Name: Justin Sayarath
Major & Year: Economics and Graduating in Spring 2013
Hometown: San Diego, California
Favorite Youtube video(s): bit.ly/H71Zdi
From being an active member of and leader in the Greek community, Caliber Magazine, CALSO, and more, Justin Sayarath has been more involved on the Berkeley campus in two and a half years than many students are during their entire college career. His experiences has given him an understanding of what Cal students need, and with the prospect of becoming the next Executive Vice President of the ASUC, he has the opportunity to make some significant changes. As the ASUC campaign season heats up, Justin took some time to talk to Her Campus about his love for Cal, his various extracurricular involvements, and his desire to improve student life.
Her Campus: What’s your favorite thing about being a student at Berkeley?
Justin Sayarath: My favorite things about UC Berkeley are the things that students do every single day. I don’t know if the average student knows this, but everyone has his or her niche on campus. There are students who spend all their time investing in Greek organizations or working on recruitment and retention of students from underserved communities or singing acapella or other amazing things. Students find community on this campus in all sorts of ways and it’s exactly what makes Berkeley the amazing university that it is. The quality of our student life is amazing because students take the initiative to do these things, and it’s awesome.
HC: Why did you get involved in the ASUC?
JS: I first got involved in the ASUC by working on Noah Stern’s campaign. After he won, I was asked to join his office as the ASUC’s Technological Development Director to help advocate for vital student resources like Google Apps for Education and the CalCentral portal, which will be released in the coming years. I wanted to join in our student government because I really believed in the power of our student government. It’s the most autonomous student government in the world and that really means a lot. We have the power to fight the University administration on all kinds of issues; at other schools the student government is a part of the University’s administration.
HC: What are your ASUC Executive Vice President campaign platforms for the upcoming elections?
JS: My platforms have a lot to do with student life. While academics are important to me, my time at Berkeley has really been defined by the student organizations I have been involved in. And having served as a Senator, I recognized and got the chance to serve over 200 different student organizations, all seeking to develop community and add vibrancy to UC Berkeley’s amazing student life.
So my goals include expanding technological services to increase efficiency in student life, giving student groups the resources that they need, and leveraging commercial services in student life. I want to expand technological services by extending Airbears service beyond campus boundaries and implementing the CalCentral portal so students have one single access point for all of our campus services.
Next year, lower Sproul will be under construction and Eshleman Hall will be offline so it is vital that student groups know what resources are available for them. I will revamp the classroom reservation process so student groups get campus spaces that they need and also continue to develop a one-stop-shop resource guide for all student leaders. I will also work with businesses outside of campus and on campus so that student groups can discounts on all their supplies and venues for events.
HC: What other extracurricular activities have you been involved in on campus?
JS: I am extremely involved in the Greek community. I was the Vice President of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and also the Assistant Vice President of Programming for the Interfraternity Council. I was also the Managing Editor for Caliber Magazine and a Cal Student Orientation Counselor.
Just for fun:
HC: Weirdest thing you’ve ever seen on campus?
JS: The weirdest things I’ve seen on campus are the tree hybrids on Sproul. During the year the university cuts them because they are a strange hybrid of trees. They remind me of the Womping Willow from Harry Potter.
HC: Last song you listened to?
JS: “Glad You Came” by the Wanted
HC: Your guiltiest pleasure?
JS: It’s definitely hanging out on Memorial Glade on a nice day instead of doing work.
Find out more about this Campus Celeb on his personal website: http://justinsayarath.wordpress.com/
And get his latest updates on Twitter: @justinsayarath
Get more information on the election and the names of all the candidates running for the ASUC here: http://election.asuc.org/