CLC student Gwendolyn Thommes, 19, is running for president of the Student Government Association, with the term starting next fall semester.
Thommes has been a CLC student since fall 2024, majoring in communication sciences and disorders. Thommes said her long-term goal is to become a pediatric speech language pathologist
Thommes grew up in a household where her older brother was disabled. When she was younger, she heard her mother say her brother’s speech pathologists helped him with his disabilities. Thommes and her family sometimes struggled to find the resources her brother needed. When the speech pathologist provided that assistance, she was inspired to follow the same career path.
Thommes said she has always been passionate about nurturing people with disabilities. While in high school, she joined and served as part of the executive board of a nonprofit organization called Best Buddies.The organization provides opportunities for one-to-one friendships between people with or without neurotypical and neurodivergent disabilities. They also help people with disabilities find employment, leadership and development opportunities within the community.
Thommes is a student worker at the child and development center at CLC. Her love for children and her compassion for the disabled community has led her to work with a lot of children through babysitting, camp counseling and daycare.
“Working with kids is something that I’ve known I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Thommes said. “Working with the disabled community is something I’m very passionate about. We need all the people that we can get in the disabled community, helping them and getting them what they need.”
Thommes’ involvement with the SGA originated from a friendship she had with current SGA President Kat Torres. Though she was scared to come to CLC because of the stigma surrounding community colleges, her desire to make connections by getting involved directly with the student body pushed her to join SGA as a senator in fall 2024. Later, she became secretary for the Student Engagement Committee (SEC) and has recently taken over as chairwoman.
SGA has given Thommes a family, people she loves and ultimately a purpose at CLC. Advocating, which she said serves as the biggest impact someone can have, has become the purpose and driving force for her time at CLC.
“Being an advocate is one of the most important things you can do,” Thommes said. “Everybody has a voice, but sometimes people are afraid to speak up. I used to be afraid to speak up for myself. I used to think nothing I said mattered. Finding ways where I can stick up for people, I can voice their needs. I can make a real change for them and better people’s lives. That is something that fulfills me to the core.”
During the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, Thommes, with members of the Student Veterans Association and SGA, held a Voter Registration Drive, helping students register to vote. She has also been part of a repeating event called “good day with SGA” where SGA, in collaboration with the psychological services department, advocates for students’ mental health and provides them with resources. As chairwoman of SEC, she has already started planning events and looks to bring back a couple that have had a positive effect on students.
If Thommes were to win the election, she said she would work on increasing student involvement.
“First, I want to build back a community within CLC,” she said. “CLC is special, and I want that to be reflected in students.”
With her long-term goal of knitting the community together, she wants to bring back SGA Liaison, which allows SGA to communicate directly with the leaders of every club on campus by giving them senator positions on the SGA board. Building community in the student body, Thommes wants students to feel they are part of the Lancer family. Thommes also plans to provide events that students want to be a part of, giving them an opening to get involved and initiate leadership.
Thommes said CLC students bring the campus to life, and she added that students should stay engaged to keep CLC the special school it is. As president,Thommes said she would advocate for DEI, one of CLC’s strategic pillars that promotes the inclusion of all students.
Thommes hopes to bridge the disconnect and raise awareness between various CLC departments, such as the athletic department. One concerning issue that Thommes recognizes is the Club and Organization promotion limitations, such as posters, which are only allowed in specific areas. Thommes said it’s not because people don’t care – it’s just never something the students hear about.
“I’ve noticed that the A-wing and the T-wing are very empty,” Thommes said. “You see the blue and the green, but that’s all you see.That concerns me because I think students should have a say in how their college looks, how they’re allowed to advertise things, how they’re allowed to promote things.”
Thommes said she wants to bridge the gap between administration and students so that, whenever there are changes at the college, it’s done in the interests of the students.
“I wanna build a line of respect between the administration and SGA,” Thommes said. “Going up to the president’s office and banging on the door isn’t going to build respect. My main goal is to communicate our wants and our needs to the administration effectively and efficiently. I’m willing to bang on the door of the president’s office, but I know that in the long run that might hurt SGA more than it helps it.”
Thommes hopes to encourage students to stop by SGA, with a problem, concern or thoughts that they might have. .
“My main priority will always be the student,” she said.” That is what is most important to me – not anything else.”
Two candidates are running for SGA president: Dawson Price and Thommes. Elections are taking place March 10 through 12, and the results will be announced March 13.
