Recognition, Reflections and Recipes!

Executive Officer Reflections

From launching A.S.’ newest initiative, Career Advantage, to planning SDSU’s Homecoming week and then advocating for students in Sacramento, our 2024-25 A.S. Executive Officers have had quite the year! As their term comes to an end, read below as they reflect on the past year:

Tarek Morsy, A.S. President

What was your favorite memory in the past year?

My favorite memory was the A.S. Career Advantage Kickoff event. It was a great feeling witnessing and celebrating its success with all the people who worked overtime to bring it to fruition.

I am most proud of myself for accomplishing _____ during my term.

Starting A.S. Career Advantage and improving post-graduation employment outcomes for students.

If I had to describe my term in 3 words it would be…

Get Stuff Done (you should've seen this coming).

What is one thing you learned in A.S. that you will take into your future endeavors?

The law of cause and effect can never go unconsidered. You must contemplate the disparate ripple effects of different decisions and grasp how the current circumstance materialized in the first place before creating the superior solution that benefits the most stakeholders. I have developed unmatched perspicacity and will bring it into my future ventures.

What are your future plans?

Continuing to learn more and more, faster and faster. I’ll be working as a Financial Analyst for Deloitte.

________

Sam Lingao, A.S. Executive Vice President

What was your favorite memory in the past year?

My favorite memories are the daily interactions with students and staff in the A.S. office. Everyday, I looked forward to entering the office because I could count on a smile and greeting from every person as I walked to my office. These simple moments motivated me to work hard in an effort to contribute to the positive and empowering work environment that Associated Students cultivates for its students and employees. 

I am most proud of myself for accomplishing _____ during my term.

I am most proud of myself for strengthening A.S.' connection with SDSU alumni. It was most insightful to connect with alumni who helped shape A.S. into what it is today! 

If I had to describe my term in 3 words it would be…

Got. Stuff. Done! (Real answer: Pivotal, enriching and dynamic).

What is one thing you learned in A.S. that you will take into your future endeavors?

There is a reason for every decision so ask questions for context and clarity. Grit, strategy and humor are keys to get stuff done. 

What are your future plans?

I will be in San Diego for at least the next year. I will enjoy a gap working year before applying for graduate school to pursue industrial-organizational psychology. Long-term, I want to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. 

________

Melvin Ridley III, A.S. Vice President of External Relations

What was your favorite memory in the past year?

My favorite A.S. memory is probably the Rock the Vote Vote-A-Palooza event.

I am most proud of myself for accomplishing _____ during my term.

I am most proud of myself for rebranding Rock the Vote and bringing a record number of students to the California Higher Education Student Summit in Sacramento.

If I had to describe my term in 3 words it would be…

Hustle, fulfilling and family.

What is one thing you learned in A.S. that you will take into your future endeavors?

One lesson I will take away from my time in A.S. is that you should always have faith in yourself and your abilities. Throughout this year, I have been privileged enough to be in spaces with administrators, elected officials and a variety of other highly-skilled individuals. This can sometimes be a very intimidating experience. However throughout the year, I have progressively learned to trust myself and my abilities. Oftentimes, we are more capable than we could ever realize. It is important to believe in ourselves and our self-worth.

What are your future plans?

I will be moving to Sacramento and participating in the Capital Assembly Fellowship Program.

________

Leo Peña, A.S. Vice President of Financial Affairs

What was your favorite memory in the past year?

My favorite memory was the pie day for Aztecs Rock Hunger. It was fun to see all the support and seeing people getting pied and pie-ing their friends.

I am most proud of myself for accomplishing _____ during my term.

I’m most proud of raising over $95,000 for food insecurity through Aztecs Rock Hunger and that all the A.S. money for student organizations was distributed.

If I had to describe my term in 3 words it would be…

Fulfilling, tiring and fast.

What is one thing you learned in A.S. that you will take into your future endeavors?

One thing that I learned through A.S. is to think more about others, do stuff for them and find enjoyment in that.

What are your future plans?

I plan on staying in SoCal and being a derivatives trader.

________

Ally Gallant, A.S. Vice President of University Affairs

What was your favorite memory in the past year?

