Summer — 2008

John Kernick

AS Director of Financial Support/Political Science

“Politics is the way things are done in this country. And I like attacking problems on the macro level. So getting into government is the best way for me to solve problems.”

He’d been to another local college and had been very disappointed there. “I’m completely happy to be at SMC, because there’s so much more opportunity here,” says John Kernick. In only his first year at SMC, he’s already got a fine position in the AS hierarchy. “One of the reasons I came here was to get involved, and that’s difficult with my schedule,” he says. “I take a lot of night classes. I work full time and—at 28—I’m also a returning student. So I came to SMC to get more into what interests me. And that’s government.”

John’s a Political Science major and obviously interested in addressing the world’s larger problems. “It’s a real laundry list that this country is going to have to deal with in the next few years. Civil rights remain a huge problem still, and another is how we deal with our relationships with other countries, how we’re viewed by other nations. And then there’s the environment,” says John, his voice trailing off into the profound depths of what the ‘e’ word implies for all of us. And though a gloomy mood may pervade what most of us think about the future of our planet, John is extremely upbeat about the current political score.

“I’m a Democrat, and I’m very excited about the upcoming presidential election. We have two great choices in one of the most important elections this country has ever had. And I’m excited to be involved.” But John is always involved in shaping a better world. “Focus on the Nation was an environmental day held at hundreds of campuses,” he says. “But another thing that’s awesome about SMC,” he adds, “is that I got to direct a Dr. Seuss play—The Lorax—and we had over 300 kindergarten kids attend. I directed that play, and I was absolutely proud to give that positive message to the next generation.”

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