Associated Student Government President Leilani Domingo Envisions the Next 100 Years in This Personal Reflection
It’s hard to envision the future sometimes, especially with the state of the world we live in today. Advances in artificial intelligence, environmental uncertainty, political division, even our own struggles as a nation can make it feel overwhelming. Technology has given us so much, but it’s also created isolation and chipped away at our sense of community and what it means to truly be human.
Like every generation before us, today’s students face a unique set of challenges. While the road ahead might seem uncertain, one truth remains: the next 100 years start now. We are the future, and with our everyday actions, we have the chance to create a better world for the generations that come after us.
What makes me hopeful is what makes us human: our morals, our values, our capacity to love and the moments of connection we create with one another. These things cannot be replicated by machines and they will always anchor us in community. That’s what makes this moment in CMU’s history so meaningful. When I think about why I first ran for student office, the answer goes deeper than policy goals. Yes, I had initiatives like improving student safety. But beneath that was a bigger vision. I was driven by the motivation to ensure that every student who comes to CMU feels safe, connected and part of something greater than themselves.
Through the Associated Student Government biennial process, we invested in the Outdoor Program, opening doors for first-generation and low-income students who might not otherwise have had the chance to sit around a campfire with friends, sharing stories under the stars. Those simple but profound experiences create belonging. I also think back to Unity Fest — one of the hardest initiatives I’ve ever been part of. In a moment of uncertainty, we had to lean into our values, come together and remind ourselves of what unity really means.
I’ve had the honor of serving and winning two consecutive terms, something that hasn’t been done here before. But it’s not because of me. It’s because of the incredible women who came before me. I’m standing on the shoulders of decades of strong women who paved the way so that I could lead here today. For that, I’m deeply grateful.
When I look ahead 100 years, I hope this moment isn’t seen as historic. I hope that women leading, and leading for multiple terms, is simply normal. I hope that AI fears, environmental uncertainty, political division and the loss of human connection are all memories of the past. I hope that in 2125, we face a shorter, lighter list of struggles than the ones we carry today.
I can’t picture exactly what CMU will look like in 100 years, but I can picture tomorrow. I can picture the difference we make one day at a time. If we commit to that, day after day, year after year, then together, we will shape the next century.
As we step into the next chapter of CMU’s history, let’s do so with courage. Let’s carry forward hope, resilience and the Maverick spirit. If we hold true to our values, the next 100 years will not only be brighter than the last, they will be a testament to what it means to be human, to belong and to lead with purpose as members of the Mavily and CMU’s history.