Sam Schroeder, left, and Zane Grizzle will serve as UNK student body president and vice president for 2024-25. (Courtesy photo)
KEARNEY – Sam Schroeder of Seward and Zane Grizzle of Fairbury will serve as the next student body president and vice president at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
They were elected Thursday following two rounds of student voting and will take office April 16, succeeding current President Temo Molina and Vice President Ethan Ciancio.
As student body president, Schroeder will represent UNK as a student regent on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and serve as the official student body representative to the administration and public. The president also has the power to approve or veto legislation passed by Student Senate.
A sophomore studying political science with a public law minor, Schroeder has served as speaker of Student Senate, president of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and executive vice president of the Interfraternity Council. He’s also part of the Honors Student Advisory Board, NU Student Advocacy Group, Kearney Law Opportunities Program and Catholic Newman Center.
Grizzle also is a sophomore studying political science with a public law minor. He’s served as a New Student Enrollment leader, resident assistant, campus tour guide, Residence Hall Association vice president and Delta Tau Delta fraternity president. Additionally, he’s involved in the UNK Honors Program, Model United Nations, Kearney Law Opportunities Program and Pre-Law Society.
Members of their executive cabinet, pending Student Senate approval, are:
- Emma Nolan of York – Chief of staff
- Joey Orellana of Cozad – Secretary of the treasury
- Genesis Acosta of Lexington – Secretary of organizations and affairs
- Ally Sedlacek of O’Neill – Secretary of community relations
In addition to the presidential election, 14 students were selected to serve on UNK Student Senate. This organization is the legislature for the student body, with representatives elected from each of the three academic colleges at UNK and the graduate college. There are also freshman and deciding/pre-professional senators.
Student Senate has the power to pass legislation for the campus, approve new student organizations, appoint student representatives to UNK Faculty Senate and other administrative committees and perform other duties concerning student issues.
Those elected to Student Senate are:
College of Arts and Sciences
- Crista Manning of Grand Island
- Paige Oltmans of Davenport
- Luke Przymus of Columbus
- Noah Shackelford of Clay Center
- Ellery Jett Simpson of Maxwell
- Hernan Vargas of Gibbon
College of Business and Technology
- Emma Bond of Kearney
- Olivia Lawless of Aurora
- JaeDee Rasmussen of Lexington
College of Education
- Jonathan Burklund of North Platte
- Jacob Howe of York
- Lily Seibert of Kearney
- Emma Nolan (seat vacated if executive cabinet position is approved)
- Joey Orellana (seat vacated if executive cabinet position is approved)
