Bob Stockwell here. Because I’m retiring, this is the last update I will write or oversee as PAC Chair and as faculty mentor to the FA-PAC Internship Program. It has been my distinct pleasure to serve in these roles, and I want to thank you all for the support you’ve given me and the program over the years. Here is a brief look at our work this spring.
Interns and faculty mentors at the FA BBQ on June 4th
Endorsements
The FA-PAC met twice this quarter and endorsed former De Anza student and current Board memberAlex Gvatua for the Board of Trustees, and Council member JR Fruen, Seema Lindskog, and John Tang(running as a slate) for Cupertino City Council. These campaigns will be priorities heading into the fall election season.
Recruitment and Hiring
We received more than 30 applications and interviewed 16 candidates for next year’s program. We hiredan intern coordinator, Bonika Gudeta, along with five De Anza students and one Foothill student asinterns for 2026–2027. Outgoing interns have been meeting weekly with the incoming cohort to ensurea smooth transition.
Elections and Immigrant Rights
Our Elections and Immigrant Rights workgroups ran concurrent weekly meetings this quarter toorganize phone banking and volunteer training. We recruited and engaged 28 student volunteers, most of whom phone banked and canvassed for Xavier Becerra for Governor and Anne Kepner for StateSenate. The Immigrant Rights workgroup, led by interns Andrea Barraza, Dali Guerrero Fernandez, andMorgan Myo, also helped organize a Know Your Rights workshop in partnership with HEFAS, DASG, and the Immigrant Rights and Education Network.
Recycling and Sustainability
The Recycling workgroup partnered with VIDA intern Daisy and FHDA project manager JoshuaAtkinson to explore a three-bin waste system pilot, raise awareness about campus sustainability needs, and identify ways students can support state waste management compliance.
Reproductive Justice
State law (SB 24) requires CSU and UC campuses to offer medication abortion services to students. OurReproductive Justice workgroup is working to bring a similar pilot program to De Anza, and internsspoke at the June 8 Board meeting in support of the initiative. This advocacy will continue next year.
In Their Words
“The program gave me the chance to get involved in my community, gainreal experience, and learn more about grassroots organizing and advocacy.” Several others echoed the same theme, that the program turned advocacy from something abstract intosomething real, collective, and personally empowering.
Thank You to Our 2025–2026 Interns and Mentors
The FA-PAC Internship Program is a collaboration: interns are paid through student representation feefunds from DASG and ASFC, and faculty mentors are supported by voluntary faculty contributions tothe PAC. Thank you to our outgoing interns for their dedication this year: Zinneerah Ahmed, AndreaBarraza, Dali Guerrero Fernandez, Kevin Gange, Parker Graves, Kaiyan Kelley, Hayley Lowry, GabeMangola, Zainab Mohseni, Sabrina Moore, Morgan Myo, Martina Ng, and Salvador Pedroza. Specialthanks to Intern Coordinator Gillian Grubb for her excellent work, and to faculty mentors Laura Chin,Jim Nguyen, and Danny Solomon.
Interested in Getting Involved?
Jim Nguyen takes over as PAC Chair starting in July, and the incoming intern cohort is ready to carrythe program’s work forward. If you would like to get involved, contact Jim at apijustice@gmail.com. If you cannot join directly but want to support the work, consider making a monthly contributionthrough the FA-PAC Voluntary Payroll Deduction Form. Thank you!
