Ramazyan elected ASU President

The current dual-enrollment student is set to take office in her fourth year at Valley.

By Matthew Royer, News Editor

Ani Ramazyan is a first-year political science and public affairs major at Valley College who was elected president of the Associated Student Union, a student-run organization that oversees campus activities and student relations on Friday, May 13. Aside from creating surrealist artwork as a means of self-expression, Ramazyan devotes many hours to honing her chess skills to bolster her 13 years of experience playing the game. (Photo by Jeremy Ruiz/The Valley Star)

While she has not yet walked in high school graduation, Ani Ramazyan has now cemented a path forward, taking a step as the Associated Student Union’s new president-elect.

On May 6, after a week of voting, Monarchs selected the dual-enrollment student to lead the ASU over incumbent Commissioner of Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Lauren Lucas. With 20 percent separating the two in the polls, Ramazyan will have the opportunity to guide Valley College’s student-run organization. The ASU oversees clubs and campus activities and the interests of students on campus and online.

“The election, I hope, convinced more students on campus to get involved,” said Ramazyan. “During Club Days, I see members having fun, but one of my main goals is to add to that number. As we are exiting this pandemic period of fewer student activities, I’m hoping to bring new opportunities and events to campus.”

The political science and public affairs major attended Grant High School before transferring to Opportunities For Learning Charter School to graduate early. Ramazyan will take classes full-time in the fall. The environment is familiar to the president-elect as she has attended Valley since her freshman year of high school.

A member of multiple Valley organizations and clubs, Ramazyan is now set to take the leap and command the Monarch student body for the upcoming year. The avid competitor says she is more than ready.

“I am a person of action,” she said. “A lot of things I don’t say, but I’d rather show my leadership skills through action instead of my words. When you are leading a group, instead of thinking about what I can get from the experience, I think about what I can give.”

The daughter of a professional chess player, competition and respect run through her blood. Whether it is through chess tournaments (Ramazyan is a nationally ranked chess player) or exploring art in her studies and hobby of painting, the ASU’s new leader is always learning.

Her drive for leadership comes from the many role models she has in life, such as Barack Obama or her father. Ramazyan draws from the challenges they have faced to prepare herself better.

“I found that political science and public affairs were the right path for me. While chess, for example, can relate to everything in my life,” said Ramazyan. “There is a saying that ‘chess is a life game.’ My father has taught me through chess that I always have to think, not one but two steps ahead.”

A member of the Armenian Student Association, the Women’s Empowerment Club and others on campus, Ramazyan says being in clubs gave her valuable experience as she now moves into office in the fall.

Incumbent ASU President Sandra Sanchez, who also moonlights as president of the Women’s Empowerment Club, has been a source of inspiration for her successor. Whether through recycling initiatives or Sanchez’s push for gender equality on and off-campus, Ramazyan even wrote about continuing Sanchez’s legacy in her personal statement for the election.

“She did a great job in supporting women and the environment,” said Ramazyan about Sanchez. “When I was elected, I immediately contacted her to ask for advice and discuss what should be done. I definitely want to continue the work she started.”