27 Apr From Campus to Capitol: Titans Bring Their Voices to Sacramento
In an ever-changing world, students are continually impacted by evolving political policies and emerging challenges, yet their voices remain present in ongoing discussions that shape the future of higher education. On March 21-23, 12 Titans wanting to make a change traveled to the California State Capitol to attend the California Higher Education Summit (CHESS) with Associated Students Inc.
CHESS is an annual event where students go directly to Sacramento and advocate for student needs. Now in its 31st year within the California State University (CSU) system, CHESS provides Titans the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the legislative realm, advocating for funding and policies affecting students.
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Led by the California State Student Association (CSSA), student leaders join representatives from 22 CSU campuses for a day of preparation followed by meetings with legislators.
“A lot of people have opinions. A lot of people have thoughts and feelings about how things should be or how things should be run, but the courage to activate beyond just that internal feeling is very important and that’s what we get to do,” said ASI Student Government Director Rebecca Hesgard. “We nurture that. We’re staff and a structure of internal support to make sure that students can do that successfully and safely.”
CSUF students traveled to the California State Capital to lobby and advocate for student needs. / ASI Student Government
Taking their voices from campus to the state Capitol, student delegates not only represented 45,000 Titans but also reinforced the role young leaders will play in shaping California’s educational future.
Advocacy to Action: CHESS Driving Campus Innovation
ASI student leaders from various backgrounds came together for a shared cause. / Credit: ASI Student Government
The CHESS event provides students interested in lobbying with the opportunity to engage with lawmakers, share stories, highlight campus concerns and emphasize the importance of investment in the CSU system.
Lobbying plays a role in the legislative process, allowing students to communicate their perspectives to elected officials and contribute to discussions that impact policy development.
Similar efforts occur at a national level, such as CSU Hill Day, which brings together CSU students and leaders to D.C. to help preserve the PellGrant, support recipients of the California Dream Act and fund minority-serving institutions.
Through ASI’s Lobby Corps Commission, student leaders are responsible for selecting student delegates and facilitating training sessions throughout March to ensure participants are prepared to advocate for CSUF.
ASI’s student government is comprised of representatives from each college who work together with campus leaders to spark real change on the CSUF campus. / Credit: ASI Student Government
“CHESS is open to any student on campus who meets our student eligibility criteria,” said Hesgard. “A good candidate would be any student who has previous advocacy experience, but we also look for those who may not have a resume piece of advocacy, but have a personal experience being impacted by funding, limited funding or involved in a program where they’ve had to advocate on behalf of themselves.”
Hesgard, who attended CHESS in 2018 as a student leader as former Chief Campus Relations Officer, now brings those experiences into her current role, mentoring student leaders to effectively lead and manage ASI through their positions in student government.
Transforming Challenges Into Opportunity for Titans
With the help and prep from ASI’s staff, CHESS student leaders learned how to communicate, conduct research, and present their findings to federal administration. / Credit: ASI Student Government
This year’s CHESS carries added significance as the CSU system faces increased pressure from the Trump administration regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs and higher education funding. These challenges reflect political conversations across the country.
“Much of the advocacy conducted by the delegation team focused on federal programs that students rely on in their daily lives,” said Syed. “We advocated for various key issues, including simplifying the transfer process for community college students, protecting SNAP benefits, and expanding access to CAL grants, efforts that aim to strengthen opportunity for CSUF students.”
Lobby Corps Connects CHESS to Statewide Policy Issues
Lobby Corps Commissioner Berto Serrano standing alongside CHESS Delegate Madison Salguero at the California State Capitol. / Credit: ASI Student Government
Behind this year’s advocacy efforts is a dedicated team working alongside ASI Student Government staff, led by Lobby Corps Commissioners Berto Serrano and Leah Allari, who are political science students who understand the importance of student advocacy.
“When students have a seat at the table, policy stops being something we just learn about in class, but becomes real,” said Serrano. “At CSUF, we’re balancing jobs, navigating financial aid and depending on campus resources, things lawmakers don’t always see firsthand. When students speak up, it puts faces to funding decisions and creates urgency for action.”
