CAB president wants to ‘unify’ University

Jay Vasquez, a 20-year-old junior from Fort Worth joined the Campus Activities Board because he said he wanted to become more involved on campus.

“With a small school like this, it’s so easy to become involved, even though a lot of students don’t realize that,” Vasquez said.

Now the president of CAB, Vasquez sat down with the Talon to talk about his role on campus.

How/Why did you become involved in CAB?

The first word that comes to mind is involvement. With a small school like this, it’s so easy to become involved, even though a lot of students don’t realize that.

What does CAB do for the student body?

CAB brings fun activities to the school and gives students a place to hang out and make friends.

What are some of the goals of CAB?

I think the goals of CAB are to create leaders, bring fun to the University, and get students more involved. Some students are so far from home and might be homesick. Then some students don’t know how to go out make friends really easily. We just try and unify the University as a whole.

What are some of the previous accomplishments of CAB?

CAB is a fairly new organization. From what I have heard, mostly faculty and staff organized the events for the University before Carey O’Kelly made CAB into what it is today. Students weren’t really involved and didn’t have a say in what activities were brought to the campus for them to participate in. Now, students are the majority of the CAB ‘crew,’ which gives the student body more of a voice.

What made you decide to come to the University?

I wanted to be at a small school so that I wouldn’t be just another number to the faculty and staff. Also, I like knowing that if I make a friend in a class this semester, I’ll still see that person around for as long as both of us are in school.

What made you choose construction management as your major?

I first came here wanting to do criminal justice, but I couldn’t see myself doing it for the rest of my life and being happy. My dad owns a construction company in Fort Worth, so I grew up around it. It is the first thing I learned, and I would like to keep it in the family. Also, the construction management degree at the University is maybe a year or year and a half old. The kids who are in it now, myself included, are the first to go through this program, which is really exciting.

Are you in any other organizations or groups?

I am the president of ABC: Associated Builders and Contractors. Basically, we focus on commercial construction. We are still a very new organization, so we don’t have a lot of things we do throughout the whole year yet. Right now our major focus is a competition in Honolulu. At this competition, we have to build an authentic simulation of a commercial construction project.

Our campus is growing in population and culture. Where do you see the campus going, and what kind of changes have you seen over the past couple of years?

Obviously I see it growing to be much bigger than it is right now. If I had it my way, I would keep the number of students to about what we have now. The size of the University is one of the things that make it so appealing to students who come here. And the more we grow, the more buildings and parking lots we will need which could potentially lower the appeal of the campus.

Being a Hispanic student here, are you a member of any groups or organizations specifically designed for the Hispanic culture?

I could probably count the number of Hispanic students I have met and talked to at school on my hands and feet. However, I think there is a Hispanic student organization.

What do you think could be improved on campus?

Anyone could say things like parking and food, but I don’t think those are as critical as most people might think. I like the school the way it is. I think the classes, staff, faculty, and facilities are great. Those are the important things.

What advice would you give new students?

To be open-minded and be ready for new experiences and to learn. Not just learning in class, but in life experiences and about different cultures and people.

What do you see yourself doing after graduation?

I ultimately want to work for a commercial construction business and work my way up the ladder to an executive position. And who knows! Maybe down the road UT Tyler will need more buildings or parking lots, and I might be the one to get the job done. Also, I love Texas. I grew up here, but I would really like to go to either Colorado or California. California is booming with construction right now. That would be a great place to being my career because of the demand.

By Elizabeth Barrett Contributing Writer