Meet the Winners!
Hello! My name is Joshua Elizondo, but you can call me Josh, and I am running for the role of President. My journey at SMC began in 2017 when I returned to college, after taking several years off, not knowing what or how to approach school the second time around. At first, I struggled to find my place however, slowly but surely, I have grown into my education and leadership within our community.
My qualifications:
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-Current Roles: SMC Student Trustee; CCC Trustee Board’s only student member; student
representative on DPAC, college-hiring, grade-appeals, student-conduct, student-fees,
Equity Center, +more committees/workgroups
-I’m experienced in a wide range of studies including: Political Science, STEM, Humanities, Film, P.E., Dance, Music, Art etc.
-I’ve shown dedication/commitment on important student issues including COVID-19 policies and Proctorio while consistently advocating for students in all aspects of college life; from admissions to transfer, international to special programs, at the highest levels of campus down to our classrooms
-I’ve sponsored/passed more than $60,000+ in AS funding, working one-on-one with program leaders and administrators on projects impacting students including distributing cloth-masks, meal-assistance programs, cultural events, graduation kits, +more
-As a member of many communities on campus including: Guardian Scholars, EOPS, Adelante,
LDS/DSPS, LGBTQ+, formerly homeless, returning student etc. I believe I’m uniquely
able to represent on the issues that matter most to you
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If elected, I will make sure your voice is not only heard but a priority at the table.
Thank you for consideration. Proud to be, SMC!
From an early age, I have been nothing short of a fighter. As a Muslim Iranian, I have had to endure countless cases of Islamophobia. As a result, I have decided to take the initiative of becoming an advocate for the Muslim community as well as other POC groups on campus. I have an assured confidence that my past experiences of exclusion would help me better advocate for various groups of the student body at SMC but most importantly make everyone feel like they truly BELONG and DESERVE to be here no matter what background they come from or what circumstance they are currently in. The goals that I would like to accomplish as a student trustee would be to bring awareness to various social and environmental issues that affect students on a daily basis such as climate change and systemic racism. I hope to bring about this awareness through the experience and information I have garnered through various ecological, environmental, governmental, and political platforms. I look forward to collaborating with both administration and students in a team setting in order to accomplish these goals.
Vacant Positions will be filled in the Fall 2021 semester by the Application-Appointment-Process according to the A.S. Constitution.
Note: the same eligibility requirements apply.
If you are interested in applying for one of the three no candidate positions, please see the A.S. Constitution & Bylaws for their position responsibilities.
Check back on this webpage in the beginning of Fall 2021 semester for the application, deadlines, and for the elgible applicants- the interview instructions.
I will shoulder the responsibility of serving and communication as a bridge between school and international students. Don't give up when faced with difficulties, but work out solutions and share ideas with other members. There are many international students at Santa Monica College, but their voices and ideas are often not implemented and realized. I want to bring more possibilities for A.S. and give voice to international students through my participation, so that they can have a different and immersive college life in the current epidemic.
Hello ladies and gentlemen my name is David, a first-generation student pursuing economics. In this unprecedented time, I want to be an example that distance should not restrain community building. I want to help the community stay involved and connected. Last semester, I had the opportunity to work as a commissioner for students’ assistance and help organize a thanksgiving party on zoom. Despite the limitations on what activities were allowed, the board members created creative events over Zoom to connect students. I was grateful to be able to partake in the experience and lend a hand to creating a positive atmosphere. Leadership comes from experience and dedication. My goal is to hone my leadership skills by embracing your concerns and work towards achieving solutions. By becoming your Director of Budget Management, I plan to sharpen my leadership abilities as well as accumulate more experience regarding finance. As your Director of Budget Management, I will follow the fiscal policy and serve the students in any possible form. Being able to be a part of the SMC community showed me how a wonderful community it is as well as its potential. All I ask in return is to hit that ravishing vote button next to my name for becoming your Director of Budget Management. Thank you for helping me achieve my goal and better serve you.
Hello everyone!
I’m Jeanine Grimes and I'm running for Director of Student Assistance.
During my time as AS commissioner, I familiarized myself with the role of Student
Assistance and wish to bring a new identity to A.S. as I am half Guatemalan/Salvadoran
and half white.
As a first-generation student, I wasn’t aware of the SMC counseling programs and their benefits.
To prevent other students from experiencing the same hardships, I will increase awareness of the different counseling programs such as Scholars, EOPS, Adelante, Black Collegians, and etc. New and returning students will be able to access school supplies, priority enrollment, great counselors, therapists, and amazing internship opportunities to excel at SMC. I will emphasize social media campaigns alongside partnerships with SMC clubs to reach out to students about SMC resources. Aside from club partnerships, I will also host classroom presentations and workshops for easy access to information regarding basic needs.
