For almost every day of the past three years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to be a part of Student Government and represent my fellow Cyclones across our great campus.

When I first came to Iowa State, I knew I wanted to join an organization focused on serving others and giving back to our community because I’m driven by a philosophy that we all have a responsibility to help those around us and make a positive difference in their lives.

Student Government was the organization that fit that belief. Our mission is to “serve students and improve the student experience through advocacy and empowerment.”

I dedicated myself to that mission as a senator, as vice speaker of the Senate, and as speaker of the Senate, and it’s because of that mission, that belief and my experiences during my time at ISU that I decided to run for student body president.

Although I fell short in that endeavor, I still believe just as deeply in the mission behind it. I couldn’t be prouder of the vision our campaign outlined, and I’m forever grateful for the chance to run, especially because I was continually inspired by the amazing students I met along the way. As I begin to reflect more on my time in Student Government as it comes to an end, I wanted to offer some final thoughts as well as a heartfelt thank you for the opportunity to serve.

I am, of course, disappointed with the result of the election and I’m sorry we didn’t win. I still firmly believe our campaign’s message was right, but perhaps I was the wrong messenger.

We had an outstanding team and were supported by fantastic individuals, and my biggest regret is that the students of Iowa State won’t get to have the incomparable, unbelievably wonderful Analese Hauber as their vice president. Despite all of that, even with the loss, the experience alone was worth all we went through.

We talked about issues and ideas that had never been discussed before, and we made clear that Student Government should be a voice for all students all the time, not just the few who vote during campaign season.

We believe in public service because politics is a noble cause – it’s serving something greater than yourself and being a small part of a bigger picture. We believe Student Government should be composed of the best and brightest minds at our university, and it shouldn’t be treated as a student council.

It should be taken seriously, because we the students have the power to shut down the university and bring the state to a screeching halt if we decided to. We believe in doing good because it’s the right thing to do, even if that means we won’t get credit for it or may not even see the end result.

We believe in making the university a better place for every one of us and all future Cyclones that will come to this phenomenal campus. Most importantly, we believe in people. We believe in all of you and your ability to make change, in your skills to make a difference and your capacity to move Iowa State forward.

If you also believe in those ideals, it’s your time to lead. We need you and everyone else to be a part of addressing the problems that affect us all, and that’s how we’ll shape Iowa State University into the best it can be and ever has been.

Together, we can make our university and our world more perfect. Our impact on this campus will not only remain here in Ames after we graduate, but will also be carried with us throughout our lives because of the experiences and moments we’ve shared. That’s a legacy we should all be proud of, and I know I won’t forget the people I’ve met or lessons I’ve learned.

Thank you to the thousands of students who voted in the elections, to all of the student organizations that invited us to visit their homes and tight-knit families, and to so many who supported us, pushed us and believed in us. Words can’t describe how much that means to me.

The greatest joy in my life has been meeting remarkable people throughout my unbelievably lucky journey, and my adventure at Iowa State has certainly blessed me with many extraordinary individuals who have been a part of my life. Thank you for that, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours.

It’s been an immense honor to represent you, serve you, and learn from you. I can’t thank you all enough for giving me a shot and electing me as your senator, vice speaker and speaker. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.