Role in student government provides inspiration and opportunity for Russian immigrant
FCC Associated Student Government President Sergey Saluschev
The Soviet Union hasn’t existed for almost 20 years, but the political differences between Russia and the United States remain evident—especially for Russian immigrant and Fresno City College Associated Student Government President Sergey Saluschev.
Four years ago, when his mother married a U.S. Citizen, Sergey moved with her from the Russian city of Stavropol to Fresno. “For me to travel to the other side of the globe was exciting,” said Sergey, now 22 years old. “I wanted to come here and experience it for myself—to experience the culture and the people.”
After establishing residency in California, Sergey began attending Fresno City College. He was immediately fascinated by the role of student government. “When I came here I was absolutely clueless,” he said. “I didn’t know about the existence of student government—about any institutions that would allow students to participate in shared governance on the campus.”
“I hope that students will realize and understand how important their role is in the political life of the state.”–Sergey Saluschev
FCC ASG President
In Fall 2006, Sergey joined the FCC Associated Student Government as a student senator. It presented a divergence from his experiences in Russia, where governmental systems often lack true representation. “Back in Russia I wouldn’t be able to do something like this,” he said. “No, our system is not designed to allow such a wide representation of all the constituent groups on the campus. Our system of democracy still is immature and needs a lot of improvement. So having this opportunity here is a blessing.”
His political experiences haven’t been limited to just the campus of Fresno City. During California’s budget talks last spring, Sergey helped organize a delegation of FCC students who traveled to Sacramento to protest budget cuts. Sergey said it was important for students to go to the capital and “say to elected officials that we are not satisfied with how things are being done,” he said. “It’s democracy in action.”
While the discussions with state officials were sometimes less than encouraging—“They don’t always consider what is good for the entire state, only what is good for their position and their party,” he said—Sergey remains encouraged by the emphasis on governmental representation in all areas of political life.
As Associated Student Government president, Sergey is driven by a passion for community improvement. He is committed to spreading this enthusiasm to his fellow students. “Use every opportunity of your right to free speech and the right to express your opinion—in a respectful way, of course. I hope that students will realize and understand how important their role is in the political life of the state. There are about 2.9 million community college students in California; that’s a big power,” he said.
Sergey plans to continue his education in international relations at the University of California, Davis. While he doesn’t plan to enter politics are a larger scale, he doesn’t rule it out. “I do not want to be a politician, but it seems that politics is the only way to make a difference,” he said. “Sometimes you have to be part of the system, at least for a little while, to make a difference.”
Related posts:
