Natalie Ramos-Castillo recently ended her term as president of Temple Student Government (TSG). Castillo will move to Chicago at the end of the summer to attend the Erikson Institute on a full scholarship studying childhood development.

Temple Times: What motivated you to get involved with TSG?

Natalie Ramos-Castillo: I started out as the senator for the College of Education in the Fall of 2008. At that point, I really was only concerned with the College of Ed. The school is small, but there are amazing things happening there, and I wanted to make sure that the entire university was aware of its presence and the opportunities for doing great things within the college. Once I got involved, I was hooked. I loved working with students who come from so many different backgrounds, and I loved Temple. I felt I needed to give back to the university because it had already given me so much.

TT: What was your biggest surprise about your time with TSG?

NRC: When I got elected I really wasn’t thinking about the budget or the amount of funds Temple receives from the Commonwealth, so I was honestly a little shocked when state funding quickly became a crucial aspect of my time as president. I was also surprised by how many people knew who I was. I remember walking through the Student Center and hearing a girl say to her friend “That’s our president,” and feeling proud — and a little creeped out.

TT: What was your biggest accomplishment this year?

NRC: The first was last December when we formed the Pennsylvania Association of State-Related Students as a means of coordinating student efforts across the Commonwealth. We bonded really quickly, and were able to set up rallies and make sure that student voices were being heard during budget negotiations. But I think the coolest moment was when I was leading our march from the Bell Tower down Broad Street. I remember turning around and seeing how many students were walking with us. There must have been hundreds, and it felt amazing to know we had gotten so many people involved.

—Andrew McGinley