Jaiden Grivette and Harsh Makkaar are running for vice president of facilities and services in the 2024 Associated Students general election. To read more about each candidate, see below.
Jaiden Grivette
Chico State junior Jaiden Grivette looks to use her experience and passion for student government as she runs for vice president of facilities and services in the upcoming Associated Students general elections.
Hailing from Oakdale, Grivette is no stranger to student government, having served as her high school’s Future Farmers of America chapter president, among other positions. There, she gained important experience in servant leadership, planning various events for her chapter.
While working in FFA, she said she made sure everyone in her program had their voices heard and that they were getting everything they wanted out of the program.
As a first-generation college student, Grivette is an agriculture business major, and became a voting member of the AS Business Committee. There, she got to see how student government works on a larger scale, which she said is an “eye-opening experience.”
However, because of her major, she said she couldn’t run for the specific position she wanted. Because still had a passion for student government, she decided to run for VP of Facilities and Services.
“I really love making student’s voices heard,” she said. “So I can do it in a different capacity this way.”
If she is elected, Grivette said she doesn’t plan on instituting any large changes but rather is focused on making sure every student is represented while being as open and transparent as possible.
“I think the most challenging part is that aspect of making sure everyone’s voices are heard, because we can’t appeal to every single person,” she said. “But the best part about it is the reward you get from making those interactions and helping people.”
Her mantra is “Leading with passion, serving with purpose,” and she said she is very excited to run for the AS student body.
While she is very involved in student government, Grivette also works at Sweet Chico, a candy store in Downtown Chico, and said this is her first time in a larger community.
Beginning April 7 at 8 a.m., all regularly enrolled students will have 24 hours to vote in the AS elections, as well as designate $15 of their revenue-sharing fund to up to three campus-recognized clubs.
For information on Grivette and her campaign, go to her Instagram page or go here.
Harsh Makkar
Harsh Makkar is a junior running for vice president of facilities and services at Chico State. Makkar has a major in business information services with a focus in management information services.
Makkar has experience with being an international student from India, as well as being the vice president of the Indian Student Association. He also has experience with being a CAVE community program leader and a math tutor in the student learning center.
The skills Makkar gained from these experiences make him believe he will be a good fit for VP of facilities and services.
“I provide a unique blend of cultural understanding and leadership skills required to improve our campus facilities and services,” Makkar said.
He feels a strong desire to positively impact the Chico State community by becoming vice president of Facilties and Services.
“I am strongly committed to ensuring our student body’s well-being and happiness through the development and maintenance of high-quality facilities and services. My motivation derives from a desire to positively impact the Chico State community and improve the entire campus experience for students, professors, and staff,” Makkar said.
Environmental consciousness is very important to Makkar, as well as maintaining and improving infrastructure on campus.
“I recognize the critical need for sustainable practices that benefit our campus today while simultaneously protecting the environment for future generations. I am committed to leading programs to minimize our carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency, and promote waste reduction across campus,” Makkar said.
It is a goal of Makkar’s to have Chico State be a model for sustainable campuses everywhere. He said he is aware of the difficulties of the position, but he believes that he can do it.
“The most difficult aspect of the Vice President of Facilities and Services position will almost certainly be balancing competing goals and limited resources. Meeting the different demands of students, and staff while staying within financial and legal limits can be difficult and time-consuming,” Makkar said.
On the other hand, Makkar is looking forward to implementing good changes and having a tangible impact on campus life.
As an international student, Makkar feels that embracing a new culture at Chico State has improved his ideas, as well as improving his own university experiences. Every day at Chico State is “memorable and gratifying,” Makkar said.
“My campaign for Vice President of Facilities and Services is motivated not only by a desire for change, but also by a firm commitment to serving our community, promoting its growth and creating a sustainable and efficient Chico State,” he said.
With his unique experiences and skills, Makkar believes that he is a good fit for the position of VP of facilities and services.
“With dedication as my guide, I commit to bridge divides, improve settings and realize our university’s full potential. Let’s work together to make Chico State an inspiring and thriving place,” Makkar said.
For more information on Makkar, go to his Instagram page or go here.
To learn more about the vice president of facilities and services duties, go here.
Voting for the 2024 AS general elections will open on April 4 at 8 a.m. and will close on April 5 at 8 a.m.
A link will be sent out to all Chico State students via school emails when voting opens.
Nathan Chiochios and Samuel Moore can be reached at [email protected].
