Position: Vice President of External Relations
Name: Clayton Bishop
Year: Junior
Major: Business marketing
Why did you decide to run for Vice President of External Relations?
I have been involved in student government since grade school, and having the ability to learn what my peers want in addition to their education and help them get it has always been so rewarding. I see this position, Vice President of External Relations, as the perfect opportunity to advocate for students’ needs at this university and push Associated Students to truly become the voice of the students at San Diego State.
What would you like to change at SDSU?
I would like to make Associated Students more accessible for students. I believe a lot of students know of Associated Students, but they do not know what we do and how they can get involved. Therefore, I want to create a well-advertised, streamlined program that encourages students to get involved based on their major and interests. This will give students that first step in getting involved by suggesting several boards and commissions for them.
How did you first get involved with A.S.?
I joined A.S. the first semester of my first year. After joining my fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, more commonly known as FIJI, the chapter president at the time helped me get involved and I joined my first board within A.S., which was the Marketing and Communications Board. After joining that initial board, I immediately fell in love and joined several other boards and commissions and I have continued to explore and join various areas of Associated Students ever since.
What do you like and dislike about A.S.?
I really love the professional development aspect of Associated Students. To give an example, I am a marketing major and I have been a member of the Marketing and Communications Board for the last three years. As a student at SDSU, I am constantly learning about marketing and business techniques. As a member of A.S., I am able to put these techniques to the test and apply them in a real-life situation. Not only am I able to use what I learn in the classroom, but I am able to give back to my university as well.
I dislike the lack of student engagement. I feel that when students are not truly engaged they can not find their home and, therefore, feel they are not an important part of this university.
What are some of your accomplishments?
I believe one of my biggest accomplishments has been being president of my fraternity for the past two years and playing an active role in building my chapter up to nearly triple the amount of members we had when I joined. In the spring of 2014, FIJI was the only inter-fraternity council (IFC) chapter to receive gold accreditation. This means we went above and beyond the requirements set by the university and Student Life and Leadership.
Not only have I spent a lot of time involved in Associated Students, but I have had many opportunities to join organizations outside of Associated Students as well. My involvement in Rotaract for the past year has given me the opportunity to not only serve my peers but serve the San Diego community as well. Being a peer health consultant for Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations (FratMANers), an organization for sexual assault prevention and education, has helped train me to inform my community how we can take the necessary steps to stay safe and take care of one another.
During my first year on campus I worked with a group of students to create a student-run comedy news show for the campus. (This) group of students noticed the need for this type of entity on campus and being able to work with these students and help them integrate the comedy news program into Associated Students was something that was challenging yet rewarding once we made it happen. I am still in the process of working with them on what is now called “The State Report,” but this is something I am very proud to be a part of.