Secondly, I will organize interactive workshops to connect students from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Like our Sustainability workshops, I aim to make these interactive workshops also count for extra credit in SMC classes. We are all experiencing hardships during this pandemic and I want to utilize this position to help our most vulnerable students. I hope you all can vote for me as the next A.S. Director of Student Assistance.
Vacant Positions will be filled in the Fall 2021 semester by the Application-Appointment-Process according to the A.S. Constitution.
Note: the same eligibility requirements apply.
If you are interested in applying for one of the three no candidate positions, please see the A.S. Constitution & Bylaws for their position responsibilities.
Check back on this webpage in the beginning of Fall 2021 semester for the application, deadlines, and for the elgible applicants- the interview instructions.
Hello beautiful people! My name is Melissa Martinez, I am currently a second year student at SMC. I am a first generation college student who is majoring in Chicano/Chicana Studies. I aspire to make a change in education. I am working on becoming a counselor/professor in the future. As a student that was raised in public education I have experienced the lack of resources/education our community is given. I would like to make changes and teach the history of my people. I am currently the Treasurer for the Adelante Club. I have always loved to be involved in clubs and organizations and work on making sure that people get what they deserve. I have decided to run for the A.S Director of Outreach because it is a great opportunity to meet many amazing people and organize events and help one another. I enjoy working with people and making sure that we get as many sources and guidance as we can. I am excited to work with everyone if given the chance. It would be a great honor to become your Director of Outreach!
Vacant Positions will be filled in the Fall 2021 semester by the Application-Appointment-Process according to the A.S. Constitution.
Note: the same eligibility requirements apply.
If you are interested in applying for one of the three no candidate positions, please see the A.S. Constitution & Bylaws for their position responsibilities.
Check back on this webpage in the beginning of Fall 2021 semester for the application, deadlines, and for the elgible applicants- the interview instructions.
Advocating for the students is one of the things that I am passionate about. School policy reform is what I stand for. My job is to uncover injustices and bring them to light, As I amplify student's voices, knocking down barriers to success. I speak out against the use of Proctorio and the inequities it promotes while advocating for students' rights. Which caused Proctorio to be recalled at SMC but it was later reinstated, so the fight continues. I believe students should have a stake in their education, and I have their best interests in mind in all actions I undertake. Students should have the right to choose the way in which they learn. A partnership should be formed between the professors and students in order to institute positive change. Currently, students are consulted but their ideas and thoughts are not being translated into action. I am here to rectify this imbalance. I will build a bridge between professors and students that will be reinforced with mutual trust and understanding. In doing so, I will create an environment where students can flourish and reach their academic goals. I sit on several committees and club organization boards at Santa Monica College to ensure that student voices remain at the center of conversation and diversity as well as equality are kept in the forefront of everyone's mind. I will do everything in my power to advocate for you no problem is too big or too small. My job is to work for you and incite change on students behalf!
I realized how much SMC and A.S. do for students once I began to participate in activities and programs like Active Minds, Adelante Center, Design Club along with being a Commissioner for the Director of Publicity. Within a short time I understood the importance of student activity within the college and how valuable student voices are.
I joined the Director publicity team as a Design Lead Commissioner, during the online Fall 2020 semester to help drive up student engagement. In my experience, I have been able to vocalize students' options, in regards to how proctorio is being used by professors, and sharing students' experiences using proctoring tools. The social media content aimed to encourage students to make their voices heard through a survey about proctoring tools.
This Spring 2021 semester, I was tasked to streamline communication to you; the students, to provide information about the current A.S. elections and application process which has been shared by multiple official SMC social media accounts.
I now have the opportunity to experience the advantages of working with SMC faculty and other peers to serve students' needs. I’m currently the Social Media Director for the Peer Navigators team, together we are building relationships during a remote learning environment via our Peer Navigator Discord group.
As Director of Publicity candidate, I would continue to build on the successes implemented by the current AS Director of Publicity to make ‘our’ voices heard and focus on accessibility first when it comes to important information for all students.
As the A.S. Director of Sustainability, I will improve our College's current sustainability practices by presenting for implementation new, easy, and efficient everyday changes. Santa Monica College students will be able to put them into practice both on- and off-campus to help in our fight against Climate Change. I am passionate about sustainability and have spent years researching and educating myself on best practices to combat pollutants, toxic waste, and hazardous chemicals that adversely affect our bodies as well as our environment. I will work with our College's sustainability committees to ensure more effective compliance with their guidelines in order to reduce our collective ecological footprint. A vote for me is a vote not just for our environment but a vote for your better health, too!