During spring break, ASI Student Government officers — including ASI President Jasmin Fashami, Chair of the ASI Board of Directors Mark Borges, and Chair of the University Union Advisory Board Danielle Diele — flew to Washington, D.C. to attend California State University Hill Day. The gathering served as a meeting place for student leaders and elected officials to connect in order to discuss issues for students in higher education.
Student leaders met with Congresswoman Susan Davis, Congressman Salud Carbajal, and representatives from the offices of Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Dianne Feinstein. Meetings included conversations about sexual assault on campus, Title IV authorizations for student financial aid, and improving the efficacy of the Pell Grant — which impacts all CSUs.
“Having the opportunity to meet directly with our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. was a great opportunity to push issues for students in higher education such as affordability, diversity and inclusion, and barriers to timely degree completion to the top of legislator’s agendas,” Borges said.
Aside from the empowering trip to Capitol Hill, the ASI officers also connected with Cal Poly alumni on March 28 during a CSU reception dinner in New York City. This networking event provided an opportunity to meet with accomplished alumni and to learn from a varied array of writers and journalists.
The ASI officers’ trip to the capital allowed Cal Poly’s student leaders to advocate for change, learn from influential politicians, and implement the knowledge they gained to enact future improvements. In regards to future steps for Student Government, Borges stated “Our advocacy for students will continue despite our departure from Capitol Hill.”
If you have any questions or suggestions for your elected ASI officers, visit the ASI Student Government website to reach out to your representatives and get involved!