The Following is a piece not picked up by the SLCC Globe that I wrote about the SLCC Student Life and Leadership Presidential Elections, enjoy.
The Salt Lake Community College Student Life and Leadership presidential elections are, as you would expect, not nearly as heated as those of our republic in these United States. Instead of mudslinging and monikers they are filled with a message of unity and progress. You can get involved and vote on February 21st and 22nd at either Jordan Taylorsville or South City Campus. If you can’t make it to any of those locations, you can vote online at vote.slcc.edu
These Candidates love SLCC “listen we have a great school I just want to make it even better” said candidate Richard Monsen. Monsen who served an Latter Day Saints mission in Madagascar wants to focus on using the resources SLCC has to maximize the happiness of the student body. “We are one of the more affordable options in our area, I want to take the resources we have from Tuition and Student fees and use them to give back to the students” said Monsen. Junior Martinez on the other hand, a first generation college student who moved from Mexico when he was nine years old, wants to show people that Student government is for everyone. “I want to be an example to other Students. Even if you weren’t involved in high school you can get involved now because I feel that if you are more involved the more likely you are to succeed.” Said Martinez. Martinez feels like sometimes students are scared away by leadership roles. “I feel like some of the time even once students get involved they get scared away just because of the commitment, I know that can feel scary, but I feel like you grow as a person from experiences like this” says Martinez. He believes that the number one characteristic he brings to the table is experience he has been involved in student leadership for two years.
Monsen believes his strengths lie in his ability to be a good communicator. “I think the key to being a good leader is making connections” says Monsen. He believes the more people he connects with the better he can lead. “The community college when you think about it is a business, we provide a service for our customers (the students) how can you make changes if you don’t know what the consumer wants?” Monsen’s campaign focuses heavily on mental health. Specifically promoting the available programs that SLCC has for students. He wants to work with student Clubs to create projects that will let students know about resources. For example, he is currently working with the drama club to put on a play about mental health issues and the resources available. “A lot of our students deal with heavy stress, I want to find a way to promote ways SLCC can help them cope with those issues.” Monsen affirms. For him it’s all about making the resources students need available to them.
Martinez believes that one of the things that holds students back from completion or transfer is a lack of direction. For that reason, he believes promoting the Path ways program is key to helping students. “What Pathways does is it breaks down the education we have here at SLCC into 9 different fields of study so it gives students a more organized pathway to completing their education” Martinez says. He wants to bring in SLCC alumni as well to talk to students about their experience in the work force, so they can help motivate current students. “I feel what a lot of student’s lack is that visualization of success, that motivation to keep going. So I think bringing in someone who has been in there shoes would be very helpful in motivating students.” Martinez said. Martinez’s campaign focuses more on the affordability of college. He realizes that as President he can’t lower general tuition but he can implement programs like open education resource to cut down on the cost of things like text books and day to day expenses. Open education resource is a program that takes all the material knowledge needed for a course and compiles it online for five dollars. So instead of having to pay for a 50, 100, or 150 dollar book you can get your supplies for a class for just five bucks.
Both Martinez and Monsen love their school and their families. Both are athletes, Martinez plays soccer his preferred position being right wing. “I love being the facilitator” he says. On the other side Monsen loves to spend time with his niece and is very proud of his Faith. Both want whats best for SLCC and hope to make students lives easier. Students need to vote on February 21st and 22nd according to both of them so that they can be involved in the decision making at SLCC. They are the students voice and they are excited to get to work.