Meet the four candidates running for 2025-2026 Student Body President. Voting for executive positions begins at 8 a.m. on March 26 and ends at 8 p.m. on March 27. The results will be announced March 27 at 8:05 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage in the Olmsted Center. If no candidate wins over 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held from March 31 at 8 a.m. to April 1 at 8 p.m., and the runoff election results will be announced April 1 at 8:05 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage.
Samra Aksamovic
Samra Aksamovic (she/her) is a junior majoring in law, politics and society.
What do you believe the role of the Student Body President is?
I believe that the [role of the] Student Body President is to represent the students on campus, no matter where the students come from, what their identity is [or how they use] their voice to represent the students.
Why did you run for Student Body President?
I believe that every student voice matters, and I want to create a more inclusive and engaging school environment. I’m committed to making sure that every one of the students feels heard, valued and respected. I also feel that Drake University can do more. That’s why I am running on “MORE for You.” That reflects my dedication to prioritizing your needs and ideas. I want to be the president who listens and acts based on what you care about and what the students care about, whether it’s events, improved resources or making our school culture stronger. I’m here to work hard for every student, and I’m excited about the opportunity to bring positive change to our school.
What experience has helped prepare you for this position?
I’ve spent the past three years on Student Senate advocating for the students of the John D. Bright College. I’ve also served as the Vice President of Student Organizations, where I work to support and advocate for the student groups across campus. I definitely think that these experiences have given me the opportunity to learn how to effectively represent and collaborate with different parts of our student body. Now I’m ready to take the next step and advocate for the entire student body, ensuring every student’s voice is heard and that our campus is a place where all students can thrive.
What goals or initiatives do you want to accomplish if elected?
We have opportunities like scholarships, internships, but those are not seen. I feel like a lot of students are struggling getting internships, and I want to make sure that every student has that opportunity. Also rides, transportation and parking — why are students paying so much money for parking, even with a parking pass? I pay $290, and sometimes I can’t park because it’s closed for an event. That’s unacceptable. I think there should be a parking spot for free for commuter students as well because there’s just no point in paying for that much parking. Also, equity, inclusion, DEI is happening, prioritizing those students, making sure that they are feeling heard.
What are some problems you’ve seen on campus, and how do you plan to solve them?
A lot of people lack transparency. I want to make sure that students know what is going on with the faculty. If something is going on with the students, I want to make sure that faculty understands and what are the next steps that we can take to overcome that.
Why are you the best person for this role?
I’ve been on Senate for a very long time. I advocated for a whole new college on Drake’s campus. I was the Vice President [of Student Organizations] and I advocated for the new organizations that are on campus right now.
How will you ensure that you and the Student Senate represent the interests of the student body?
I think about posting on our social media more. I think we should do a better job of communicating with the student body, specifically what is the Student Senate doing? What are we talking about? What is being brought to the floor? Why did we deny certain stuff? Why did we approve certain stuff?
Jack Harrington
Jack Harrington (he/him) is a sophomore majoring in American politics and strategic political communication.
What do you believe the role of the Student Body President is?
I believe it’s to connect students, connect the community, create opportunities for everybody here. I want Senate to be a more active organization and actually help students, help the entire school and help for a better future.
Why did you run for Student Body President?
I’ve been on Senate for the past year, and I’ve really, really enjoyed my time, and I felt like I have a lot to give to this university. I’ve got a lot of family history here, and I grew up in the neighborhood, and I want to give back to Drake. I believe more accountability needs to be shown [from] Senate and all of the organizations here, and I can really help with that. I think we need to work to actually do something for the students, and I believe I can be the person to help do that.
What experience has helped prepare you for this position?
I’m the Facilities and Technology Senator. I’m also the Campus Impact Co-Chair on SAB and I’m on the Student Fees Allocation Committee, which is part of one-time funding and also annual funding. That takes a lot of decision-making, which can be tough, but it’s fun. The Senate Judiciary Committee I serve on helps regulate students on Senate specifically, make sure they all stay in line. I worked on a political campaign this past cycle, Lanon Baccam, and that was that really taught me how to work with people, leadership, teamwork. And then back in high school, actually, I was the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper, so I got a little leadership there.
