Senior Spotlight: Adrian Gonzales

Adrian Gonzales, feature 2, issue 16, Ryan Inouye, Senior Spotlight, Campus Life - By Ryan Inouye on Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 02:02

Hometown: Whittier, Calif.
Major: Double major in Political Science and Studies in Public Policy (Whittier Scholars Program), minor in Philosophy
Hobbies: Biking, running, hiking, being outdoors, meeting new people and being spontaneous

Why did you choose Whittier?

“I grew up in Whittier, and came from a family that did not really have much of a college education background. I’m a first-generation college student. As much as my parents told my siblings and me to do well in school, it was difficult for them to really show us how to do things like prepare for the S.A.T.s, or take us on a college tour. I actually applied to Whittier College because it’s in my hometown, so I felt really comfortable with it. It was also the only school I applied to because college wasn’t my top priority at the time.”

How did you select your major?

“It’s funny that I’m a Political Science major with a focus on Public Policy, because I remember being in high school and not really into politics at the time. I had done forensic speech and debate for four years, so I was used to giving speeches all the time. I remember in my junior year of high school, an upperclassman convinced me to do parliamentary debate, which is two versus two. After doing that and I got to Whittier, I signed up for Professor [of Political Science] Deborah Norden’s link class, Peaceful Paths, which was based a lot on Political Science. I pretty much stuck to the political science path since then.”

What extracurricular activities do you participate in on campus?

“As of right now, I’m the president of the Whittier College Forensics Speech and Debate team. I actually helped co-found the team in my sophomore year. This is my second term as president for the team. I’m also an I-Man for the Ionian Society. I’m also a third-year R.A. for Wardman Hall and am a team leader in the Office of Residential Life. I currently intern for the City of Los Angeles, working for the Office of the City Administrative Officer. We deal with all of the policy analyses, so we make the budget whenever there’s the issue of laws going to be implemented. I’ve had a lot of first-hand exposure working with making policy for the city.”
What is your favorite aspect about Whittier (both the school and the city)?

“The thing I probably liked the most about this college is being able to get to know your professors, peers and the administration, which allows you to build a strong relationship with the community. A lot of the faculty begin to become mentors for you.

“It’s funny, because I always tell people I have two mothers on campus: Delaphine Hudson, Director of ResLife, and Dr. Joyce Kauffman, Director for the Center for Engagement with Communities. Della’s been my mentor working in ResLife for four years now, and Dr. Kaufman as my academic advisor, and being the one who led me to the job I’m at now, which could quite possibly be a career path I may follow.

“As for the city, I like how small and quaint it is. There’s a lot of mom and pop businesses, so with that atmosphere here, it’s common to meet business owners such as at Mimo’s or Rick’s. It’s nice that the owners will actually come out to speak with their customers. There’s a nice, personal feel when you’re living in Whittier.”

What motivated you to run for city council?

“I’ve lived in Whittier for almost my entire life, and especially coming to Whittier College has allowed me to assess my priorities and values, what I want to do with my life and how I feel society should be. Especially studying political science and public policy, it really gave me the opportunity to see how society is structured. I look around at the community and realize there is such a lack of representation for the greater population. It makes me upset that there are a lack of regulations that really go to empower the rest of the population.

“The point of the government is to abide by the people’s voice. Administration has often ignored the opinions of the public. That’s where I want to step in. I want to help bridge that gap, and be the voice of the people.”

What has been your most memorable experience at Whittier?

“One of my favorite experiences was the JanTerm class I took with [Professor of Philosophy] Paul Kjelberg freshman year. He took us to the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights to be part of the Wooden Fish program. Being given the opportunity to live the monastic lifestyle and to appreciate an entirely different culture was a great experience. The focus on meditation and self-reflection was a great experience for an individual like me, a first-generation college student who didn’t know what he was getting in to.

“My father’s passing and my living away from home has really helped me to put things into perspective and evaluate my priorities while also giving me a source of motivation. I feel that it is a big reason for why I am where I’m at today, working for L.A. and running for city council.

“Another memorable experience was last JanTerm, when I took a class on Legal Issues in Social Work. Part of that class was the class having the privilege of being trained by a lawyer from Public Council, which is a national non-profit group that advocates for the poor and impoverished people who cannot afford attorneys. We had a lawyer come to teach us the G.R.A.P. program, which stands for General Relief Advocacy Project. They teach you about general relief, food stamps, and hotel vouchers that people would ask for if they went into a social services office because they don’t have the income.

“We signed up for different days to go into downtown L.A. to work with individuals who came into the office for food stamps or hotel vouchers because they are hungry or homeless. Lots of the people told us stories about what it was like not having enough food or a place to live.

“Listening to their stories and then having to advocate for them to ensure that they get the adequate care was one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. Especially because the social services office where I went was right around the corner from Skid Row, which is one of the biggest aggregation of homeless people in the nation.”

What are your plans after you graduate?

“I will continue my internship working for the City of Los Angeles. I started in the fall, so the program doesn’t end until the spring. Hopefully I can land a position in their office after I graduate. But I definitely want to work in the public sector of government, either as a lawyer or a public administrator. Or if I could be an elected official that would be great. If everything works out and I win the election this April, I’ll be serving part-time as city council member in Whittier, while also working for the City of L.A.”

Do you have any closing remarks or information about your campaign that you would like to share?

“The election is on Tuesday, April 10, and the last day to register to vote is on March 26. Even if you’re not from the area, if you live on campus you can still register to vote in the city of Whittier. If students would like to be involved, they can e-mail me at gonzalesfor2012@gmail.com. We need all the help we can get with canvassers going door-to-door or administrative work.”