Christian Rios will apply knowledge gained from Gaston College to his higher education and professional endeavors
Christian Rios, the outgoing secretary of the Gaston College Student Government Association, wanted to get involved with the SGA so he could be a liaison between the students and the College. “I understand the frustration and complaints amongst students on things they wish they could change or have amended for a better experience,” he said. “Taking all this into mind helped me decide that if change were going to happen, it needed to start with someone who listens. This helped me address what concerns students had and make going to Gaston College a better experience.”
Serving in a leadership position with the SGA gave Rios insight into how crucial and representative the organization is. “We have high expectations on our shoulders to represent the student and the College both on and off campus,” he said. “We need to be professional and responsible, and to help those who need it whenever we can. The second, and arguably the most important, is how we have to make decisions that are best for the majority of our students which sometimes means compromising to make sure that the outcome leaves the most students happy.”
Rios will take those lessons learned into his university and professional career. He will graduate from Gaston College in May with an Associate in Arts degree. He plans to transfer to either the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or North Carolina State University and will major in political science with a minor in philosophy or history. After earning his undergraduate degree, he intends to go to law school to become an attorney. “Career-wise, it’s been my dream since I was a child to be a public defender,” he said. “Gaston College gave me the tools and knowledge that will help this dream become a reality.”
The Gaston College SGA is known as the voice of the students. All students are welcomed to attend SGA meetings and voice their opinions. For information on becoming involved as a student leader, call 704-922-6472 or visit the SGA office in Room 213 at the Myers Center on the Dallas Campus of Gaston College.
About Gaston College
Gaston College is one of 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System. Serving both Gaston and Lincoln counties, Gaston College enrolls approximately 8,000 students each term in curriculum programs and averages over 17,000 annually in its Economic and Workforce Development and Continuing Education programs. Gaston College offers over 100 fields of study to obtain a degree, diploma or certificate. To learn more about the College’s services and programs, visit the Gaston College website atwww.gaston.edu.
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