When seeking work, some would say get a small job, something
more for the experience than the money. But Bridget O'Reilly is
going big.
O'Reilly is going for the number one job in California: Gray
Davis' soon-to-be-open governor's spot. O'Reilly graduated from
SDSU in 1998 with a degree in journalism and a minor in
psychology, so right there she is qualified to run the state.
Although she's between jobs (like many Northern
Californians), O'Reilly still keeps a good sense of humor and a
great outlook on the future. Her website has t-shirts for sale,
a list of things she's still paying for, and advice for the
unemployed. She also has a book in the works. Since she did not
have enough for the $3,500 filing fee, she is running as a
write-in candidate.
Despite her inexperience and lack of funds, O'Reilly has an
eloquence and grasp of the issues that far surpass other, better
known candidates.
On the CSU budget cuts: "When they need money in the
college system, they automatically go for the students and raise
fees," she said. "It's coming to the point where it's
not cost effective to get a degree because a degree no longer
guarantees you a job. You can find yourself up against someone
with four or five years in the field who never got a degree, and
they can work for less because they don't have student loan
bills."
O'Reilly noted that with this inequity, colleges "would
lose more people and in the end that will cost all the college
systems more money."
On California's impending Bill 193 (to pay student athletes a
stipend to cover living expenses), she suggested "they
should work hard on their academics to receive this extra money.
"They should have to keep a specific average. A lot of
times athletes are given special treatment in classes. That sort
of thing does not help them at all. In the long run it hurts
them.
"They are getting a really good education but we need to
make sure they're getting good enough grades and they're not
just there to play. If they graduate and haven't learned what
they needed to learn, then we have let them down."
Aggies are moving on up
Two local schools are taking advantage of NCAA permission for
an extra game by scheduling a scrimmage before their real
openers at home on September 6.
UC Davis will be at Stanford at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. In their
transition year in 1-AA, the Aggies have eight players from the
Salinas area, including Elliot Vallejo, a 290-pound offensive
lineman who originally signed with UCLA. The Palma graduate will
be a redshirt freshman and get a head start on his degree on
mechanical engineering.
Seaside High graduate A.J. Avila is nursing a sore hamstring
but is set to be the starting strong safety in his senior year
with the Aggies.
EMBELE AWIPI is a host on KSRK ESPN Radio 540 from 5-7PM
weekdays. Write him at embo1240@yahoo.com.
