Who are the Associated Students at Mesa College?

The Associated Students (AS) logo is everywhere, and AS hosts plenty of events each year for our students, but who are they really, and what do they do for our campus?

Associated Students are representatives of the whole student body at San Diego Mesa College. Their purpose is to connect students with the rest of the College, and create an inclusive feeling; a community of students instead of a group of commuters. AS promotes the improvement of leadership skills, and fosters student connections with influential people on campus that will enhance education and the post-graduation experience.

“AS encourages students to move forward, and break down obstacles by helping students get connected with the right people.” Hong Nhung Nguyen, a Senator in AS said. “We learn about students difficulties and help them, with support of our faculty and staff.”

A Senator is someone who works on projects in AS, and is responsible for sharing the voice of students in Mesa’s decision making process. As a Senator, you will share your opinions in meetings, come up with projects and ideas, all to help students on campus. AS tries to make themselves visible in classes and through campus events, but if you are wondering who these students are, the office is located on the 4^th floor in the Student Services building, or if you are interested, you can get involved.

AS also sponsors and hosts events on campus. Past and annual events include a school-spirit themed tailgate party for the Football Homecoming game, Carnival at the Commons for a fun break between classes, and an annual Thanksgiving Feast for students who may not be able to go home for the holidays.

In the past semesters, AS has done many events, but this semester they are focusing on fewer events, and emphasize their representation among and from the whole student body. The projects that AS is working on include sponsorships and collaboration with other clubs and departments, to show appreciation and create better school spirit. Their current priority is to facilitate services that will enhance students learning, as they want to create something that will last for many years, and to engage students more through their communications officers and social media.

So why should you as a student care, or even join AS? The first answer that is not a priority but that many students like to hear, it looks good on a resume when transferring and applying for jobs in the future. It also makes the Mesa College experience a better one, with the opportunities to travel across the United States and advocate for students, organize fun events and learn valuable leadership skills.

In an interview with Joe Newell, current President of AS, the organization is and has been very valuable for him, “AS changed my life. Getting involved on your campus is one of the best ways to enhance your educational experience. You are getting a support system that will help you on your educational journey.”

Alumni from Mesa who have been in the Associated Students have ended up at schools like Columbia, Yale, NYU, SDSU and Berkeley, which can eventually lead to the dream job and a stable future after graduation.

To become a Senator, you need to fill out an application in Student Affairs on the 4^th in the Student Services building, have at least a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in 5 units at Mesa. The meetings are held every Monday and Wednesday at 12.45-1.45, which is mandatory. If those times do not work, going to the office will give you a clearer picture of what AS is, since they do a lot for our campus. To learn more, visit the AS website.

Tags: ASG, Associated Students