Fredjuley Madronado

(he/him/his)

Candidate for External Vice president

General Questions

1. A lot of people have the misconception that the EVP role is strictly CORR/UNAVSA-related duties. How do you intend to build a relationship with other organizations as well as the non-VSA community?

   I feel like other organizations and communities are a way for us to spread our community and allow openness to the region. It shows that we are inclusive of many different people, not just the Vietnamese community. Building a relationship with these other groups, especially those that have similar goals and values to our region, allows us to have mutual support and growth for both communities. The first step is always just reaching out to them to let them know of our presence. The connection can then be used for potential collaborations and support, making sure to keep that line of contact and communication with them.

2. What is your view on VSA nationally, in terms of UNAVSA?

   UNAVSA is a great reminder that a community exists everywhere and anywhere in the nation. It is a way to connect with other like-minded  people who may share similar goals, uprisings, and viewpoints as you. They can also be a resource for the region, such as for support.

3. How do you view your responsibilities?

   Personally I view my responsibilities seriously I when I sign up for things I personally do my very best to make sure I put my full 100% effort and anything that I do so for me put all my effort into doing my role as well as trying to achieve my goals for the position as well. it may be a slow and steady rate but as long as I'm taking steps to achieve those goals and kind of learn for myself that make sure my vision comes through I think those are how I view my responsibilities

4. What is your strategy to promote and maintain leadership within the Gulf Coast through your position?

   Leadership in the Gulf Coast allows people to grow and gain potential to step up to higher positions. My strategy to promote leadership is to provide opportunities for individuals. This can be applied to e-board positions of each local VSA, as well as regional positions, such as cabinet positions, which I want to bring back slowly. In addition, to maintain this leadership and have a higher retention rate for positions, I plan to provide good guidance and support to help these individuals grow, and especially show that it can be an enjoyable experience that allows them to learn and lead.

5. What are some ways that leadership can be implemented outside of VSA?

   For leadership outside of VSA, I was thinking we could collaborate with other organizations, which could be a way to have leadership outside of VSA. These organizations, with collaborations with our potential leaders and members those possible leadership positions in their organizations, which would allow them to get exposed to other environments and situations, and continue outside organizations as well

6. What do you think is the source of the generation gap within our region, and what are some ways to improve our relationship with Cong Dong (the older Vietnamese community)?

   I feel that the generational Gap exists because each generation kind of just focuses on their own thing and sometimes forget that the other exists for example I feel like like for the younger generation would be focusing in the school the older half of the younger generation would be focused on their careers like stepping into the real world becoming full-fledged adults and sometimes if we just forget that sometimes we can as the younger generation we can ask for the older generation for help support you know advice Etc they may be focused on their work their job their careers their children they focus on their own children and then they would be focused in their Community but forgetting that there's a community of their there's an awesome Community that's similar to them and undergraduate universities and colleges mitigate decreased that Gap is kind of just reminding ourselves that that they exist we exist to them and then they exist to us these Can Happen by just reaching out to them and kind of potentially have have connections Etc that kind of starts that open line of communication and connection between them and I think it's I can kind of help to decrease that Gap and as well as this appreciation of kind of something out to these to the older generation.

7. What are some specific ways to honor and grow our organization’s professionalism?

   I think providing different kinds of events, such as professional-promoting events and not just social events, allows us to focus, hone, and grow the organization's professionalism through its constituents and people. In addition, I want to bring back the Summit in GC. Having seen other summits/conferences of other regions, as well as UNAVSA, I want to find inspiration on what makes them successful and enjoyable, and find what works best for us. Maybe free professional photos for people that I don't have access to as a photographer.

8. What are your plans to further engage inactive/busy alumni with our organization?

   Alumni retention is just as important as current member retention. I would try reconnecting them to what they liked about the Gulf Coast before. I would try to have events or activities where they can interact with general members, and also make sure they feel appreciated. We can maybe even set up a mentorship program between alumni and general members to allow them to connect and provide guidance and support.

9. What is your vision for your position, and what specific plans do you have in store for your term?

   I want a slow return to what the Gulf Coast region used to be. I want to have more events that would provide people with exposure and interest in what this organization is and what it can do. I also want to show that it's a space that can be enjoyable and fun. Some things I want to do are more collaborations with local VSAs and potentially even extend that to other regions. Specifically for my position, I also want to expose the region more to the UNAVSA scene. I feel like we isolate ourselves so much from UNAVSA and seem to sometimes forget that they can be a resource and an open space for us to join and interact with.

10. What is your advice for someone just getting into VSA?

    To have an open mind. I feel that there's a lot VSA can offer for a person. Some people look for the common reason for making friends. But they can use it to find connections, people who are similar to them, that can help them in life, career, academics, etc. You can find people there that are different from those that have different perspectives and views in life. They can find positions of leadership where they can grow as a person and learn to be better leaders. They can also find fulfillment. Everyone may or may not have something different about VSA, and finding a good community to be with.

Extra Questions

1. If your board decided they want to focus on GC instead of out of region, in what ways would you still keep GC involved in UNAVSA?

• Personally, I think that focusing on ourselves first is not necessarily a bad thing. I feel like how can we participate in the UNAVSA even if we have no like-minded members to even potentially subsidization so focus on wherever our connection to  UNAVSA as a growing region that was focusing on ourselves. I feel like I think for one, just never forget that it's there, just. Send an encore for the space. I can't really contribute to this place just because we are a region focusing on ourselves. I feel like giving those updates to UNAVSA on what's happening and keeping the community of one or two people to represent. To have still been involved in the space while focusing on our region to grow.

2. What would you say is the defining event or moment that encouraged you to apply?

• I think it's a bunch of small things for me, as I said, I was involved in VSA since my sophomore year. I got a touch of the region of UVSAGC only in my junior year, and that's kind of when I started seeing a community of people that's outside of school. More roles that are more involved in the region such as external vice president for example and then and for example now as well as the Council of regional representative core also got me involved I think my biggest one that kind of caused me to be to take the final step of applying is one of the core meetings that I had with the space I saw that a lot of reasons and they're working really hard to make events make have like professionalism events and fun events and Leadership roles for people and I feel like during that meeting I saw that I will do the same thing I see that interactions and involvement they have in their own space as well as the space outside of space so then that's why I wanted to keep being involved and the space that I'm in the GC region. That is the turning point for me wanting to apply.