The College of Engineering (ENG) has six candidates running for four seats in the Student Government Senate.
The candidates for this year’s election are:
- Alexander Bessie, a junior studying chemical engineering.
- Sen. Lilian Shin, a senior studying biomedical engineering.
- Ben Dauman, a first-year in mechanical engineering.
- Matt Miller, a junior in computer engineering.
- Sen. Lucky Onyekwelu-Udoka, a first-year graduate student in computer engineering.
- Sen. Kevin O’Connor, a junior in chemical engineering.
In 2024, 861 ENG students voted in the Student Government election.
Student Government is a student organization that exists to serve and represent all students, according to the student organization database. They annually distribute $2.6 million in student fee revenue to organizations on campus and in Story County.
The Student Government elections will take place March 4 and 5, and ballots will be emailed to students’ Iowa State email addresses.
The following interviews with the candidates were conducted by email.
What are your qualifications for being a Senator?
Bessie: “I have been a chemistry tutor here at ISU for the past three semesters. This experience has given me a very good understanding of what it is like to work for the Academic Success Center and what my constituents want to see improved. Additionally, I am the Director of Finance for Friley Hall, a parliament member of the International-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) and was a treasurer for my house the year prior. These experiences have allowed me to be very familiar with what a parliament looks like and will allow me to translate my professional skills into a senator position without issue.”
Shin: “I am currently seated as an Engineering Senator.”
Dauman: “I have a lot of experience in leadership positions. I currently serve on the Merrill House Cabinet and the Linden Hall Council. I have helped run a few successful events for the hall council, such as the Linden Hall Olympics and the Super Bowl Party. On the House Cabinet, we are redesigning our den with new paint, a TV, and more. I also have spent most of my life in Scouts and am an Eagle Scout. I also served as the Senior Patrol Leader for a while, where I was the one in charge of the troop.”
Miller: “I have been actively involved with Linden Hall for the past two years, serving as Linden Hall President and IRHA representative this year (where I opposed rate increases despite them being passed). I am also engaged with various engineering clubs on campus.”
Onyekwelu-Udoka: “I have served as a senator representing the College of Engineering, where I have actively engaged in discussions and policymaking that impact students. Additionally, my leadership experience in various student organizations has equipped me with the skills to effectively advocate for my peers.”
O’Connor: “The big one is that I am already a Senator. I have experience. More than that, I am currently working on reading through the entirety of Robert’s Rules, which generally defines how the Senate works.”
What are the most significant issues facing your constituents, and how will you address them?
Bessie: “The most significant issue that I hope to address in Student Government is to bring tutoring and other supplemental support for non base-program classes. For example, in chemical engineering, I am now in transport phenomena 1. The only academic support for this class is help hours. Tutoring is not currently supported for the class, and there are no other resources for additional instruction. By joining Student Government, I hope to work on bringing in more academic support to higher level engineering courses, something that many of my peers have discussed that they would greatly appreciate. I know that I for one would definitely take advantage of tutoring being offered for my higher level classes.”
Shin: “The stress of exams is one of my constituents’ most significant issues. It becomes very difficult when professors do not post exam dates at the beginning of the semester. I plan to address this by working with professors to write down exam dates on the syllabus ahead of time.”
Dauman: “Being engineers, we are some of the most stressed students on campus. I want to make sure that people are aware of the University’s resources. I want to make sure I can improve engineering students’ lives.”
Miller: “1. Addressing Parking Issues: I don’t think I even need to say it, but there is obviously a shortage of student parking on campus. We can come up with something better than the odd parking ticket relief program. Student Government should focus on improving underlying parking issues rather than bailing out students for their mistakes.
- Funding more Engineering Activities and Organizations: More chances to gain skills and experience on our resumes means we are more competitive applicants for the competitive internships, co-ops, and post-grad jobs we’re all in need of.
- Enhancing ISU Dining Transparency and Quality: If you were a student with the unlimited dining plan and swiped into a dining hall four times a day every single day for 17 weeks, you’d still have paid over $10 for each meal. While Student Government cannot directly fix this, we have an important voice and must pressure ISU to improve dining services and make them more affordable.
