Seniors in the spotlight: ASUCD senator Miguel Guerrero

I sat down with Miguel Guerrero, an overachiever-extraordinaire and friend. The narrative of his four years here at UC Davis epitomizes the college experience and the process of finding your niche through trial and error. Between being part of myriad clubs and organizations on campus, Miguel also worked as an ASUCD senator contributing to the promotion of ‘sports culture’ on campus amongst other things.

He emphasizes (and embodies) the desire and persistence required to effect change where necessary.

Reliving his four short years here, Miguel talks about how college has for him, has helped him realize his true passion whilst simultaneously allowing him to contribute to the school and town that he has come to love.

So, tell us a little about yourself?  

I grew up in San Francisco, CA and I attribute a lot of my growth and exposure to different ideas to my upbringing. I attended Catholic school throughout elementary and high school. The juxtaposition of the Roman Catholic faith with the liberal political environment of San Francisco allowed for interesting discussion, and allowed for my mind to be open to many viewpoints. My parents also were somewhat strict, but I had a lot of leeway in terms of my extracurricular involvement in school.

I would say, however, that prior to college, I was very narrow-minded with respect to what I wanted to pursue as a career. I had dreamt of attending medical school and becoming a doctor, which was a result of what I was exposed to home, as many of my family members were in the health field. I picked Davis initially because they offered me the best financial aid package. I came reluctantly because I did not want to stay in northern California, and coming from private school, I wanted to attend a private university. However, I’m glad to have made the decision to come here.

It’s been four years for you here at Davis, give us an overview of your experience in each of these years.

My first two years at Davis involved testing the waters, meeting people, getting involved, and self-discovery. During this time, I had gotten to know the campus, meet its students, and got involved in a number of organizations. I had joined an a cappella group, the Lounge Lizards, as well as gotten involved with the Fil-Am (Filipinx American) community on the UC Davis campus. It was also during this time that I began to question my desire to pursue medicine, later making the change to economics and political science.

The latter half of my college experience was focused on solidifying my career goals and professional development. I felt that coming into my junior year, I needed to strap down and prepare for post-graduate life. I was fortunate to have been elected into the ASUCD Senate, and from there many doors opened up, as I landed an internship in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, my hometown mayor, Gavin Newsom. It was from here that I began to seriously pursue what I loved, working in the political realm.

You were (are) part of a myriad of student organizations on campus. Give us some of the highlights from your experience with each?

Lounge Lizards: I’ve loved performing for the shows and gigs that we’ve been in, but one highlight was when I attended the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF), which was hosted at the University of Southern California back in 2014. I got to meet other a cappella groups, as we all got to share our love of music.

Mga Kapatid: I served as a co-Public Relations chair during my sophomore year, but my highlight during my time in MK was writing the script for our annual Pilipino Cultural Night, a play accompanied by performances displaying traditional cultural dances, as well as modern performances. I felt empowered to share my perspective on this celebration of our heritage.

Chi Rho Omicron: I point to my time in Greek life as one where I developed my leadership skills and style. I had the pleasure of making quality relationships with my brothers, and also grew to understand more about myself. I am most proud of helping found the Asian Sorority and Fraternity Council, and later becoming a key leader within it, allowing for a creative space for Asian American fraternity and sorority members to collaborate.

UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions: As a tour guide, I always loved the season of admissions, around the month of April. Seeing the faces of excited prospective Aggies brightens my day and I enjoy hearing their stories and sharing mine with them. UC Davis is truly a special place, and it has been an honor representing the university in that capacity, sharing what I love about Davis with those who visit.

I had the pleasure of working as part of your staff during your tenure as an ASUCD senator. What motivated you to join student government? What change did you think was necessary?

To be completely honest, I had never thought I was going to do student government again in college. Because I was completely focused on pursuing a career in medicine, my desire to serve in student government checked out after I graduated from high school. Coming to Davis, I had thought I would never serve in a leadership capacity of that scale. I thought that political science and other social science students had mainly served those positions. However, after realizing what I wanted to study and pursue, I had a re-ignited interest in serving my fellow students in that position.

It was because of a close friend, former ASUCD President Mariah Watson, that influenced me to join. After a Facebook message and morning coffee, I was on board to run a campaign to become a Senator. When I was running, I believed that our on-campus resources were not as accessible or known about by our student body. I felt that this needed to be addressed along with my peers on the Senate table. As student leaders, we advocate for our constituents and need to make the pathways to help known and accessible to all. I also felt that I wanted to be not just a voice point for the communities I came from, but also as an overall open resource to anyone who needed help. I wanted people to put a face to ASUCD, and associate it with passionate students that simply want to help other students.

What would you say is your greatest contribution to UC Davis as a senator or otherwise?

I would say my greatest contribution to UC Davis as a senator would have to be helping in a minor capacity to make athletics a relevant part of student life. I had the opportunity to study relationships between student governments and their respective athletic departments while on a trip to the University of Hawaii, Manoa. As a campus, athletics is an area not often celebrated. I felt as though the work I had done with some of my colleagues within the Association brought a lot of dialogue between UCD Athletics and ASUCD. As a result, many of my successors are finding ways to integrate ASUCD services into our athletic programs.

With graduation looming, what is the one thing you’ll miss the most about Davis?

I will miss the people here at Davis. Here, we have students that are compassionate and intelligent. I have learned a lot from the conversations with my peers across different majors. Everyone comes from a different background, and it contributes to different worldviews, allowing for amazing conversations. Davis also has introduced me to kind-hearted people that genuinely desire to help one another. We pride ourselves in our communities, and our common focus to work together to solve the world’s problems. Davis embodies many beautiful values and it is apparent in the people that come from it.

What’s next for Miguel Guerrero?

After graduation, I will be interning for the press office of the California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, as well as working within City Hall for the Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee.  

What advice do you have for incoming freshman who want to follow in your footsteps?

Question. We often come to college thinking we have it all figured out. Allow yourself to reflect and to second guess what you think you want. Venture outside of your comfort zone and try new things. College is a time where you are at the crossroads of multiple ideas. It is up to you to accept or reject these things. You may find what you actually love, and it will make all the difference. Also, live in the present. Sometimes, we worry too much about the future, and it consumes us. You only live this part of your life once. Cliche aside, make the most of it and live with no regrets.