In her kitten black heels, Kimberly Garcia, 20, political science major and student trustee, walked into the Sept. 4 Associated Student Organization meeting with confidence.
Garcia was elected as the student trustee in the last round of ASO elections last spring and, since taking the oath of office in June, Garcia has worked hard with the trustees.
“Originally, when I first was sworn in, it was quite intimidating because my very first meeting was in the East Dining Room rather than the Board Room, so we had a lot more faculty there and I’ve told many that, for me, it’s a huge step up because I started off as not even a senator, but a divisional council member,” Garcia said.
Garcia wanted to become a student trustee because this is her last year at EC and she was looking to get more involved with the college.
“My main concern is the students, their success, and so, when I vote in the board meetings, I have in mind, ‘How will this benefit them? Is there anything that might be a detriment to them?'” Garcia said.
Garcia said the job is a lot more than she expected, even after looking to past student trustees for advice and expectations. Soon after she officially started her position, she realized it was more of a time commitment than she had imagined.
“It’s time consuming and I need to be more organized. Prior to entering this position, I didn’t think it would be that much,” Garcia said. “But it’s a lot more (than what I thought).”
Breanna Von Stein, student services specialist, said Garcia is a positive person with a lot to offer, and although Garcia has had the student trustee title for three months, she’s still learning and asking questions.
“Anytime she has a board meeting coming up, (if) she has any questions, she comes to me,” Von Stein said. “So, she reviews the agenda for the board of trustees meeting.”
Garcia is a fluent Spanish speaker and loves to watch soccer, as her parents are big fans.
“I’m a bookworm. I love reading. A hobby of mine is learning about different cultures and I like to self-teach myself different languages,” Garcia said. “My dad likes to watch foreign TV shows. Through him, I was inspired to know all different languages, so occasionally I would teach myself. I know a little bit of Korean, Japanese, and Portuguese because (of) my grandma.”
As a student trustee, Garcia works as a student ambassador.
“The dedication she gives to El Camino is impeccable, it’s so inspiring,” Anjannete Aguilar, 19, ASO director of human resources said. “She always likes to put her best effort.”
Garcia wants to transfer to UC Berkeley or UC Davis next year and has her career plans well thought out.
“I want to work for the United Nations. I want to work as an ambassador advocating for human rights,” Garcia said. “My main concern is countries where women are being oppressed and I want to make sure that they have rights and are getting the proper education.”
