It’s almost the end.
We start voting for next year’s PASA Core in exactly 2 weeks.
In 2 weeks, it’s over.
2 entire years of being PASA’s Public Relations Coordinator, about to come to an end, and damn, has it been a good adventure.
Who would’ve ever thought that this Chinese kid could make such a huge impact to a Pilipino-American Student organization? I’ve put my heart and soul into this commitment for these last two years. I have never half-assed anything for this organization.
After the chaotic Core that I went through my freshmen year at CSU East Bay, I felt a need to help out and to improve the organization to how I heard it used to be. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted all general members to feel welcome and appreciated.
I had never been a leader before this, I never joined organizations back in high school. This was completely new for me. I still remember the moment I got nominated. Miss Monet Ela was the one who nominated me out loud during nominations for PR Coordinator.
I knew that Ava Albano and Ryan Robles were going to be President and Vice-President for that next Core, and they were two individuals who I highly looked up to during my freshmen year. I met them during Fall ‘09 during FG practices, and we all became really close. I disappeared the next quarter and drifted away from everyone, though.
But I decided to accept the bid the next day… and I won.
I don’t know if I ever really won anything before in life before that. It was extremely new to me. I had no idea what to expect from this. We became Core Loko.
It ended up being an amazing year.
Core Loko re-built PASA from the ground up in the school year of 2010-2011. We recruited entirely new members, and barely any older members actually returned. With these new members, we placed top 5 in Friendship Games that year.
After that year, I found it extremely hard to completely step away. Core Loko actually inspired people. During elections, we had a huge number of people running for every single position, and even older members came back to run for Core after seeing what we had accomplished in that year.
It took a lot of talks from EC Garcia for me to run again, though. He wanted to run for president for the next year, and he needed me to be in his Core if he won. Erwin Baclagan told me he’d be my partner. Ryan Robles would return as the treasurer. Francie Savangsy won the Vice-President slot. We had half of Core Loko returning and a handful of the amazing interns we had from the last year on this new Core. I was excited for the potential we had to make even bigger moves. From those seeds that Core Loko planted, I wanted to help in making sure those seeds grew correctly for the next year. And it sure has.
I have left my mark. I have created a new, professional standard for how PASA of CSUEB is marketed to the community. I know my strengths, and I’ve used those strengths to help PASA blossom these last two years.
PASA is now involved with every popular social media website and networks, with general members constantly using each one as resources for the organization. I created a new, more modern logo. I created PASA apparel for general members. Who wants a crewneck sweater? I created professional quality marketing material for PASA. I created professional quality business cards, brochures, fliers, posters, etc. I utilized our YouTube and Twitter accounts. I created a Tumblr for PASA. I transformed our dead PASA of CSUEB Facebook group page into an extremely active Facebook group page. Our events are promoted more on campus than they have ever been before. I have built countless relationships with local companies that have helped PASA in one way or another. I have learned so much in these past 2 years, and it hurts me to say that it will be officially over in 2 more weeks.
I really wasn’t even inspired to run for Core until after PCN. PCN changes things. PCN inspires people. It brings people together. It makes you want to be a part of this.
I’ve never regretted once about being on Core. If you want to make a difference, being on Core definitely fulfills that need.
Whoever succeeds me as next year’s PR Coordinator, I have a lot to tell you. A lot.
I guess we’ll find out in two weeks.