My favorite memory has been all of the wonderful time spent with the University Council, University Affairs Board and Academic Affairs Committee in our meetings! I have loved working on our goals, creating great friendships and getting stuff done!

I am most proud of myself for accomplishing _____ during my term.

I am most proud of myself for hosting an alumni panel for Career Advantage and working on expanding opportunities for students post-graduation.

If I had to describe my term in 3 words it would be…

Impactful, challenging and rewarding!

What is one thing you learned in A.S. that you will take into your future endeavors?

Community building and conversations are key. Relationship-building will always be the foundation of being able to accomplish your goals. Also, it is important to step outside of your comfort zone, as it leads to progress and growth!

What are your future plans?

I plan on staying in San Diego over the summer and eventually working in public policy in Washington, D.C. or New York City!

Graduating Student Employees

Thank you and congratulations to all of our graduating student employees! We wish you the best in your future endeavors!

Aztec Student Union

Aztec Recreation

Business Services

Government Affairs

Mission Bay Aquatic Center

SDSU Children's Center

Viejas Arena

World Password Day

By Ernest Arreola, Vic Ly, Jonathan McGrew and Adam Zamora

Creating strong passwords is crucial in safeguarding personal and sensitive information in today's digital landscape. It helps protect sensitive data and prevents unauthorized access to accounts and devices. With that said, from us here at your A.S. IT Team, on this World Password Day on May 2, please take into consideration the following safe practices when managing passwords in your personal and professional spheres.

• Construct passwords that are lengthy and complex, incorporating a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.
• Create longer passwords to exponentially increase security. Our university accounts require a 10-character minimum, but the longer, the better.
• Avoid using easily guessable or personal information such as names, birthdates or common words, opting instead for unique passphrases or sentences.
• Refrain from reusing passwords across different accounts to prevent a more pervasive vulnerability in the case of a breach.
• Avoid sharing your passwords with others.
• Consider utilizing a reputable password manager to generate and securely store complex passwords, alleviating the burden of memorization while enhancing overall security.
• Do not store passwords in a non-password-protected or unencrypted location, on an application that someone can view in plaintext without proper authentication to view it or in open sight of anyone if stored somewhere physically.
• Regularly update passwords to ones not previously used.
• Enable two-factor authentication to add extra layers of protection, thus reducing potential unauthorized access. 

By adhering to these guidelines, you can strengthen their online security posture and minimize the potential risks associated with cyber threats.

National Chocolate Chip Day

National Chocolate Chip Day Recipes

Did you know that May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day? Whether you're a fan of classic chocolate chip cookies or looking to try something new, here are three chocolate chip recipes that are perfect for any occasion:

Dawn McCabe, SDSU Children’s Center Supervising Teacher

Save this recipe for next winter! This is my favorite cookie recipe to make around the holidays, though I'd argue that hot chocolate is appropriate year round!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Broma Bakery)

Chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorite things. I’ve tested dozens of recipes and this is one of my favorites. It’s pretty quick and easy to put together. The hardest part is letting the dough sit overnight before baking, so plan ahead! (If you’re impatient like me, the cookies still turn out amazing after refrigerating for only an hour.)

Ingredients:

• 168g of salted butter (140g after browning)
• 200g brown sugar
• 50g granulated sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (room temp)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 220g all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup of chopped chocolate
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Brown the butter over medium heat until golden brown and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter and both sugars, mix well.
3. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla.
4.  Add baking soda and slowly add in flour until combined, don’t overmix! 
5. Fold in chopped chocolate.
6. Refrigerate overnight.
7. To bake:
   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. Scoop 2 oz portions at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 11 minutes.
   3. Take the cookies out when the edges start to brown but the middles are still gooey.
   4. Top with flaky sea salt.

Tips:

• Be sure to use a high quality butter and don’t skip the browning step! (It makes all the difference.) 
• I like to scoop out my portions before refrigerating the dough. 
• Any type of chocolate bar will do, pick your favorite and chop it up into small pieces.
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Flake Sea Salt is my favorite to use

________

Madison Lunde, Aztec Recreation Marketing Program Assistant

Save this recipe for next winter! This is my favorite cookie recipe to make around the holidays, though I'd argue that hot chocolate is appropriate year round!