What goals or initiatives do you want to accomplish if you’re elected Student Body President?
I want to make a more united environment at Drake where people can feel like they’re welcome everywhere, welcome to join anything, and people feel like they can. This is a community, and I want that not just for students, but faculty and also the Drake neighborhood and the community around here. I feel like there is a lack of connection there. I feel like there are kids growing up in this community who — I’m not sure they think they can go to Drake someday. And I want to make that change. I want people to feel like when they grow up in Des Moines, like I did growing up in this neighborhood, you can go to Drake. Drake is a place to feel welcome. And I want the people around this community to be able to come to campus, have fun on campus, come to events, come to basketball games.I want to really work on communication methods, specifically of Senate. I feel like the student body doesn’t feel like they hear enough of what the Senate’s doing, doesn’t know what Senate’s doing. I don’t think it’s specifically because Senate’s not telling them, I think it’s because our communication methods aren’t very good. We don’t use the right mediums, we don’t get the word out there correctly. So I want to work to make sure we’re communicating with everybody and being very transparent with the student body and the school, because I think there are times where we do things that do actually affect the student body that don’t get explained well, and I really want to work on that.
What are some problems you’ve seen on campus, and how do you plan to solve them?
I feel like Senate, we have made mistakes. We’ve done things that are probably wrong in the past, and I think we need to take accountability. We need to admit that we’ve made mistakes and how we can fix those. I can take criticism. I can hear when people have issues. I’m not gonna get offended. So I want people, if they’ve got an issue, to come tell us about it. Come tell us what’s wrong, and hopefully, we can fix it. And if we can’t, we’ll find someone that can.
Why are you the best person for this role?
There’s something to be said about having a bit of a different voice in there. I have only been on Senate one year. I don’t have a lot of connection with some of the people that have run in the past, who have done a great job for the most part. Most of what we’ve since done has been pretty good, but I think I can bring in a different perspective that we haven’t seen in a while. I can bring in a perspective that has a long history of caring about Drake. My great-great grandparents, their house is under where the Knapp Center is now. My great-grandma worked in the athletics department here. My grandpa went here and then worked in the Olmsted Center for like 10 years. I grew up feeling this connection to Drake, feeling what this community meant, so I have a bit of a stake in it. I hope someday my kids can come to Drake and see something that I helped, an initiative of mine.I really care about the school, and I really want it to continue to get better, continue to be more inclusive, continue to be more welcoming, continue to build a better community, and I think I can be a person that helps make that happen.
How will you ensure that you and the Student Senate represent the interests of the student body?
Our office hours are underutilized right now. I would want the executive board, me as President, to have office hours in Starbucks, in the Johansen Student Center, where people can come talk to us. Events that I’ll be at where people can come talk to me, tell me what’s wrong, what they’re feeling good about. I think it’s very important that we make a community that is welcoming to everyone. I think having a Senate that represents the entire student body, not just like a specific group, not just politics majors, not just this — that’s gonna be a gold mine, and I think that starts with the President. And if I’m in that position, I will make sure we have a group that’s very representative of the student body and is looking to actually find out what the student body needs.
Abby Tillotson
Abby Tillotson (she/her) is a junior majoring in psychology and public health.
What do you believe the role of the Student Body President is?
The role of the student body president is advocating and being able to listen, hear and understand the students. I think it’s really important for students to be seen and to be recognized so just continuing that. Having a fair and equitable Senate is really important.
Why did you run for Student Body President?
I have three years of experience and I’ve loved my time being on Senate. It’s been a home away from home for me because I am from out of state, so it’s nice to have and build a community that is comforting and uplifting. I want to continue that and really foster that if I get elected.
What experience has helped prepare you for this position?
I’m currently the Vice President of Student Life, and I would say that’s the most vital role for truly understanding the way that Senate functions and the way motions are drafted, the way agendas are drafted, the way parliamentary procedure works. That’s such an important part when you’re in this role.
