Story by Emma Wilson

Drake University Student Senate begins its 27th session with aspirations for change.

This year’s senators have already begun working toward their goals for this year, promising a year of real impact on the student body.

This year Senate welcomes several new senators to the table including Mike Jennings, Josh Duden, Olivia O’Hea, Mark Reiter, Ben Lambrecht, Kevin Maisto, Nicole Germann, Daniel Scheetz, Gwen Baumgardner, Mateen Hashim and Shauna-Kaye Campbell.

During last year’s election  many of the senators ran on platforms encouraging greater transparency. The idea of transparency carried over into this year, Student Body President David Karaz expressed his excitement for the new session and is looking forward to “seeing (senate) reach out to students, the faculty, the administration and campus organizations through different mediums because (he) believes we can help improve Drake’s overall collaboration by doing so.”

Sen. Josh Schoenblatt introduced the idea of a weekly “fireside chat” in which he would review the topics discussed in Student Senate that week during last year’s campaign process. The goal of this program is to increase student involvement and understanding of Student Senate.

Karaz plans to expand Senate’s reach and said he “will work closely with campus presidents in order to tackle some of the larger Drake problems that otherwise fall between the cracks of each groups’ individual charges.”

First-years interested in getting involved in Student Senate can find an application for committee membership in the Student Life Center.

Anyone interested in learning more about Student Senate or what progress they are making this year is welcome to attend their weekly meetings held in the Drake Room in Upper Olmsted, Thursdays at 9 p.m.