Recognition, Reflections and Recipes!

Director’s Message

Carlos Careaga

Hello A.S. Family!

For the people I work closely with, they know one of my many sayings — “Days are long and years are short.” In seemingly a blink of an eye, May is upon us and another school year is coming to end.

I often get the question, “What do you do during summer when it’s so quiet?” Summer is a busy season for many of us in Business Services. Beginning in late April, many in Business Services start preparing for A.S.’ fiscal year end. Summer is the time when Business Services begins “closing the financial books,” putting a wrap on the school year that just ended. This work is a total team effort, with many outside of Business Services also contributing. Each area of A.S. often has to provide information to the auditors. It’s a collaborative effort as many in A.S. prepare for the month of August when the financial auditors perform their work.

But summer is not all work. My children are in year-round school, so we have a small window to get in a family vacation. This summer is also the year my oldest graduates high school and my wife and I prepare to send her off to college.

As the school year comes to a close, I encourage you to take a break, enjoy time with family and friends and enjoy all that America’s Finest City has to offer. As you know, in a blink of an eye, another school year will begin.

Best wishes all!

Carlos Careaga
Finance Director

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.

Almost 5 Stars!

A.S. Book Club

At the A.S. Book Club’s April meeting, they had a very fun and lively discussion about “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt, a charming and witty exploration of friendship, reckoning and hope that traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. It received a Book Club rating for 4.9 stars (almost 5!).

Here is what the Club is reading next:

May 9: “First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston
Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

June13: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon
Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. Christopher’s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual and widely heralded novels in recent years.

The Club meets at 4:30 p.m. in the Presidential Suite of the Union every second Thursday of each month. Some members read a printed book, some read the eBook on their phone or tablet, while others listen to the audio version. At our meetings each member shares their thoughts and ideas about the book, what they like and didn’t like about it. And at the end of the meeting, we each rate the book from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 being great!

If you are thinking about joining the Club but don’t want the expense of purchasing a book each month, the San Diego Public Library offers print books, eBooks and audiobooks, for most titles. All you need is a library card, and that is free! Or listen for free through the library’s app, the Libby App by OverDrive.

The Book Club is open to all A.S. full- and part-time employees. For more info or to join, contact Quentin at 42303 or email qskaggs@sdsu.edu or just stop by one of our meetings.

The A.S. Book Club even has its own website, check it out at as.sdsu.edu/bookclub.

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.