This summer, the undergraduate student government will strive to establish a theme of transparency on campus, as well as programs such as a Westwood farmers’ market for students to look forward to in the fall.
“The summer is the real deal,” said Jasmine Hill, Undergraduate Students Association Council president. “You want to proactively set things up so when students get here in the fall, they can experience a better campus and see that you’re prepared.”
USAC members utilize the summers to form their office committees, hold biweekly meetings and work to implement some of their platforms in time for the beginning of the school year.
Comprised of 13 elected student members, USAC is the undergraduate legislative body at UCLA. Its members and the undergraduates appointed to administrative committees aim to give students an opportunity to participate in making important university-level decisions. USAC also helps to organize programs, including community service and campus events and performances.
The experiences students have in USAC prepare them for their future by teaching them to use their resources effectively, Hill said.
This summer, Emily Resnick, general representative 2, said she is using the summer to work on implementing a Westwood farmers’ market on campus and working with students to generate different ideas specifically for future mental health awareness days.
Resnick said she also believes USAC ultimately prepares students for their next endeavors by allowing them to interact with different people and transforming students into confident and articulate speakers.
Some former USAC members who graduated this year said being members of USAC better prepared them to tackle the next endeavor in their lives. According to Hill, USAC allows students to discuss different initiatives throughout the year and to respond proactively to different crises, including the budget cuts.
“The purpose of coming to UCLA is the experiences you pick up: experiences that are yours, your peers’ experiences and the experiences of mentors and faculty around here,” said Farhan Banani, a spring graduate and this past year’s community service commissioner.
Through his experiences as a council member, Banani said he was able to gain the confidence to work in a professional setting. USAC also helped narrow his interests to a specific goal for his future, he added.
Next year, Banani plans to move to New York to participate in the Coro Fellowship, a graduate-level training program in public affairs that offers experience in various fields including government, electoral politics and media. Banani was one of 50 accepted annually for the fellowship.
While Banani will soon be busy with Coro, fellow graduates Cinthia Flores and Timothy Mullins are planning to continue their education next year.
Mullins, last year’s facilities commissioner, said he is hoping to attend law school next year, and is currently wait-listed at his first choice, Stanford University. He is considering specializing in a number of fields, including corporate and constitutional law.
“Council shaped where I’d want to go in law,” Mullins said.
Flores said USAC teaches council members to work with people from different backgrounds and with different opinions.
“It also taught me a lot about pushing forward,” she added. “Times are going to be tough, but you can persevere no matter what.”
USAC solidified Flores’ decision to specialize in public policy, and like Mullins, she hopes to continue her education by going to graduate school and will be taking the GRE and LSATs next year.
Evan Shulman, a 2009 graduate and former USAC internal vice president, said participating in student government taught him to manage time and a staff of fellow students, and it increased his experience in collaborating with council and faculty members on projects.
With this experience, he was able to put his skills to use outside the classroom, since he works as a technical support representative at Google in New York.
Student government also plays a role in teaching students how to balance their work since it is a major time requirement, said Natalie Gonzalez, another 2009 graduate and former general representative 3.
Overall, council members said they have seen USAC as an outlet to walk in other people’s shoes and develop leadership skills, preparing for the real world post-graduation.
“I really wholeheartedly believe that UCLA student government doesn’t just produce politicians ““ it produces leaders that can make a contribution in all facets of work,” Banani said.