Meet Christian Avendano, a personal friend of mine, and this week’s HC SFU Profile.
Who is Christian? He’s a hipster in the making!
Jokes aside, Christian is currently in his third year of Political Science and aspires to be in politics one day. Christian is very well spoken and has quite an eye for style.
From my own experience, Christian is a very intelligent and easily approachable person. He has a lot of insight of topics ranging from politics to the Kardashians. He’s definitely someone you would love to be friends with, as he never seems to let the conversation end—We never run out of things to talk about!
Christian is currently serving as a coordinator for a Filpino Youth action group that focuses on social justice issues in Vancouver. In addition to that, he is working on the electoral campaigns of Melanie Mark and Jodie Wickens for the upcoming provincial by-election. He has also canvassed around for Vision Vancouver. At school, you might see him hanging around with the Society of Arts and Social Sciences (SASS), busily planning the Arts Formal for the spring.
Want to know Christian a little better? I’ve got you covered.
How did you first get involved with politics?
“Funny as it may be, I actually first got involved in politics while waiting in line for free pancakes at VCC. My friend was a board member there and he encouraged me to get more involved on campus. So, really, I ended up not only with pancakes but also with an entire career path option.”
What do you want to get out of your political science degree?
“I definitely had the opportunity to get involved in politics and activism before I began studying it. What I really want to get out of my degree now, though, is a good way to understand everything I learned and the ability to start analyzing things in a more academic perspective. But I also want to make sure everything I learn has some relevance beyond the classroom.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“I have always had the dream to run for public office one day in any level of government. It would be a dream come true if that happened. Other than that, I would want to be involved in the public service one day, working with and for the government.”
What advice would you give to your 10-year-old self?
“I would tell my 10-year-old self to just go out and do it! Don’t worry if you don’t think you’re ready or if you’re nervous. I would also tell him not to quit those piano lessons—‘you’ll regret it when you’re older!’”
What is your favourite Disney movie?
“Toy Story. All of them!”
What is your favourite thing about SFU?
“The best thing about SFU, really, is the opportunity to be around so many involved and engaged students who want to contribute to the university community. My favorite part about being involved in politics has really been the honor to meet such a diverse set of people with different dreams and aspirations, and to be able to work with them in achieving their goals. Being at SFU is like that, times a million, because these relationships can seemingly last forever and it’s really inspiring being here and hearing about everyone I meet and how I can best help them.”
One concluding fun fact about Christian: he’s musical and plays the trumpet!