Vincent Rasso

Vincent serves as the Campaign’s engagement lead for statewide student advocacy and equitable system policy. As State & Student Affairs Manager, he runs our annual Student Leadership Institute (SLI), supporting up and coming student leaders from across the UC, CSU
and California Community College systems to engage in policy advocacy while training them in leadership and professional development. He also oversees an expansive student network across the state’s public higher education, ensuring student voices inform and are at the center of the Campaign’s policy advocacy, research, events and communications. Vincent also works to ensure the integrity of system policy as the lead on engagement in equitable, student-centered initiatives at the UC and CSU. As a former student leader, he previously supported the Campaign’s election education series for Propositions 15 and 16 in 2020. He is a proud alumni of our SLI program in 2019, and supported the formation of our intersegmental California Students Higher Education Advocacy Round-Table (HEART), now the Fix Financial Aid (FFA) Coalition, in 2018.

Vincent was born in Riverside and has a deep appreciation for the Inland Empire, growing up in the cities of Colton, San Bernardino and Grand Terrace. With his parents holding backgrounds in public service, Vincent became passionate about government and policy in high school, where he served as Student Body President, engaged his local school board, and was nominated to the county superintendent’s student advisory board. He was introduced to legislative affairs through State Senator Connie Leyva’s young senators program, an experience he leveraged during his time as a student leader at UC Riverside. Vincent served as the Vice President of External Affairs and Director of Government Relations for the Associated Students of UCR, leading student advocacy on college affordability, basic needs, civic engagement and lobbying efforts. He was also elected to serve as the systemwide Chair of the UC Student Association Board of Directors, leading statewide campaigns on financial aid and building strong advocacy coalitions across the UC system. He has been awarded UCSA Advocate of the Year in University Affairs and has been recognized with the ASUCR President’s Award for Outstanding External Relations for his accomplishments in leadership and systemwide advocacy. After graduating with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside, Vincent became the first in his family to earn a Bachelor’s degree.

Prior to joining the Campaign, Vincent launched youth engagement for a statewide initiative building a transformative vision for California’s next century. He has focused on championing community-based issues in many spaces, most notably: working to advance racial justice and equity by expanding leadership opportunities for Black and Brown students and women of color in student government spaces, elevating undocumented students to secure institutional and state resources through campus organizing and legislative advocacy, and advocating for air quality and strong community protections from corporate greed and polluting warehouse developers with inland environmental justice organizations. He is a proud half-marathon runner and considers following various elections and public policy movements, going out to the movies, and indulging in musicals among his favorite hobbies.

Alma Mater(s): After graduating with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside, Vincent became the first in his family to earn a college degree.

Your role in one sentence: Ensuring students are at the forefront of transformative policy reform by engaging student advocates statewide, empowering students through our leadership institute, and advancing equity in system policy.

When I am not at work helping students get to and succeed in college I am… running miles for fun, drinking too much espresso at a local coffee shop, or coloring with my nephew.

If not higher education then what cause? Promoting civic engagement education, engaging in local government and politics, or following elections.

Achievements

2022 30 Under 30 Honoree, Assembly Majority Leader Emerita Eloise Gomez-Reyes
2021 President’s Award for Outstanding External Relations, Associated Students of UCR
2021 Advocate of the Year in University Affairs, UC Student Association
2020 President’s Award for Outstanding External Relations, Associated Students of UCR