What goals or initiatives do you want to accomplish if you’re elected Student Body President?
My three platform points are approachability, advocacy and action. I want to be approachable. I want the students to feel comfortable to talk to me. I want to advocate for them on the floor, get to hear their voices and then action. I want to [close] the gap between the student body and the Student Senate. That would be like holding a mixer at the beginning of the year, so that students realize that the senators are people, that we’re just chill people. Another thing is expanding students’ knowledge on the resources that they have. One thing I’m passionate about is women’s menstrual health, and I think it’s important that something is available to students at Drake. It’d be great if we could bring that inclusivity to Drake. One more plan I have is a mental health initiative. It’s mindfulness training, because then people can really know how to navigate tough situations, whether it’s them or their loved ones.
What are some problems you’ve seen on campus, and how do you plan to solve them?
I think we can grow on the stigma behind mental health. I think a lot of students struggle with mental health, including myself, and it’s important to recognize that and embody that. It’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay to get help, and we have the resources. Another thing is making sure that students know what’s going on on campus. I feel like there’s so many organizations that host events that students don’t know about because it’s not shown all the time or they just don’t know about it. I want to make it easier for students to access.
Why are you the best person for this role?
I’ve had the experience. My role, the Vice President of Student Life, is the right-hand man of the president. I really know how to embody this role and what it looks like to embody this role. I also have a vision, and my vision is making Student Senate for the students, not just about the students. I want to make it so students know that we’re doing things for them rather than just talking about them and making assumptions.
How will you ensure that you and the Student Senate represent the interests of the student body?
As I mentioned before, the Student Senate mixer that I want to hold at the beginning of the year. That would be a place for students to have one-on-one conversations, taking whatever they need from those conversations and taking what they need from the event. It would be a way to get the student body’s voices heard, make sure that they know we’re approachable, we’re willing to listen, and we’re willing to work.
Ty Walls
Ty Walls (any pronouns) is a junior majoring in information systems.
What do you believe the role of the Student Body President is?
I believe you have to serve all students. I feel like there’s a disconnect, and I don’t like that disconnect. It just feels like we have the Student [Senate] and the rest. I want to make sure we bring back that bridge between the Senate and students. In my understanding, everyone’s like “What do you guys [Student Senate] even do?” It’s hard for people to take pride in their Student [Senate] if they don’t know what they do. That’s what I hope to embody if I am Student Body President, to be more transparent. If there’s something students need to know, they’ll know, and [I’ll] make it accessible. I feel like a lot of the time students don’t know where to look. And if they don’t know where to look, they’re not going to go digging for it. So making stuff that’s easier to access is important to me.
Why did you run for Student Body President?
With my past two years, I didn’t see people in this position willing to connect with students — at least be approachable. I’m not saying that the current one isn’t, but my experience with the Student Body President last year wasn’t amazing. Nobody should sit here and feel like they can’t even approach you. You’re in this role, there’s going to be criticism. I know I can handle criticism. If you’re getting pushback, there’s a reason, and you need to sit there and evaluate why you’re getting pushback and [ask], “What can I do to help with the solution?” I feel like a lot of times when people get these positions, they forget the accountability aspect. I want to be that person where people can just come and say bad or good things, but at the end, we’re gonna have a solution, and we’re gonna come together as a whole rather than a separate entity. From what I’ve seen in the past, it’s just been a separate entity making decisions for the student body without asking the vast majority what they want. I feel like there needs to be some type of revision to this position and how it impacts campus.
What experience has helped prepare you for this position?
