individual Services Accommodations & Academic Adjustments], but how are those VISAs going to be accommodated for online students, right? I think going into this position, it will take some understanding and some talking to the cabinet-level and college administrators across all four campuses to understand what we’re facing. I think for me as a prospective Student Trustee candidate, student advocacy is at the top of that, and being present and I think being accessible most importantly, whether that’s via email or whether that’s going to engagement fairs on all four of our campuses. Unfortunately, we can’t be everywhere at once, right? But streamlining that process to be easily accessible to every single student, and I mean every single student of every background. There’s been a large concern about some of our undocumented students, and  these last couple years have brought concerns about students of the LGBTQIA+ community. I want to focus on those minorities, making sure that students of those groups know that I am here for them no matter what’s going on in our world, what people say about them , and making sure that we’re really there for every student.

It depends on the environment. I think varying the ways that students have that access to their Student Trustee is very important. Not all students feel comfortable talking to anybody face to face. So, I think being accessible via email or Zoom is important. However, in those in-person environments, I feel like face-to-face interaction relays messages better, so I would strive to really aim for that being the number one way of interacting with students with their concerns. I think it also depends on the concern specifically as well. I try to be a person of integrity and not assume that I know something that I don’t know, right? So, I think it really lies in just flat-out telling the student, if I don’t know something, I just don’t know it, and directing them to the right person or the right resources where they can get their questions answered. And if those people don’t know their answers, then I will need to do some digging. I think that, with my background in student advocacy and making sure that student voice is heard, I’m able to find several ways to accomplish that.