By Katlin Sweeney

Haley Perko is a name that is synonymous with success, her motivated spirit and intense drive creating one of the most dynamic leaders on campus.

The junior Kinesiology major, who is currently Pre-Physical Therapy, seeks to make a significant difference at CSUSM. She accomplishes this by combining the skills that she has learned from each dimension of campus life that she is involved with.

Perko boasts a list of extra-curricular activities that would exhaust even the most enthusiastic and energetic people. She has been a Resident Adviser at the UVA dorms for the past two years, is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and currently serves as the Chair of the ASI Board of Directors. Perko also has partaken in a Leadership Retreatment, where SLL and ASI go away for a weekend for different workshops. They are structured to find ways to help freshmen and sophomores integrate better into campus life and to take more advantage of resources.

Perko also sat on the Student Fee Advisory Board last spring and was part of Alpha Kappa Psi her freshman and sophomore year. She volunteered for Campus Recreation, was the ASI College of Education, Health and Human Services representative and was on the club lacrosse team her sophomore year. Recently, Perko has also tacked on attendance to Tukwut Leadership Circle workshops and Kinesiology Club meetings as well.

 Her position on ASI has cemented Perko’s desire to see more open dialogue between her office and the student body to make change happen on campus.

“I think the really big thing that students need to know is that there are actual students who sit on university committees and the Board of Directors is capable of doing so many things. I want to figure out some way to get it out to the students that we want them to come to our office,” Perko said. “I don’t think it’s well known what BOD is for; we are the voices of students. I want to advocate that we are here for them. The more questions and concerns you have, the more we can do.”

Perko came into college looking towards a career in the health field. However, CSUSM introduced her to her love for student affairs as well. As an intern at Palomar Hospital through the Path Maker internship, Perko works at a clinic in an Albertson’s in San Elijo Hills. Here she interns as a secretary/receptionist that interacts with patients coming in for flu shots and completes administrative paperwork.

Spending time with people in the clinic, and helping students on campus, has prodded Perko to lean towards a career that combines policy, health and possibly returning to the university setting after she finishes grad school.

“I’m not as outspoken as most people. I’m definitely more reserved and quiet,” Perko said. “But when I see a need-be for me to say something, I will. I really like being a mentor and the behind-the-scenes person. I really like to listen to people’s ideas and concerns, and give advice if I can. I really love processing and listening to other people’s issues so that I can help them through it.”