On Feb. 10, the new emerging technology and entrepreneurial representative, Adlai Gomez, began working for the Associated Student Government here at Bellevue College. The representative works with technology on campus and examines how students, faculty and staff interact with that technology.
The representative position used to be broken in two: an emerging technology representative and an entrepreneurial representative. The emerging technology representative would work primarily with technology on campus, working with fees for lab classes and student proposals for new technology ideas. The entrepreneurial representative would work with the PALS Center on the first floor of the C building to help students start their own business, such as a coffee shop. A few years ago, the two positions merged into one, making it the “longest title by one letter,” said ASG adviser Brandon Lueken.
Gomez was chosen for the emerging technology and entrepreneurial representative position primarily because “he had started his own business before,” said Lueken, though Gomez expressed interest in the technology side as well.
Gomez started a business in “freshman or sophomore year [of high school].” “My friend and I came up with the idea because we hadn’t turned 16 yet, so we couldn’t get a job.” They planned a budget, and sold “marshmallow shooters,” as Gomez puts it, at a farmers market.
Gomez was drawn to the position because he, “worked in student leadership before… I like being involved with the school, and to do that at the college [level] I think is really good,” he said.
In this representative position, Gomez will be taking on the tasks listed above, along with working closely with the vice president of the information science department as a chair on the Student Technology Fee Oversight Committee working with technology on campus. As chair on this committee, Gomez will “make sure [students] are up on new technology, and if that can be leverage by the student government,” said Lueken. One previous initiative that the committee has dealt with is paying for new and better Wi-Fi on campus.
As for the entrepreneurial aspect of the position, Gomez will partake in tasks such as researching information on starting businesses and releasing this information to students. In addition, he will work with the marketing and public relations representative to brainstorm “new and innovative marketing strategies,” according to the application for the representative position.
Gomez will also be a voting member of the ASG, and will assist with the technological needs of these ASG meetings, such as PowerPoint slides. Gomez hopes to improve on web design and said that he wants to improve his teamwork abilities from being in this position.