Graphic by Dani Ramirez
Written by Steven Mynott
ASI Elections for Student Government and Associated Students Inc. are just around the corner! Here are the three candidates running for office that you can vote for next week. The CI View reached out to all of the candidates and asked them a few questions. Below are selected answers as well as information from their candidacy websites.
ASI Student Government Vice President
Photo provided by the ASI Election Candidate webpage
Running unopposed for vice president is Nathalia Raygoza, a political science major with a pre-law minor who will be a junior in the upcoming academic year. She is a first-generation Latina student and currently serves as the director of operations for Student Government, where she has gained experience in supporting student needs. In the past she has also served as note taker for Disability Accommodations and Support Services and done advocacy work for the Best Buddies nonprofit.
Raygoza is running for Vice President to ensure that no one is left behind. She believes that everyone should feel comfortable with getting involved in academic and extracurricular activities. For her, everyone’s voice matters and everyone deserves to feel included and supported.
Through her advocacy work, Raygoza has seen first hand the impact of supporting others. If elected as vice president, she will use her position to continue advocating for students on campus and making sure that no one feels alone.
Click here to see Raygoza’s full candidacy platform.
ASI Student Board Director
Photo provided by the ASI Election Candidate webpage
Running unopposed for ASI Student Board Director is Brittany Fuerte, a business and economics major with a pre-law minor. She will be a sophomore in the upcoming academic year. She currently serves as a Student Union Building Service Assistant. In this role, she has helped organize campus events, facilitated group discussions and collaborated with diverse teams.
After graduation, Fuerte aspires to build a dual career as both a corporate attorney and a licensed realtor. As a corporate attorney, Fuerte hopes to advise organizations on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate governance. As a realtor, she hopes to help families and entrepreneurs build sustainable wealth and opportunity. Her goals are rooted in the belief that knowledge paired with empathy and ethical leadership can transform lives and communities.
Fuerte is running for student board director because she believes in the power of student leadership to create meaningful change. If elected, she will advocate for her peers while upholding integrity, inclusivity and service.
Click here to see Fuerte’s full candidacy platform.
ASI Student Government Senator and ASI Board Director
Photo provided by the ASI Election Candidate webpage
Damian Mercado, political science major with minors in Chicano studies and history, is running for both the ASI student government senator position and the ASI board director position. According to the ASI election code, if he is elected to both positions, he will have to choose one.
Mercado has remained active in the CI community through clubs and internships, including serving as treasurer of Union de Hermanos, where he learned the importance of an engaging and multicultural community for thriving a higher education. He has worked with clubs and political organizations, both on and off campus, where he strengthened his knowledge of student leadership, fairness, and initiatives to improve financial literacy and educational stability.
If elected, Mercado plans to use his positions to promote and advocate for increasing student participation in internships, expanding initiatives to help increase retention and graduations rates, expanding opportunities for practical learning, and integrating multidisciplinary and community-based learning.
Click here to see Mercado’s full candidacy platform.
