By Jennipher Vasquez

The Associated Students of Riverside City College selected a new vice president following the resignation of former President Samantha Coffland. 

ASRCC’s former vice president, Shauna Kim, took over the role as president when the resignation occurred, while the student government decided who would take on her old position. 

Stefany Perez, originally an ASRCC senator, was elected as the new vice president. 

“Out of all the senators, I think she’s done an outstanding job,” Kim said. “This was just a matter of whether she wanted to step up or not, and she did.”

Kim explained that the campus supreme court presided over the process of electing a new vice president and held a special meeting to address the change.

“We went to a supreme court meeting for them to decide if they were OK with me stepping up in presidency, how the process was going to go about, who is going to be elected as (vice president),” she said. 

Kim emphasized the importance of being an advocate for students as she takes on her new position and wants to find as many ways as possible to support all types of students. 

“I’m able to provide for all the students and be a voice for them,” Kim said. “As long as you have the heart and passion for the job it’s not that bad. I love it.”

According to Kim, Perez has already played a significant role in student government, working to form a committee to initiate the newly implemented student stimulus package.

Perez said she is honored to have been chosen as permanent vice president after receiving the votes from the senators.

“As a senator, I just decided to step up and take the position for vice president,” she said. “It means a lot that they trust me enough to take on this role.”

Her main goal as vice president is to improve communication with students who may have been unaware of the resources available to them. 

Perez encourages students to approach her in expressing their concerns and ensures students know they can contact her for any given reason. 

Kim shared a similar sentiment.

“I just want all students to know that we are all there for them and we really care, and make sure that they know we are a representation of their voices,” she said. “I like to be present everywhere. I have different positions aside from the ASRCC and am part of the ICC and make sure I am attending their meetings and club meetings, along with my meetings with President Anderson and make sure to communicate whatever it is that we’re talking about to the students and the clubs,”

Perez and Kim both look forward to improving communication and the resources offered to reach a greater population of the students.