Shah & Gomez: Meet the Candidates
ASuop elections are here and it’s time to vote! It is imperative that students participate in electing the representatives for the student organization that does so much for the student body. As presidential candidate Sahila Shah puts it, “ASuop is a coalition of staff and students that are working towards change and student engagement. Whether it’s hosting fun activities or proposing resolutions to introduce new developments, ASuop does it all.”
ASuop is what makes Pacific, Pacific, so make sure to get out there and vote! What is an election, of course, without a campaign? Firstly, let’s get to know running mates Sahila Shah and Ismael Gomez. See staff writer Maddie Tawa’s article for information regarding the Zhong/Tran campaign.
Running for president, Sahila Shah, marketing, ‘23, shares a bit about herself and her campaign:
“I grew up in an impoverished, male-dominated village in Pakistan, in which I actively fought for women and education rights. My passion for advocacy, community organizing, and social justice sparked through in each environment I participated in. Once I moved to Stockton, my passion also shined through, pushing me to be involved in advocacy work for local non-profits and even the city hall, hence why I am here, running for ASuop. Knowing that there is a lot of change we need is why I am running. I want to represent all students. I want students to feel safe, to feel heard, and to be seen. As ASuop President, I acknowledge that I have privilege and a big platform to make change, but chance will only happen if me and my cabinet and my peers work collaboratively. Throughout my life, speaking up about issues has been my main weapon to enact change, hence why I am applying for this position, because I know that I am sitting at the table with faculty, staff, the President, and so many more folks that make decisions for us. But I am not just sitting to fill a title, I am sitting at the table with concerns, with solutions, and DEI-focused strategies at the forefront of my mind. This position is a great opportunity for me to represent my peers and also ensure that I am actively participating in conversations that allow me to deeply understand what concerns need to be addressed.”
As for her goals:
"If chosen as President, my first action item would be to collaborate between the different departments in ASuop. By unifying the teams, I am strengthening relationships and emphasizing the
the importance of teamwork. An initiative I have in mind is strategically establishing an itinerary for
ASuop retreat that will allow the departments to work on solution-thinking and collaborative working ethic. I highlight unity because this is how ASuop will expand its marketing and receive the exposure they need. Another initiative I have in mind is to host focus groups. By collecting testimonials, I want to make sure that marginalized voices are heard and that they are also provided with adequate support they need.
Our plans and goals are tied to our three initiatives: school spirit, community engagement, and
DEI. We want students to enjoy the time that they have on campus. For two years, I have been working with ASuop Arts and Entertainment, in which I actively organize engaging events that ALL students will enjoy. Taking this experience in mind, we want students to make memories, to enjoy what Pacific offers, and to find outlets that distract them from overwhelming stress. We want to work with the athletic department and the Conservatory of Music to collaborate on marketing efforts that will encourage folks to participate. We also want to create a sub-committee in the Senate that serves as a coalition between several departments, so that the senators are collaborating and finding opportunities to engage students from their colleges to attend. As for DEI, we want to listen, and one way we can do that is to host focus groups with students. What change do you want to see and how can we, as student leaders, help you? This
is what we’ll ask and we’ll provide a safe space for them to just talk and strategize on how we can assist them. For DEI, we want to work with faculty and Pacific staff to alter the class syllabus. We want to add cultural and religious accomodations on the syllabus, so students are encouraged to receive adequate accommodations, and are not feeling anxious or burdened to ask for such accommodations. Lastly, as two Stocktonians, we see the stigma that Stockton has within the Pacific community. We want to enhance relationships with local businesses within the city and also to showcase the rich history of Stockton and not just the violent ratings given to the city. We want to work with Student Orientation to possibly draft a small presentation in the itinerary that gives incoming students a look into what Stockton is, its diversity, its talent, and its unique offerings. Although we can’t accomplish everything in our presidential run, we know that once we are elected, students will always come first and we will work tirelessly to ensure that those concerns are addressed promptly.
Ismael:
Running for Vice President is Ismael Gomez (Izzi), Business and Accounting, ‘23, shares with us a bit of background:
“I am first-generation, low-income, Latino, Stockton native and attend University of the Pacific as a Community Involvement Program Scholar. What ultimately inspired me was knowing the ability I would have as Vice-President when it comes to making change here at Pacific. I have always been passionate about my work when it revolves both my Pacific and Stockton community. I have made a small impact with the current work I do which includes CIPSA; a club that focuses on community service and student engagement, Delta Sigma Pi; the nation's largest and first co-ed professional business fraternity, and ESBDEI; a diversity, equity, and inclusion council in which we focus on celebrating cultures and implemented a platform for students to speak about their time here at Pacific. Listening to students and offering any piece of advice or connecting them to resources has always been a huge passion of mine. ASuop Vice-President comes with a large responsibility as I am one of the few individuals who will be representing you as the students. I want to change the narrative of Stockton while also bringing value to Pacific. After three years here, I have listened and learned and want to implement what students want to see changed here at Pacific.”
His plans if elected:
“The one thing I plan to do if elected as Vice-President is to ensure the senate feels supported and united. The senate consists of students who are actively working to make good change for Pacific. However at the end of the day, they are still students who deal with the pressure of academics, the possibility of challenges surrounding mental health and family support while still managing to have a college experience. In order to implement Sahila and I’s initiatives we need to be certain that our senate is on board with us. That being said, we want our senators to be united and be honest with each other to effectively and efficiently implement these changes. We want these changes to affect our current students and future prospective students in the best way possible. With our three initiatives we know we will be able to reach students from all over the Pacific community and we will always be open to hearing
what the students want to see changed here at Pacific.”
“Our plans and goals are tied to our three initiatives: school spirit, community engagement, and
DEI. We want students to enjoy the time that they have on campus. After working in both my Pacific and Stockton communities I want to take what I’ve learned and help both communities but more specifically our Pacific community. We want students to enjoy their time here at Pacific. We want students to feel that the university is of value to them not only with education but also their overall college experience. We want to focus on School Spirit, a huge area that Pacific has struggled with especially after trying to rebuild what Pacific was prior to the pandemic. We understand that this is still very much apparent in our society today. We want to market and create a new platform for the Conservatory and Athletics to entice people to come to our concerts and games. It not only supports your fellow Pacificans but also allows students to create new memories. We also want to grow the accessibility when it comes to Pacific gear. We want our students to wear their gear loud and proud. A huge part of what it is to be a Pacific
Tiger. When it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion we recognize Pacific’s diverse community that also ties with the community of Stockton as well. However the question is more-so about Equity and Inclusivity here at Pacific. While not only listening to our students in focus groups we want to uplift our international, commuter and students from marginalized backgrounds. We have and will continue to listen to the students when it comes to our efforts regarding change at Pacific. This ties to altering the syllabus for cultural and religious accommodations, a huge push Sahila Shah is wanting to see made. Lastly Sahila and I have lived in Stockton either our whole life or a huge portion of it. We’ve listened and understand the negative connotation surrounding Stockton. And as two individuals who have tremendous love for our city, it saddens us. We want to enhance relationships with local businesses within the city and also to showcase the rich history of Stockton and not just the violent ratings given to the city. We want to work with Student Orientation to possibly draft a small presentation in the itinerary that gives incoming students a look into what Stockton is, its diversity, its talent, and its unique offerings. Although we can’t accomplish everything in our presidential run, we know that once we are elected, students will always come first and we will work tirelessly to ensure that those concerns are addressed promptly.”
