experience to student government

Students often have the desire to participate, but lack the knowledge and experience needed.

The new Vice President of the Associated Student Organization (ASO) has plenty of both.

Dominic Le Fort is not only the new ASO VP, but he is also a founder and executive director of a non-profit organization called QEDU (queer education).

Le Fort, who plans to major in gender studies or gender and sex studies, decided to form the organization after California made Assembly Bill 329 and Senate Bill 48 to include information about gender identity, sexual orientations and the contributions of LGBTQ members in U.S. history to public school education.

“When I saw these legal changes had been made, being a passionate member of the LGBTQ community, I took it upon myself to start an organization, QEDU, to help bring comprehensive LGBTQ education directly to public school students and faculty members,” Le Fort said.

Le Fort decided to take the position as he’s been at Pierce for about two years and is hoping to transfer to his dream school UCLA.

“I’m actually a nontraditional student, so coming back to Pierce I already had a number of years of professional working experience,” Le Fort said. “Part of the process for me was getting involved, using the experience I had developed professionally and contributing to my campus in a meaningful way. I couldn’t think of any better way to do that than participating in the ASO.”

ASO Adviser Lara Conrady Wong said that sometimes there is more than one person running for a position in the executive board for ASO president, vice president, treasurer and club council president, and other times there isn’t like this time around for vice president.

“This season no one ran for that position so it was vacant,” Conrady Wong said. “Once the senate got formed, senators, like Dominic, was a senator a few months ago. He applied to be a senator in August. When he became a senator and knew that position was open he then ran for it and was elected at that time.”

Some of the responsibilities as the ASO vice president include preparing the agendas, attending the senate meetings and having six hours of available office hours for students. Conrady Wong said that he’s doing great taking on all these responsibilities as vice president.

“He’s completely embraced his new leadership role. It’s a lot because the meetings follow Brown Act and also Robert’s Rules of Order for parliamentary procedures,” Conrady Wong said. “He’s really taken it on very well. The meetings run very smoothly, the agenda is always on time, his responses to the people who are coming to the meetings are so professionally written.”

Le Fort said that because he’s had real working experience he’s been able to use those skills for many different roles.

“A lot of the experiences that I’ve had as an executive director of a non-profit directly correlates to leadership responsibilities and program oversight,” Le Fort said.

“On top of the vice presidency, I also am the chairperson of the publicity committee. Which has been a really great opportunity for me to use so many of the tools and resources that I developed through the organization that I run and bringing them here on campus and show other students about some of the different processes that we can use to standardize program initiatives and how we get things done around here.”

Besides the job responsibilities, Le Fort said he likes being a part of the campus community.

“I’ve really been enjoying the opportunity to participate in the student organization,” Le Fort said. “It’s been so wonderful getting to connect with other like-minded students who are passionate about giving back to their school and being an active contributor.”

ASO senator Aleksandra Alimova said the same about how well he’s doing in his new role.

“He’s so organized,” Alimova said. “He completes all tasks on time, he sends his weekly agendas. He’s the one who actually does all the meetings right now because our president, she’s not doing them anymore because now she has a vice president. So he’s doing a really great job with that, with paying attention and he knows the by-laws.”

Alimova had only good things to say about what it’s like to work with Le Fort.

“He’s a really bright person,” Alimova said. “He actually brings a lot of positive emotions into our small group. He’s the person if you really need to go and talk to him, he’ll be the one to give you advice.

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When he’s not working his role as vice president, Le Fort said he enjoys doing a couple of things outside of school.

“I don’t have a whole lot of time for hobbies right now being that I’m so busy, but when I do have time I like karaoke and I really love dressing up, specifically Halloween,” Le Fort said. asaldate.roundupnews@gmail.com

Thursday Concert Series continues with student recital

ALEXIS CANELO Reporter @alexiscanelo_

Notes ranging from high to low graced the stage featuring tunes from Italian operas, rock jams with electric guitar riffs, and numbers from the musical West Side Story in this week's student-led rendition of the Thursday concert series.

The Applied Music Program (AMP) held a concert in the Performing Arts building where students were given the opportunity to display their skills.

The lights dimmed and the first performer came out. The audience was engaged and focused on Leslie Lopez, one of the singers.

Her first song was Già il sole dal Gange, an Italian opera composed by Alessandro Scarlatti. The piano work of Lance Merill, the accompanist, complimented Lopez’s high notes. Her second song was I Feel Pretty from the critically acclaimed musical West Side Story. Lopez’s lively rendition of the song brought to life the role of Maria (the female lead in West Side Story).

The next artist was Grigor Vartevanian on the flute, playing Vartevanian Sonata for Flute in E Flat Major by J.S. Bach and Three Preludes for Unaccompanied Flute by Robert Muczynski. The flutist captured the audience with his rhythmic finger motions and focused demeanor.

Sahand Zare on violin performed afterward. Zare gently moved the bow up and down changing the pitch for Gavotte en Rondeau by Boch. The second song, Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61, sounded like a good mix of excitement and

Preview: panic in violin form.

Noe Centeno sang Asturiana, a Spanish song from Siete Canciones Populares Españolas composed by Manuel de Falla. His clear and deep voice could be felt throughout the auditorium. His second song, O Del Mio Amato Ben by Stefano Donaudy, was just as intense as the first.

Samantha Rosenberg, a singer, was relaxed and composed. Her first song was Pur Discesti, o Boca Bella by Antonio Lotti. Rosenberg reached all the high notes with complete ease. The next song was I Could Have Danced All Night by Frederick Loewe. It was a striking contrast from the Italian number.

The accompanist stepped off the stage and the guitarist, Kevin Nguyen, entered. Nguyen performed Minuet in C by Fernando Sor and Bagatelle No. 2 by William Walton on acoustic guitar. Nguyen seemed to lose himself in his music.

Nathan Gonzalez walked on stage with his arms raised, anticipating applause. Gonzalez, a guitarist, brought a playful presence to the stage. He played St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins and Now’s the Time by Charlie Parker. His red, electric guitar matched his red tie. Cassandra Leisher, a singer, performed Vittorio Mio Core by Giacomo Carissimi and Cloud Shadows by James H. Rogers.

A well armed woman?

Leisher’s rendition of Cloud Shadows was passionate, as if she truly wanted to ride the clouds as the lyrics suggest.

Lastly, Abtin Hamedani, a violinist, performed Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K. 216 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The AMP holds auditions at the beginning of each semester. Those who get into the program are given one-on-one lessons each week. The program is open to all music majors who are willing to meet the requirements.

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