Members of the incoming student government executive board for 2013-14 share their hobbies, and how they got involved with the Associated Students Organization.
President
Gustavo Sandoval, 31, sociology major
Hobbies: Sandoval spends a lot of his time studying on campus or planning campus events with group members. He enjoys practicing guitar, hiking with his dog, gardening and watching “The Walking Dead” and “Justified.” He also loves fishing, and has a particular liking for center console fishing boats.
Reasons for joining ASO: “I went to my first sociology class and Professor James McKeever got me involved with things on campus. I really wanted to know how ASO worked [and] I wanted to get certain messages across to students. I wanted a greater hand in responsibilities, so I decided to run for president.”
Vice President
Mariela Valdez, 20, Chicano studies major
Hobbies: Valdez loves to dance. For the past two years, she has been part of a Bolivian Folklore (Caporales) dance team. She is passionate about Latin-American culture, and she also enjoys listening to 1990s rock music from bands like Radiohead and Nirvana.
Reasons to join ASO: “I think that ultimately, I decided to take the position in the end because I feel like there are many things that need to be changed, and I feel like I can take that position and do everything I can to make all the changes necessary for the betterment of the students.”
Club Council President
Krishna Ayungao, 19, cultural anthropology major
Hobbies: An international student from the Philippines, Ayungao likes to listen to jazz music and sing karaoke. She is interested in acting and theater. She is also passionate about stopping human trafficking, and wants to go on missions to learn about cultures around the world.
Reasons to join ASO: “I would focus on student involvement, because Pierce is a big campus yet we don’t have a place where we can stay for students, and I believe that clubs would help a lot for students to have somewhere to go one campus.”
Treasurer
Adriana Lemus, 29, accounting major
Hobbies: Lemus’ favorite thing to do is go out during the summer to concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and Santa Monica Pier. She also likes to read, to watch plays and to play with her dogs.
Reasons to join ASO: “I’ve been in student government before, and I liked it. I like to participate. During my term, I would like to see more students join ASO. There are so many students, I wish there were more people that were a part of the club.”
