The KasamaRep position is one of the most important Executive Board positions as it serves as the gateway between the membership and E-Board. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience and we’re all here to ride it. The KasamaReps serve as Executive Board members with an intention to lead and learn, hence the the reps are also called interns. All-in-all, a KasamaRep is a voice of the membership, a leader in training, and an Executive Board member. Below are your 2019-2020 KasamaReps!
Sophomore KasamaRep
Tyson Noquez-Epil
Data Science Major, Minor in Dance
If you could be an animal/color/fruit what would you be and why?
I would be a strawberry because they are my favorite fruit. They can be sweet or sour. They go well with waffles and taste delicious in a smoothie. They are also red, which represents passion and love, and that is exactly what I have for Kasamahan.
Why are you interested in representing your class?
Kasamahan gave me a family. The people of Kasamahan care endlessly which is one of the reasons why I got through my first year. I had the most fun whenever I was involved in a Kasamahan event. I want to continue creating this atmosphere where people can feel safe and have a good time by being more involved within this family. I believe that my voice matters and being apart of Kasamahan’s Executive Board allows the opinions of my class to be heard. With this position of power, I vow to speak up for what my class desires, to be the voice of reason during board meetings, and to enjoy my time with Kasamahan.
Do you have any experience in a leadership position?
In high school, I was the National Honors Society tutoring coordinator, on the LIFE (living in faith experience) team, homeroom senator, and a captain for basketball and track and field teams. One of my most recent leadership positions here at USF is as a street team member where I lead volunteers during CAB events. Through these leadership positions, I have learned that conflict is inevitable but it is how one deals with these situations that matter the most. As a KasamaRep, I promise to transfer what I have learned from these experiences by communicating with others and to be as transparent as possible.
Junior KasamaRep Candidate
Ria Angelica Laxa
Biology Major, Minor in Child & Youth Studies
If you could be an animal/color/fruit what would you be and why?
If I was an animal I’d be a rabbit because it is my and my 4-year-old nephew’s favorite animal (which he is currently insisting I put in my application right now :P) and because their hearts beat so fast because they’re so small so you can’t make sudden noises or else their hearts might explode. I think that’s a wild way to live!
What do you hope to gain by interning for Kasamahan’s Executive Board?
Typically, the KasamaREP position is a position used as a gateway into Eboard. As a KasamaREP you are interning for the executive board, however I think the position has evolved from that and has the capability to truly aid the Director of Membership in providing the input/voices of our growing membership. Serving as Publicity Director last year was an incredible opportunity that allowed me to grow immensely in my confidence as a student service leader. However, every leadership position brings about its own lessons and room for growth, and I view serving as KasamaREP as another journey of equal weight, but this one involves so much more interaction with the members. Publicity was a fairly private job, I didn’t need to interact with members that much to get the job done, not to mention I had no idea what other positions on EBoard did beyond those who reached out to me regularly for flyers. KasamaREP is a different story, and I hope to be able to get to know more members by name as well as get insight towards what exactly the other positions on Eboard do.
What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?
Being my own culture means embracing my identities as a first generation Filipinx-American, as a cisgendered woman, as a female in STEM, the list goes on. What makes culture so rich goes beyond the history of our ancestors and the practices and values that are passed down; it is the unique individuals that bring their own stories and experiences into the history and add to it, sometimes even challenging it. I can share this meaning with others by being unashamed of myself and encouraging others to do the same. Part of this means being mindful, respectful, and accepting of others’ identities, making an effort to understand and get to know them. Something powerful my friends do is not put up with when I put myself down. That’s something I want to do for others too.
Senior KasamaRep Candidates
Katherine Delfin
Nursing Major, Minor in Child & Youth Studies
If you could be an animal/color/fruit what would you be and why?
I would be a lemur because I like to move it move it.
What are some ways that you think you would be able to represent your class?
By being a senior rep, I would be a representative mentor. I believe the most important job for a senior outside of completing school work is guiding and helping others through college socially, academically, and mentally. Ultimately being a role model for others is the best way to represent the senior class. With the senior class, I would promote more senior participation by setting up more bonding events, creating new traditions with family lines, and more.
What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?
Being my own culture means embracing ALL aspects of yourself. Kasamahan prides itself on standing in unity and solidarity with one another – but that should also apply to within oneself. Every part of yourself – your history, your present actions, and your ambitions – should be embraced because all of these components manifest your unique culture. We are not just individuals belonging to specific categories – we are a blend of everything that has touched our hearts and we must demonstrate that.
To share this meaning I can encourage others to share their unique stories to showcase how their experiences have shaped the person they are today. I can create an open and welcoming space where members can feel unashamed to show off who they are.
