DREAMers vie for University of Central Florida’s Student Government presidency
When voting wraps up Wednesday at the University of Central Florida, students will have chosen a DREAMer to guide their student government.
That much is guaranteed. Students’ choices in the Student Government’s presidential race are Karen Caudillo, 22, a Mexican native who transferred from Miami Dade College to the Orlando university last August, and Josh Boloña, 21, an Ecuadorian native who moved to Broward County at 6, and was a top soccer player at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, from which he graduated.
Both are beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, which protects nearly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants from deportation, the Orlando Sentinel reported. DACA, however, is threatened by President Donald Trump’s call to end the Obama-era program.
Caudillo, the Sentinel reports, pushes city and university leaders to protect undocumented immigrants. She once corrected a professor who used the pejorative term “illegals” in class.
Boloña, too, is upfront about his DREAMers status, but his big cause is promoting shorter wait times for students who want to see mental health counselors on campus.
The campaign has led to a Facebook page, Dreamers at UCF, that has attracted about 275 followers.
The candidates are vying to preside over a student government that oversees a $19-million budget, fills hundreds of student jobs, and has oversight over the Student Union building and the Recreation and Wellness Center. The president also serves on UCF’s Board of Trustees.
Results will be announced Wednesday night.
Follow @HowardCohen
This story was originally published March 20, 2018 at 11:00 PM with the headline "DREAMers vie for University of Central Florida’s Student Government presidency."