For the first time ever, the Memorial Union Corporation Board of Directors will be led by an Iowa State student.

Ryan Sievers, senior in anthropology, will serve as the president of the board next year. Two years ago, Sievers served as secretary of the board, and last year, he was vice president.

Sievers said other board members have been supportive of him, both before and after his election.

“I think many of the older board members were more excited about me becoming president than I was,” he said. “I had been dealing with it for the past year, and it was kind of becoming old hat to me, but they were all extremely excited for me.”

Kathy Svec, marketing coordinator for the MU, said Sievers is very qualified for the position.

“From the very beginning he has established himself as a great board member,” she said. “He has an astute insight on board issues, and he is also in a place where he can get a keen insight on what students need.”

Sievers said he never was very involved in leadership positions in high school.

“I was always the quiet kid; I was involved in support efforts,” he said. “I was always there to lend a helping hand, but I didn’t really take the reins until I came to ISU.”

Sievers began getting involved his sophomore year in college when he applied for a position on the Student Union Board committee. He was turned down due to lack of experience.

However, he said the interviewers liked him so much that they told him he should try for an at-large position on the board of directors, which he received.

In addition to being president of the board of directors, Sievers also will be serving as vice president of SUB next year.

“It will be a balancing act to keep myself on track, but I am on the five-year plan, so my class load next year will be a little easier,” he said.

To stay on top of things, Sievers said he will have to be able to delegate and ask others for help when he knows he is in a crunch.

Although Sievers said he lacks some of the real-world experience many of the other board members have, he hopes that his student perspective will make up for that.

He also said the rapport between student and non-student members of the board always has been collaborative.

Svec said she would not be surprised to see more student presidents in the future.

“I think that since he has set the model, students will function more in officer positions, especially if he does a great job,” she said.

A reorganization of the board allowed students to take more leadership positions.

The board used to consist of 30 members, including 12 students.

Two years ago, the board was downsized to only 18 members — eight students, six alumni, two faculty or staff members, one university representative and one Board of Regents representative.