This year’s conference comes as CSUF faces potential state budget cuts. Under the proposed 2025–2026 budget, the CSU system’s initial $375 million cut was reduced to $144 million, easing concerns about resource allocation across campuses.
Advocacy at the summit is also expanding beyond CSU funding to broader higher education policy issues. This includes legislation SB 323, AB 2251, AB 713, AB 2212, AB 2236, SB 961, and SB 1006, senate and assembly bills that tackle issues ranging from safeguarding the California Dream Act for undocumented students to defying federal restrictions regarding work authorization in higher education entities.
On behalf of the California State Student Association, delegates highlighted key priorities ranging from student employment and CalFresh eligibility to support for California Dream Act students.
Titans Take the Lead in Lobbying and Political Education
Earlier this year, ASI student government members were sworn into service, dedicating the next year to student needs and voices. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
A delegation of 12 students representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives participated in CHESS this year. Through Lobby Corps, students engaged directly with policymakers and elected officials, including Assembly members Phillip Chen, Blanca Pacheco, and Sharon Quirk-Silva, as well as State Senators Eloise Gómez Reyes and Steven Choi.
The delegation worked to transform classroom knowledge into advocacy by bringing student voices directly into legislative spaces.
Student Delegates:
Leah Allari, fourth-year political science major
Eugenie Bassilly, third-year, cellular and molecular biology double major
Camara Christian, third-year communications major
Meghann Domond, fourth-year political science major
Jades Rodriguez, fourth-year political science major
Juan Rodriguez, second-year electrical engineering major
Juan Salguero, fourth-year political science major
Madison Salguero, fourth-year sociology major Israel Sandoval
Sam Semcheshen, fourth-year American studies major
Berto Serrano, fourth-year political science major
Haneefah Syed, fourth-year English major
ASI President Haneefah Syed and Vice President Juan Salguero saw the culmination of their work at CHESS, where they could see their advocacy come to life. / Credit: ASI Student Government
“Experiences like CHESS turn students into advocates. It’s one thing to learn about public policy in a lecture, but it’s another to walk into a legislative office and advocate for real change,” said Serrano. “Through this, students build confidence, strengthen their communication skills and learn how to navigate political spaces.”
Lasting Influence on Student Voices
As the CHESS retreat came to a close, its impact left a lasting impression on the students involved.
“Serving as a CHESS delegate showed me how powerful storytelling can be in shaping policy,” said Serrano. “Advocating directly to legislators, including one who represents my own community, reinforced my interest in political communications.”
As the annual retreat highlights the importance of political advocacy on campus, student delegates are equipped with the skills to pursue careers in politics.
ASI student leader alumni who attended CHESS have gone on to work in politics, entertainment, nonprofits, city government and more.
“In 2022, students advocated for the funding and construction of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Innovation Hub,” Hesgard said. “Through advocacy with legislators, students were able to secure half of the necessary funding. This Innovation Hub is now under construction and will serve as a space for advanced learning, demonstrating the impact that CHESS can have on the growth of our campus.”
ASI works to prepare its student leaders and representatives to advocate for themselves, giving them the tools to do so.
“ASI prepared us well before meeting with legislators, giving us strong advocacy training and helping us learn how to present our points effectively and respond thoughtfully to questions or pushback,” said former ASI student leader Katy Siedentopp. “Our group went in with the goal of advocating for increased funding for the CSUs. We presented research, including statistics on how many Californians graduate from CSU schools, and emphasized how those graduates contribute to the workforce and broader society. Our whole pitch was ‘All these graduates are in society and in the workforce. This is why it’s important that you invest in them, and we need the resources to do that.’”
CHESS showcases the power of young leaders.
“Funding has a direct impact on students’ day to day lives, investing in public universities isn’t just about maintaining standards,” said Serrano. “It’s about making sure every student has a fair shot at succeeding.”