Last April, Stephen Emery – self-proclaimed pianist and war-themed video game enthusiast – was elected Associated Student Government president.

Now, three weeks into his first term as president, Emery says he’s feeling comfortable in his position.

“He’s ready to really get rolling,” said Dick Magruder, director of student events, though Emery, who spent the summer planning and coordinating for the coming year, could be ahead of the game.

The president spent Friday and Saturday nights working with the Oregon Community College Student Association – a group that represents students from every Oregon two-year college – and discussed hot-button issues such as the legislature’s recent funding cuts to colleges across the state.

“I don’t know if students realize they’re working real hard on it, and even took time out of their weekends to work on these pretty lofty issues,” said Magruder.

“If the budget is going to be cut again,” Emery said, “they’re probably going to start looking at program [cuts] again, or raising tuition.”

But since Oregon won’t hold elections this year, Emery may find little opportunity to influence change.

Prior to fall term, Emery was familiarizing himself with the college’s administrative cabinet, inlcuding Robert Silverman.

“I can go and knock on their doors,” said Emery, “and we [talk] about facilities, the new paint – when is it coming out, when’s it going to be done? Purple paint coming up on the walls is pretty interesting – and the waves,” he said, laughing, “I’ve heard a few students call it something close to an elementary school,” referring to the tri-colored ripples painted on the walls near the mortuary program’s hub.

As to identifying with students – something Magruder said is always a challenge on any campus – Emery knows the issues plaguing the student body.

“Random topics pop up,” said Emery, “and I read about them. I get on MySpace and I do the whole Mt. Hood Community College thing.”

He said one topic that keeps popping up is, parking on campus.

“I’ll work on it,” said Emery, “but I just went to PCC Cascade the other day, and they have a parking problem. We’re doing pretty well, actually.”

In terms of reaching out to peers across campus and creating a more tangible image of the ASG in the eyes of students, he has his goals.

“After last year I saw a lot of internal breakdowns in communication. So this year it’s how can we make it so that it’s better, so we don’t have any miscommunication, or any strife between the bodies.”

Magruder said a new addition to the cabinet, Stephen Floyd – a previous Advocate editor and the current ASG communications officer – could prove valuable in the executive’s attempts to affect student perception of campus politics.

“[ASG uses] some successful methods of keeping track of what they are working on, and I think that’s helpful in terms of what you would prioritize, and what you would put as an annual goal,” said Magruder of the cabinet’s efforts to establish visibility among tuition-forkers.

As to academia, Emery is studying international relations, with plans to pursue a political career.

He’s been to London, where – as part of a religious function – for one and a half weeks he helped and worked with children in parks.

“I want to be one of those people they call up and ask for advice. I’d be one of those people they go to in an international crisis,” reinforcing what Magruder perceives of Emery’s dedication to his position.

Emery began his political career at MHCC by attending leadership training.

From there, he took to the role of senator, followed by a stint as vice president to the previous president, Bud Khuth.

“All in one year? That’s [ambitious], shows initiative,” said Magruder.

With an educational outlook that involves applying to Stanford, the University of Washington, UCLA and Berkeley, the president still finds time to do the things he loves.
“I found a letter about two weeks ago,” said Emery, “and I pulled it out and was like, ‘Oh, I used to be very task oriented.’ Now I look at myself and I’m very peer-people oriented. I like smoothing things over, conflicts and stuff.”

Regardless of serious pursuits, Emery knows how to let loose.

According to Emery’s website, http://www.xanga.com/LivingMyDreams84, he’s been keeping active.

“[I] did the whole sprinkler thing again twice this week,” read one of the president’s blogs from late last month. “It consists of going to City Bible Church and running through their field around 1 a.m. You get really wet and cold, but it is so much fun.  I suggest that everyone try it at least once in their lifetime.”

And while the president maintains a 3.72 GPA, he admits, “I got a C on my first anthropology quiz. I forgot to study the night before.”

Emery said operations within the cabinet are going “great.”

Magruder pointed out that it’s tough to get people going in the same direction, “especially when everyone has their own agenda.”

Over Emery’s last birthday in late July, officers from ASG played a practical joke on the president.

“They put packing peanuts all over and in everything,” reported Emery via his website.
“They also threw all my recycling everywhere; that was bad because it was full. It took over an hour to clean up.”

But he said the joke was “very funny, and made me feel very loved. With friends like mine, where could I go wrong?”