Richard Gordon, a second year non-traditional student, is an active student leader who has organized in collaboration with GRIP/Isaiah, (a faith-based community organization) an effort to persuade our elected officials and political leaders to extend the Northstar commuter rail to the city of St Cloud. This effort has resulted in the inception of a new inter-collegiate student organization called the Collegiate Association for Community Involvement, (CACI) which has engaged student membership from the College of Saint Benedict's and St. Cloud State University. Richard's own passion for public transportation and his personal commitment to reducing the carbon footprint in our community has made him a valued contributor to the public transportation efforts. His public speeches, one-on-one meetings with community leaders, and presentations to students on the issue of transportation have made him a recognized leader in discussions on public transportation and the Northstar extension. Richard is an exceptional speaker and capable leader who has generated excitement and energy for a wide range of projects. His potential for bringing about improvements in the quality of life and public transportation and inspiring others to get involved, is unlimited.