Even dating back to high school, I’ve worked with congresspeople and aldermen in my city, because I used to help with architecture back in my city, Chicago, so making stuff more accessible for people in lower-income neighborhoods because I grew up in a lower-income neighborhood. Those experiences will help me talk with people about their experiences on Drake’s campus. Being the President of the Coalition of Black Students, one of the largest organizations on campus, and then being the chair of mentorship on Crew Scholars as well — being in these positions has not only helped me personally and to be a better leader, [but also] to understand that everybody you interact with is not going to be the same. You have to understand that you can’t just approach a group of people the same way as another group of people. Your solutions have to be appropriate for those needs. You can’t have the same solutions for everyone across the board. I want to be open and be a listening ear and make office hours more accessible, and I want to bridge the gap between Senate and the student body. I also hope to make campus more accessible. With the help of Jerry Parker, we were able to get a portable wheelchair lift for some of our cultural houses. With all that being said, I really care about students and their experience. To keep people here, we need to tailor their experience better, simple as that.
What goals or initiatives do you want to accomplish if you’re elected Student Body President?
I live on the three pillars of transparency, togetherness and transformation. If I can share something, I’ll share it with you. The current president makes weekly recap videos and that’s great. I want to make it even more broadcastable, even potentially working with the Drake Broadcasting System to show more people what we’re doing and why. For the togetherness aspect, I wholeheartedly believe that we need to do more as an institution, to look more unified, because I feel like we’re losing that, especially in this day and age. Now more than ever, across the board, we need to be more together. Not even just marginalized groups, but literally everybody. I’ve been brainstorming a week called Unity Week where we get all the organizations to come together and show who you are. My last point, transformation, that can deal with how we transform how the Student Senate is and how we can transform the campus. Like I said, I’ve heard multiple times with different groups of people the accessibility aspect. Drake is an old campus, old neighborhood, [and] overnight, we cannot rebuild stuff. And it’s frustrating on all ends. On Monday, I just found out they offer interpreters for people — that’s something that everybody should know. At the end of the day, it all just comes down to making stuff more visible for students and easier to access. I just found out that these executive positions are paid, and I would love to see that money directed towards mutual aid to help students continue their education instead. I think we can definitely allocate money towards something better. Not saying that people gotta do it for free, but I’m just saying you don’t need as much as what you’re getting. We can allocate that to so many other things.
What are some problems you’ve seen on campus, and how do you plan to solve them?
Making big decisions without at least putting out some type of survey to have student input. I appreciate that Ucook station. But there’s also flaws with that. For example, you take away ice cream Wednesdays, the taco bar, the baked potato option and stuff like that. Yes, it’s a good idea, but there’s still food items missing for some students. Not everybody wants to sit down and make their meal in Hubbell. In theory, it’s good to build skills like that, but you also need to have that alternative option. Also there’s just a lack of unity on the campus as a whole and just having pride in being at Drake. I don’t see a lot of Drake pride outside of Relays week. I just want to bring that pride back, where you can trust in the people you elect. I’m trying to be realistic in what we can do, but I’m also open to hearing things that could be built upon for the next person coming in, because nine months is a short time.
Why are you the best person for this role?
I know the three of the candidates who are running, they’re all amazing people. I would say for me, I would be a fresh pair of eyes on Senate. I’m the only candidate that hasn’t been on Senate before. At the end of the day, you get a general consensus that a lot of people are fed up with the way the Senate is going, and a lot of people feel like it’s very cliquey, and it shouldn’t feel like that. You should be able to voice your concerns without you being chastised by a certain group of people. That’s just been a growing trend. Like I said, If I don’t win, they’re all great people, they’re all great candidates. I know that they’ll do a fabulous job in the role, win or lose. I know that I try my best and I put myself out there. You vote for whoever you want to vote for. I can’t say vote for me. Vote for what you think is right and what aligns with you the best at the end of the day.
How will you ensure that you and the Student Senate represent the interests of the student body?
I plan on utilizing my office hours to the fullest, in terms of not just having them, but changing up locations as well. It doesn’t always have to be in the same place. Also, sitting in on certain executive meetings, like the Unity Roundtable, just being there and showing face and being that open ear for students and organizations. I would just wholeheartedly try my best to be in as many spaces in different spaces as possible, if that means being even in the FSL houses, going there, talking to all different groups, and even people who haven’t found a space for themselves yet.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
