By Samantha Mendoza
ASO officials decided to call for a retreat before charging forward again.
Southwestern College student government leaders attended the 2012 Spring Leadership Retreat at the UCLA Conference Center in Lake Arrowhead. Some grumbled about the $17,500 price tag, but most reported that the event was very beneficial.
“Before we left to Lake Arrowhead we left with the goal of refining our leadership skills and expanding our knowledge and things like teamwork and communication and time management,” said ASO Executive Vice President Candy Arias.
Between workshops and meeting other SWC students, ASO leaders were able to become even more involved in student life.
“I think the retreat was excellent for everyone involved,” said ASO Vice President of Public Affairs Gustavo Perez. “The club leaders that went got to learn different skills in each workshop and we built commaderie with them as well. I believe that each person took something new with them coming back from the retreat and I look forward to watching their success.”
Though most attendees found the retreat beneficial, some disagreed.
ASO Senator Felipe Huicochea said it was too expensive.
“Several club members said they weren’t really happy with all the money that was spent on the retreat,” he said. “But now they know they have the support of the ASO because they notice some clubs fund their events by the ASO. They know that that’s what the ASO is for.”
Huicochea said last semester he was not really doing anything but this semester he wants that to change.
“I want to take actions and start doing something for the students and to separate personal opinions and actually be here for the students,” said Huicochlea.
Katie Valencia, senator for the school of business, said she would like to thank the executives.
“Everything was really well planned out,” she said. “The workshops I attended were excellent. I learned a whole lot. I’m really glad I got to be there. I hope that everyone learned as much as I did.”
Like Huicochlea, ASO President Claudia Duran said she did not feel as involved as senator last semester.
“I didn’t want anybody to know I was president,” she said. “I think the reason I did that was because in past years when I went before I would see the president and they would be so overwhelmed that I couldn’t approach them. I wanted to be a lot more humble and more approachable.”
Duran said she hoped the retreat would give her a chance to build stronger relationships.
“I came into this retreat really wanting to right a lot of wrongs and I guess show people another side and I think I established that with a lot of people,” she said. “There was this one senator in particular and the communication that I had with him was very bad. I know that we were bumping heads very often. I knew it was crazy, but the fact that we both jumped into a freezing lake in 40 degree temperature weather and just coming out of it and being able to talk about it. Just sharing that experience alone brought us closer and now I see him, our relationship, is a lot better and I think that to me that was good.”
Melody Sykes, senator of math, science and engineering, said the retreat helped ASO leaders to consider other people’s positions.
“I think it really took a lot of people to a place, a situation that they’d never been in before and really made them take a hard look at the way they think about things,” she said.
Victor Salazar, senator at large, said he did not have any expectations for the retreat but was pleased with the results. He said it was motivating to meet people from the other clubs.
“They really believe in us,” he said. “They really expect us to do something for the students and for clubs, too. We are here for the students.”
ASO Treasurer Angela Ramirez said she benefited from the retreat because it made it easier to connect with club members.
“All I remember is that before I went to the retreat every time I’d walk by the cubicles I’d try to say hi but then they’d always look away,” she said. “But then after [the retreat] the world just seems smaller. Now I’m saying hi to everyone. I think we inspired a lot of people. I made sure for all those people I talked to that they realize how much potential they have because they have a lot of potential.”
Tameika Guerrero, ASO vice president for club affairs, said the retreat will stay with her.
“It’s definitely different when you’re on the other side of the table not taking notes but trying to get people to understand what you’re teaching them,” she said. “Don’t let them down. Don’t let them think that you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing. I see that all of you guys have the potential to go very far. You’re a leader every minute of every day.”