People
20-Year-Old Sikh-American Appointed To California Community Colleges Board of Governors:
Ravneet Kaur
MELANIE C. JOHNSON
Ravneet Kaur’s dream of becoming a doctor goes back to her early childhood, when the little girl with the plastic toy stethoscope would press it against her father’s forehead.
What the 20-year-old Riverside City College student didn’t bank on growing up was being appointed to a statewide post.
Of course, the aspiring cardiologist is still working toward her childhood dream. As for statewide politics, Ravneet’s involvement revved up to high gear when she was appointed last month to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.
Ravneet was at a wedding on January 9, 2015 when she received the call about the appointment.
“I was just in shock,” she said. “It was probably one of the most euphoric moments of my life.”
The Board of Governor’s 17 members, each appointed by the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, craft policy and offer guidance to the 72 districts and 112 colleges that make up the system, according to the organization’s website.
Ravneet Kaur is one of two students chosen to serve on the board. The appointees work with state and federal officials and other organizations. The board also is tasked with selecting the system’s chancellor and reviewing the recommendations he or she brings to the board.
While the appointment to the Board of Governors is a big honor, it is not the start of Ravneet’s service to the community college system.
The 2012 Hemet High School alumna first served a year as a commissioner for the Associated Students of Moreno Valley College. Her classmate and current president then asked her to serve on the Associated Students of Riverside City College as the director of the Board of Commissioners.
In spring 2014, she ran for election to be the Region IX Governance and Internal Policy Senator, taking office in July of last year.
Late last year, she decided to run for Board of Governors, which included an application and interviews.
Issues she has worked on while serving on the Associate Students included helping to institute a book rental program, fighting against an RTA plan to cut bus passes and sitting on the budget committee.
Ravneet said she relishes her role and providing a voice for students and looks forward to continuing to do so in her new post.
Riverside City College Professor Richard Mahon first met Ravneet when she took his honors world religions class in spring of 2013. Mahon, who chairs history, philosophy, humanities and ethnic studies, said she was diligent and open to learning about the various religions.
“She was an outstanding student because she effectively appreciated the potential anyone has to learn from traditions that are thousands of years old,” he said.
In 2013-14, Ravneet served as one of the student designees on the Riverside City College Curriculum Committee, which Mahon chairs. He said he found her to be very thoughtful and articulate regarding the issues.
[Courtesy: The Press Enterprise. Edited for sikhchic.com]
February 7, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Amarjit Singh (Reading, United Kingdom), February 08, 2015, 2:34 PM.
Congratulations.