Hot Chocolate Cookies

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cup flour, 3 envelopes of hot cocoa mix (my favorite is Ghirardelli double chocolate mix!), 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/4 tsp. salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup salted, room temperature butter and 1 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and smooth. Add 2 large eggs, beat until combined. Beat in 2 tsp. vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 6 oz. of melted chocolate (I use bittersweet chocolate). Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and light. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Cover the dough and refrigerate until it just begins to firm up, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake until the edges just begin to set, about 9 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and place a marshmallow half on the center of each cookie, cut-side down. Continue baking until the edges of the cookies are set and the marshmallows are stuck to the cookie, 2 to 3 minutes more. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pans; remove to racks to cool completely. Yields about 4 dozen. 

______

Olivia Li, A.S. Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Growing up, my mom made this chocolate chip cake for me for every birthday. I don’t like super sweet cakes with lots of frosting so this cake was just the right amount of sweetness. Now, I make this cake for friends and family and it’s always a crowd favorite. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cake (adapted from the Cake Mix Doctor)

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil spray
• Flour
• 4 oz dark chocolate bar (I use the Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Dark Chocolate) 
• 1 package yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is my favorite)
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325. Lightly mist a 10″ tube pan or two 8″ loaf pans with vegetable spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set pan aside.
2. Grate the dark chocolate bar using a food processor or a hand grater until the bar is finely grated. Set the grated chocolate aside.
3. Place the cake mix, flour, pudding mix, milk, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Fold in the grated chocolate and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips. The batter should look well blended, and the chocolate chips should be evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan or divide it equally among the loaf pans. 
4. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 58-60 minutes for a tube pan, 50-52 minutes for loaf pans. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for serving.

15 Questions

Isabella Todd

1. What is your name, job title and major?

2. Isabella Todd, Government Secretary, Political Science 

3. Which A.S. department do you work in? 

4. I work in the Government Affairs department. I am responsible for the preparation of agenda packets and transcribing meeting minutes for the three main councils: University Council, Campus Life Council and A.S. Board of Directors. I work to support the A.S. President, Executive Vice President and Vice President of University Affairs during their respective council meetings.

5. How long have you worked for A.S.?

6. I have worked for Associated Students for a year and a half. 

7. Is your favorite part of working for A.S.?

8. My favorite part of working for Associated Students is being able to work with student leaders and full-time staff to make a positive impact on SDSU and its students while also working in a joyful, fun-loving environment. 

9. There is a free, round-trip shuttle to Mars. The catch: it will take one year of your life to go, visit, and come back. Are you in? 

10. I would absolutely not take the free round-trip shuttle to Mars, I hate airplanes and traveling to Mars would be a nightmare.

11. If you had one free hour each day, how would you use it? 

12. If I had one free hour each day, I would read a book on the beach, listening to the waves of the ocean. 

13. Would you rather be a superhero or the world’s best chef? 

14. I would love to be the world’s best chef; my mom is an amazing cook and so I would love to be able to recreate delicious meals as well. 

15. Which famous person from history would you most like to meet? 

16. I would love to meet Ruth Bader Ginsburg because I love politics and government and she is an inspiration for all women who are pursuing a legal career. 

17. What is your favorite book? 

18. My favorite book is “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. It has become a favorite book of mine due to the author’s writing style and character development throughout the novel; you truly fall in love with the main characters as a reader. 

19. Do you like to cook and what is your specialty?

20. My favorite thing to cook is lemon-garlic pasta. 

21. You have your own late night talk show, who would you invite as your first guest?

22. Justice Herrera, the Shared Governance Assistant for Associated Students. 

23. If you could go back or forward in time, where would you go? 

24. I would skip to the day I graduate from law school so I wouldn’t have to experience extra stress. 

25. “Most people don’t know that I like to…

26. …go to yoga sculpt classes.”

27. Would you rather speak all languages or be able to talk with animals?

28. I would love to speak all languages so that way I could travel to all other countries across the world. It would be amazing to communicate with individuals from all over the world without barriers to communication. 

29. What’s the best concert you’ve been to and why was it so good?

30. My favorite concert I have ever been to was Travis Scott’s Utopia show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It was such a great show due to his stage presence and atmosphere within the stadium.