By Destiny Caster
It is that time of year again for the ASI Elections. Larry Garcia, a third-year business major, is running for two positions: Student Government Senator and ASI Board Director.
Majoring in business, Garcia hopes to start a nonprofit organization to help underrepresented individuals, minority groups and immigrant families. If he is elected to be a Student Government Senator, Garcia wants to strengthen the communication between Student Government and the ASI Board and find joint solutions to help students.
When asked about his platform, Garcia stated that he wants to focus on the students who were affected by the pandemic and provide them with resources to assist in transitioning back into normal daily life. “I really want to have these discussions with the ASI Student Government president and vice president and see how we can (collaborate) with each other to unify the campus and bring a sense of comfort,” stated Garcia.
If elected, Garcia wants to help first-generation students and minority groups with their involvement in clubs and organizations. “I really want to bring in a big turn around and unification to really bring our campus together and to provide (students) with any basic needs they have.” Allowing that chance to openly communicate across all areas will strengthen the campus community. “All the candidates are incredibly smart individuals and I’m excited to hopefully work with them.”
When asked what he wants to let the student body know, Garcia responded enthusiastically with, “As cliché as it is, I want every student to know that I care about them. I want them to know they can talk to me about their issues, and we can find a solution together.” Promoting equity and a sense of comfort amongst the student population will play a significant role in Garcia’s plans for if he is picked for either position in ASI Student Government or the ASI Board of Directors for the next academic school year.
Overall, Garcia’s platform consists of enhancing student needs, involvement and initiatives. He is hoping to offer support to first-generation students as well as focus on student retention. On the ASI website where all candidate platforms are located, Garcia states “I will seek to prioritize student needs to ensure students get support and the resources they require. I will seek to empower underrepresented students in our campus and unifying our campus through these harsh times.”
“This has been a goal for me ever since I was a freshman,” stated Garcia. “This is what I have wanted to do.”