Students majoring in areas of political studies often begin their careers serving the public at the school they attend. For most, this usually means joining their student government and trying to find new ways to involve and effectively represent their peers.

One event last week at Sacramento’s Sheraton Grand Hotel was held to help students who may be looking for that training. The California State Student Association (CSSA), the official representative body of the 450,000 students in the CSU system, hosted the 14th Annual California Higher Education Student Summit. Students at the summit, which lasted four days, attended workshops in such areas as student leadership, public policy and lobbying, and networked with peers from other schools.

Portland Bates, junior political science major, attended legislative workshops while visiting from CSU, San Marcos, including one taught by Joseph Patterson, assistant to state Assemblyman Martin Garrick.

“(Patterson) taught me about reaching over aisles,” Bates said, referring to learning to appeal to potential supporters when lobbying for a cause. Bates, who would one day like to be a California state senator, said he gained valuable insight from the workshops.

Sacramento State students enjoyed the advantage of being just miles from the Capitol. Leaders from Associated Students, Inc., such as Director of Undeclared Students Sarah Couch, worked on solidifying the foundations of their future careers.

“We had five workshops and I really enjoyed a lot of them,” Couch said. She said all the workshops gave her good advice, but her favorite one was about women in government, which featured other ASI presidents who were women.

“They gave me inspiring advice about?what hardships they face and what they’re doing in the government and how they are treated in legislature,” Couch said. “I thought that was amazing advice, just to hear what they were saying.”

Couch and Terry Martin, Junior government and economics major, received CSSA student leadership certification during the course of the weekend.

“I can say I’m a certified student leader now through CSSA?I like it,” Martin said.

ASI Secretary of State Affairs Nicole Anderson helped organize the workshops over the weekend. She received the Student Advocate of the Year award at the summit for her service and advocacy of the Sac State student body.

“It was just essentially recognizing that I kind of played a pivotal role in making sure the students’ voice was heard at the Capitol,” Anderson said. She said she has gone to the Capitol about 15 times this year on behalf of Sac State and she usually takes several students with her to show solidarity.

Anderson worked on the College Affordability Act, a bill which would put a freeze on raising student fees for the next five years and limit any future increases to the annual percentage change of the Consumer Price Index. Anderson said she worked with legislators like Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, who voted against the bill.

“Sac State’s really a lot farther along than some of the other campuses in making sure the student voice is heard at the state level,” Anderson said. She credited this success to the close proximity of the campus to the Capitol.

Anderson said while most of the students she knows from ASI have gone on to work in the public sector – mainly as staff members, chiefs of staff, or legislators – some have made it to an elected position, including former ASI president and current Vice Mayor of Woodland Art Pimentel.

Being an ASI member has taught Anderson how to chair boards and attend board meetings.

“(It all) may be on a smaller scale compared to what you have maybe in a larger business or in the government, but it’s definitely comparable,” Anderson said. “It’s amazing the amount of opportunities that you get.”

While Anderson was so busy during the weekend that she couldn’t even attend the workshops she helped put together, she said she loves her work with ASI and called it a hobby.

“My passion is with government, so this was enjoyable for me,” Anderson said.

Julia Baum can be reached at [email protected].