Student Engagement and Leadership Meet Students Desire for Community Virtually

The Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) office at Colorado State University Pueblo has implemented new ways to reach students despite working remotely off campus. Netflix parties, virtual trivia contests, Kahoot on Zoom, and TikTok contests are just a few ways SEAL has connected with students to give them a break from class and curriculum obligations.   

“We held a virtual trivia contest that we incentivized with gift cards,” said Noelle San Souci, Director of SEAL. “We had two students that hosted it so it was really fun. It was through Zoom and we used Kahoot, it was really popular so we’re going to do that again.”

In addition to fun, interactive ways to engage students, SEAL continues to operate with many pre-planned activities with a virtual approach. One typical spring event CSU Pueblo students participate in each year are Associated Students’ Government (ASG) elections.

While many Americans are talking about the national election in November, Puebloans are focused on a ballot issue in May, CSU Pueblo students just completed the ASG election in early April. This was one event that could not be rescheduled or planned to resume in the fall.

The elections were managed by election commissioners, students Cameron Collins and Joey Govato, worked closely with chair, Megan Moore. Students did behind the scenes work with code rules, organizing the policy manual for candidates, and monitoring a Zoom meeting debate. Normally this would all occur in person, but students acted quickly to shift efforts online.

Candidates from teams 2020 Vision and Team W.I.L.D (We Inspire Leadership and Diversity) ran against one another. Election week on campus is normally marked by big gestures, campaign buttons or t-shirts, and live debates.

Students utilized TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as their platforms of choice to campaign. When CSU Pueblo transitioned to remote learning the week of March 16 with classes officially beginning online on March 30, candidates running for ASG elections knew they needed to act quickly.

The campaign team, 2020 Vision achieved victory with Hanna Douglass as incoming President and Jair Flores as Vice President. Senators of College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) are Jose Chavez and Mikayla Lerch. 

Senators of Hasan School of Business include Jordyn Keck and Meridyth Moose, Senators of College of Health, Education and Nursing (CHEN) are Lea Cassidy and the lone winner from Team W.I.L.D., Halle Medina. The College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) senators are Kaitlin Diodosio and Samuel Moore. The senators-at-large include Shayla Mraovich, Joshua Glach and Tiana Montez.

“I definitely downloaded TikTok the week of the campaign,” said newly elected Vice President of ASG, Jair Flores, a pre dental and Spanish major with a chemistry minor at CSU Pueblo.

Team 2020 Vision utilized TikTok, Facebook and Instagram most citing they received outreach from former teachers in the Pueblo community and followers of fellow students at CSU Pueblo. The majority of 2020 Vision’s members are from Pueblo and would like to be involved with community service in the coming 2020-2021 school year. 

“This is kind of what we’re excited about,” said Hanna Douglass, newly elected President of ASG and English major student with a minor in education and business. “We really want to bridge the gap between our school and our community.”

Douglass and Flores spoke about the ideas they have for next academic year, yet admitted with the current uncertainty in the world that plans can change.  Both look forward to meeting with fellow ASG members in person and reconnecting with students on campus. The SEAL office shares the desire to continue to include students and connection.

“Now the next challenge is how we’re going to introduce the new president and vice president, it’s like a changing of the guard,” said San Souci. “We have to put that in place prior to the fall semester.”