Published: Monday, 17 April 23
Written by Ciara Evans, Communications Student Assistant
Excitement is in the air as the Student Government elections have concluded! Buzzing with anticipation, many eagerly awaited results. The past several weeks, these student candidates have been actively engaged in the election process, attending debates and strategically campaigning their platforms.
The 2023 election hit a record high with the second-highest voter turnout in our history! This process has been a powerful demonstration of student engagement and advocacy, highlighting the unique opportunities for leadership and community involvement available to students at Long Beach State University (LBSU). And after a rigorous election season, ASI’s Student Government is proud to announce its newly elected officials!
Mitali Jain, ASI President
Mitali Jain has been a part of ASI for three years, previously serving as our campus’ ASI Vice President of Finance and USUBOT Chair. As a woman of color who immigrated from India in 2016, Jain plans to work tirelessly to uplift and advocate for all marginalized communities at LBSU. Jain looks forward to promoting transparency and open dialogue with the student body, working towards promoting inclusive diversity with assistance programs such as Basic Needs and more!
Teresa Falcon, ASI Executive Vice President
Teresa Falcon previously served ASI as the Senate Vice Chair and as a Mexican American student, Falcon plans to uplift the LBSU community alongside organizations such as Basic Needs, establishing advocacy opportunities for all students regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or background!
Alvin Tu, ASI Vice President of Finance
Alvin Tu is a senior at LBSU who previously served as the Executive Vice President of the Financial Management Association. Tu’s experience in leadership and management made Tu a strong candidate to lead ASI in any and all financial operations moving forward!
Jeremy Ramos, Trustee-at-Large
Jeremy Ramos previously served ASI as the USU Board of Trustees, Vice Chair and Chaired the Program Evaluations Committee. Due to Ramos’ experience connecting with students, Ramos desires to utilize his role to fight for the needs of the students. And with this new position, Ramos states, “I will continue to talk to students about the most important projects that we’re working on, such as the Future U Project.”
Ojal Gangwal, Trustee-at-Large
Ojal Gangwal previously served ASI as the USUBOT Vice Chair and with her experience of being an international student, Gangwal is committed to creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for all students. Gangwal believes that a “student’s voice is the best vehicle to drive any cause,” and with this platform, Gangwal is determined to help promote projects that aim to support students, such as the Future U project and more!
Ashwin Ganesh, Trustee-at-Large
Ashwin Ganesh previously served ASI as a USUBOT Trustee and with his experience serving on student government during his former community college years, he is committed to going above and beyond in support of the students of LBSU. One goal of Ganesh, during his term, is to expand the Beach Pantry to include more items other than food. Ganesh stated in an interview that, “If I can [help] bring like clothes to [the pantry], it’ll benefit students a lot.” And with this platform, Ganesh plans to become a part of the change for the betterment of LBSU’s campus community.
Arcchit Sehgall, Trustee-at-Large
Arcchit Sehgall has served multiple times within student unions; from high school to college, he has a track record of success as a student leader. Sehgall commits to “working tirelessly to ensure the best interests of the student body are always at the forefront of all decisions made.” With this platform, Sehgall looks forward to advocating for the best interests of the student body through building positive relationships between students and faculty, promoting transparency in USU operations and so much more.
Laura Camacho, Trustee-at-Large
Laura Camacho was heavily involved in Student Government throughout her education. From serving as the Vice President of Public Relations during her previous college years at Golden West College and with countless other volunteering opportunities, Camacho is ready to serve as ASI’s next Trustee-at-Large board member. In an interview, Camacho commented on her new role, stating, “it gives me great pleasure to be part of the ASI Student Government organization and [I will] make every effort possible to promote positive growth and change as we move forward in a new semester of opportunities.”
Valerie Ramos, Senator-at-Large
Valerie Ramos, currently serving as the Commissioner of Women and Gender Equity, is more than prepared to take on this new role. As a first-generation, Latinx woman, Ramos embraces her identity to connect with underrepresented community members at LBSU. Ramos plans to advocate for a diverse campus through inclusion of cultural alternatives, expanding opportunities for foster youth students and creating a database for all campus resources for students to easily access.
Katherin Toscano, Senator-at-Large
Katerin Toscano previously served ASI as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs. And with this newfound role, Toscano looks forward to giving back to students – “Whether it be by volunteering, tabling, or even co-hosting my very own event, Finals Self Care.” Toscano looks forward to amplifying student voices and concerns, making LBSU an even better place with each passing day of her term.
Joseph Yewhalashet, Senator-at-Large
Joseph Yewhalashet previously served ASI as the Academics Affairs Officer and with his experience, Yewhalashet looks forward to impacting the student body. Through this role, Yewhalashet plans to tackle improving living conditions on campus and providing safer measures to secure students’ modes of transportation.
Shivansh Dhawan, Senator, College of Engineering
Shivansh Dhawan has a long history working in technology and with his passion and commitment to leadership, he is determined to tackle the issue of employment on campus. As the elected College of Engineering Senator, Dhawan looks forward to representing the student body, making positive impacts along the way.
Nadalie Leon, Senator, College of Liberal Arts
Nadalie Leon is significantly involved with the LBSU community and with previous experience, Leon looks forward to amplifying student voices on campus. In her role, Leon plans to collaborate with Basic Needs to combat any lack of equitable access for marginalized communities, SOAR to help transfer students truly make Long Beach their home and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) mental health professionals to promote a community where students feel their needs are heard.
Nhu Nguyen – Senator, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Nhu Nguyen, who also goes by Jessica Nguyen, looks forward to representing the study body as a fellow STEM student. With experience in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Nguyen plans to represent and voice the opinions of her college. With this platform, Nguyen plans to incorporate a better studying environment for those who work with instruments in the lab.
As these newly elected officials prepare to take office, students are eager to see what changes they will bring to the campus community. Congrats to all our newly elected officials and as always, Go Beach!
