Meet the ASO Club Council president International student rises in student government

4: It’s rare for Ayungao to have a day off.

He dresses in traditional Saudi Arabian clothes which include a thawb: a loose-fitting, longsleeved white garmet around his body, white pants called a sirwal and a white headdress called a ghutra. He loves coming to Pierce not only to learn in school, but to get a multi-cultured experience at the ISC.

“This club is a great club because I get to learn about other cultures,” Alawaja said. “Not only do I get to learn about other cultures, but I get to teach about my culture as well.”

ISC not only introduces other cultures, but also breaks the ice with people from two rivaling countries. Such is the case with

Pedram Kazemi, a 19-year-old engineering major who is from Iran and has lived in the U.S. for only three months, and Omri Gabay, a 19 year-old computer science major from Israel.

Both countries have had political tension dating back to 2005, but these men look past the politics and have become very good friends.

“Omri has helped me a lot in my calculus class,” Kazemi said. “He helped me get the correct calculator for my class and helped me in getting other classes as well. I don’t care about the politics.”

Gabay described the relations between Iran and Israel as a lovehate relationship.

“On the surface it seems like the countries hate each other because of all the politics,” Gabay said. “But in reality, there’s love under the surface.”

Such is the love at the ISC where students coming from other countries can not only make the transition but also make some friends along the way.

“This is a healthy group environment for students who have just moved to the U.S.,” Gabay said. “The club acclimates new students to American culture, yet at the same time allows others to share their culture as well.”

To learn more about this and other clubs visit theroundupnews. com.

Six things to know about newly elected Associated Students Organization Club Council President Krishna Lou Ayungao.

1: Ayungao emigrated from the Philippines.

KA: “I moved out here when I was 17, therefore I needed to have a guardian, and my aunt lived in Los Angeles, so I came to Pierce because it’s a lot cheaper.”

2: She served on the ASO Senate for two semesters and is now the Club Council president.

KA: “For Senators we need 80 signatures from the representative department, and after that we need to finish 35 hours, so that we get transcripts recognition, but for officers or president the students at Pierce need to vote for us.”

3: Her main project as Club Council president is called the “Pierce College Experience.”

KA: “Most students treat Pierce with contempt since it’s a community college, despite it being part of your college experience, so I’m working on team building for the clubs and raising more funds that we desperately need.”

KA: “I find consolation hanging out with friends from church, or my family. I go to youth group every Friday and I do a little bit of community service on the weekends, where I am a discipleship facilitator for homeless people. I serve them meals, pray for them and try to refer them to job opportunities.”

5: She is planning on hosting a screening of “Girl Rising” on Oct. 10, which is a film about human trafficking.

KA: “I’m Passionate about human trafficking, for personal reasons. No one should experience that, especially girls. The Philippines is a country that is exposed to that immensely and they don’t pay attention to prostitution and social injustice, which happens a lot in Asia.”

6: Her educational goals after Pierce: KA: “I would love to be a professor. Or if not, work for a nonprofit organization and do cultural research for other countries. Since I’m a human trafficking abolitionist, I want to find effective ways to stop social injustice, or make policies, as long as it involves culture and helping others”.

ELECTED: is the Club Council president who won with 339 votes in favor and 58 against, on Oct. 2.