Vice presidential candidate at the College of Staten Island outlined goals to improve event awareness, student participation, and access to campus resources.
By: Anwar Alrafati
Student government candidate Yessica Montalvo presented plans to improve student engagement and campus communication during a recent meeting at the College of Staten Island.
At a recent College of Staten Island student government meeting, candidate Yessica Montalvo presented plans to improve student engagement and campus communication.
Montalvo, who is running for vice president, said her campaign focuses on helping students become more aware of campus resources and opportunities.
“I decided to run for student government because I want to better connect students with everything the College of Staten Island has to offer,” Montalvo said. “Our campus provides an incredible support system and many valuable resources, but not all students are aware of them.”
She emphasized that improving communication about events is a key priority. Montalvo said many students miss opportunities because they are not consistently informed about what is happening on campus.
“I’ve noticed that many students miss events due to a lack of consistent promotion,” Montalvo said. “I want to work with faculty to include College of Staten Island Connect in course syllabi so students are informed from the beginning of the semester.”
Montalvo also highlighted transportation as a major concern, particularly for commuter students. She said accessibility plays a significant role in how involved students can be in campus life. Addressing transportation issues, she added, would help more students attend events and participate in activities.
Student reactions at the meeting reflected similar concerns about communication and involvement.
“Student government plays an important role in keeping students informed,” said Maiyadah Kased, a College of Staten Island student who attended the meeting. “Having more communication about events and resources would definitely help students stay involved.”
Other students said increased visibility of events could make a difference in participation across campus.
“I think a lot of students want to be more involved but don’t always know how,” said Basima Mahmoud, another student in attendance. “Better promotion and easier access to information could make a big difference.”
Montalvo said she also plans to create a more centralized system for sharing information about campus resources. One idea she proposed is a Brightspace page that would serve as a hub for events and student services. She said this would allow students to easily access information in one place.
She added that her goal is to represent students by actively listening to their concerns and creating opportunities for their voices to be heard. She said she plans to increase visibility of student government through tabling events, classroom visits, and social media outreach so students are more aware of who their representatives are and how to contact them.
She also said she wants to host more open forums where students can directly ask questions and share concerns with student leaders. Montalvo explained that these spaces would help make student government more transparent and accessible to the student body. She added that consistent communication between students and leaders is essential for building trust on campus.
Montalvo also said she wants to strengthen connections between student organizations across campus. She believes collaboration between clubs and student government could lead to more engaging events and higher participation rates throughout the semester.
She encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities to get involved, saying participation is key to improving campus life overall. She added that even small levels of engagement can help shape the direction of student government decisions and campus improvements.
Student leaders said they hope more students attend future meetings to stay informed and involved in decision-making on campus.
“I want students to feel informed, involved, and excited about being part of this campus,” Montalvo said. “Together, we can create a stronger and more connected College of Staten Island community.”
