Student Government’s Vice Speaker of the Senate Eliana Crabb is graduating this semester with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. She also served as Human Sciences Senator for United Residents Off Campus.

Crabb was born in Orsk, Orenburg, Russia and was adopted and brought to the United States when she was one year old. She first lived in Urbandale, Iowa but her family moved to Kenosha, Wis. where she attended school from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Her dad went to Iowa State and she grew up going to Cyclone basketball and football games which she attributes as part of why she came to ISU. However, she applied to two other schools with two different majors. 

Crabb chose hospitality management, but the only program in Wisconsin was far away so she went with Iowa State. Also factoring into her decision was going somewhere with lots of people so that there would be diversity of opinion. 

“I felt like being able to meet people not from my hometown was going to be incredibly important for my growth,” Crabb said.

What brought Crabb into hospitality management was her admiration for those who run restaurants and other establishments. 

“I always say this, but the most badass women are in hospitality management,” Crabb said.

Her other drive was the gift of being able to get to know people who come into businesses; a people person as she describes herself.

“You just get to learn so much about people and you get to learn how to treat people even better with every experience that you have in hospitality management,” Crabb said.

One of Crabb’s favorite aspects of her time in Student Government were the great people she met through it. 

“Some of the best people I’ve ever met in my life have come from Student Government,” said Crabb. 

Her favorite projects include working on Women’s Week, a conference held with the goal of empowering women and the umbrella project where students can rent umbrellas from the Memorial Union and Parks Library. 

“It was really cool learning how to get things done within a university and that is kind of moving onto my post-graduation,” Crabb said.

Her advice for underclassmen is to get involved in student government. Crabb said that it is one of the most life-changing things you can do at Iowa State. 

“You get to improve the lives of so many students every single time you are in contact with someone in Student Government,” Crabb said.