The Student Government Association’s vice president of campus activities resigned from the position on Nov. 20.

Vanessa Cardozo, a third-year nursing student, said she is dropping all of her classes as well.

Cardozo, who served on SGA’s Executive Board, said her decision to leave was motivated by mental health reasons.

“I just recently got diagnosed with severe anxiety and severe depression,” Cardozo said. “And I felt like as a person in leadership, it was sort of my responsibility to be an example to students that even if you’re dealing with something, it doesn’t matter if you’re in a position of leadership. It doesn’t matter if you’re just a student just trying to learn, trying to get a degree. It is so important for you to prioritize your mental health and to learn how to listen to yourself and to your needs.”

SGA’s Executive Board was fully staffed with six vice presidents and a president for the first time since 2019 until Cardozo resigned, according to SGA President Zack Buster.

Cardozo said she plans to use her new free time to take care of herself and figure out what the next step of her career will be.

“I kind of need to take a space, take a break and take a step back and kind of just really be sure of what I want to do as a career once I come back to AACC and pursue that,” Cardozo said. “So I guess right now I’m just trying to immerse myself into more job opportunities in the field that I think suits me a lot better” than nursing.
Cardozo noted she had a positive experience working with SGA.

“My experience with SGA has been absolutely incredible,” Cardozo said. “I will stand by that now and many, many years to come. I love SGA. SGA has quite literally become my family.”

Buster said Cardozo’s resignation initially came as a disappointment but he supports the decision.

Buster said SGA will try to fill the vacancy next semester.