- Improving Residence Hall Conditions: The cost of living in shared, tiny, and often moldy rooms is unacceptable. We need to hold the University accountable and push for comprehensive plans to address the real issues in all residence halls, rather than focusing on superficial renovations like the Friley Hall courtyard. Paying $575 a month for half of a 150 sq ft room with no air conditioning is outrageous.”
Onyekwelu-Udoka: “The most pressing issues facing engineering students include funding for research and student organizations, improving representation and inclusivity, and ensuring access to career development opportunities. I will advocate for increased funding allocations, push for greater collaboration between student organizations and faculty, and work to establish more industry networking events to support students’ career goals.”
O’Connor: “From what I have seen and the engineers that I have spoken to about student government, it is difficult to find ‘significant’ issues. A lot of club funding, which is generally the most directly noticeable things that Student Government does, goes through ESC. Engineering is an academically difficult route to take. From my own experiences, it is hard because it has to be. The physical world is complicated, and it takes great effort to understand it. I would like to try and make sure that the difficulties faced are because of the difficulty of the material, and not because of lacking or confusing policies. With the recent joint meeting, the opportunities for collaboration between Students and Faculty through their respective representative bodies.”
Why should students vote for you?
Bessie: “I am passionate about what I do and do a good job at it. No matter who you may speak to who knows me, I believe that they would all agree that I enjoy being involved on campus and that I enjoy helping others succeed. If elected, I guarantee that I will do my best to speak for and honor the students that I represent.”
Shin: “I am always willing to listen to students’ voices and make myself approachable.”
Dauman: “With my experiences on the Linden Hall Council and the Merrill House Cabinet, as well as being an Eagle Scout, I have proven my leadership experience. I am committed to listening to everyone and ensuring their concerns are addressed.”
Miller: “Student government positions often attract individuals more focused on being “leaders” than on achieving real goals. We need representatives willing to call out bad ideas and work hard to solve real problems. For example, spending money on concerts featuring artists no one likes is wasteful. We need practical solutions that benefit all students.”
Onyekwelu-Udoka: “I am committed to being a strong voice for engineering students, ensuring that their concerns are heard and addressed. My experience in student government, combined with my passion for service, makes me a capable representative who will work to create meaningful change.”
O’Connor: “They should vote for me because they believe I am the best person for the job. If they don’t think I will do well, then they should vote for the person who they believe will. This is how we can make and maintain a strong organization.”
Why do you want to join Student Government?
Bessie: “I want to be an engineering senator because I enjoy the task of helping others succeed. Whether as a chemistry tutor, helping lead parliament meetings, or representing Friley residents at IRHA meetings, I get to help people accomplish their goals. This is something that I find deeply important and hope to continue doing so in student government.”
Dauman: “The same reason I want to be an Engineer, which is to help people and improve their lives.”
Miller: “I don’t want to join Student Government, but I want to work to make life at Iowa State better. The only way I can feasibly do that is through Student Government. Iowa State is an amazing school with a beautiful campus, but it could be so much better with a little more effort. Student Government is our voice, and we need to use it effectively.”
What role(s) have you held in Student Government and when?
Shin: “I have been an Engineering Senator.”
Onyekwelu-Udoka: “I currently serve as a Senator representing the College of Engineering and have been a member of the IDEA Committee. During my tenure, I have worked to improve student engagement, advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ensure that engineering students have access to the resources they need for academic and professional success.”
O’Connor: “I have been an Engineering Senator since I was appointed. I have held a spot on the PR committee.”
Why do you want to return to Student Government, and what are you most proud of during your time in Student Government?
Shin: “I know how things work now and would love to continue and make a difference.”
Onyekwelu-Udoka: “I want to continue the work I have started by advocating for policies that benefit engineering students. I am most proud of my efforts in promoting equity and representation within student government, ensuring that all students have a voice in decisions that impact them.”
Editor’s note: The Daily may edit responses from Student Government candidates for style and grammatical errors. The content of their responses is never edited.
