New Look for MBU Student Body Council
As the end of this school year quickly approaches, students are looking ahead to “what’s next.” While motivation is difficult to maintain at this point in the semester, the plans and excitement from our future student body president have only begun. On March 4, Kile Arp and his four vice presidents, Rudy Geiger, Cassandra Barnes, Sam Folkman, and Amy Montgomery, were announced winners of the 2019-2020 Student Body Council presidential election.
A few weeks ago, I sat down with Kile, and he offered a glimpse as to what next year holds for the student body.
Reason for Running
As a rising senior, Kile saw the value of having someone from his own class step up as a leader. He recognized that “senioritis can hit hard,” and believed that, as a senior himself, he would be able to encourage the upperclassmen who also serve as leaders and examples on campus. Kile believes his “outgoing and energetic personality” would serve well in reaching and caring for the students.
Team
Kile’s goal in choosing his vice presidents was balance. He sought a group of people with diverse strengths that would best support him as a leader. He stated that his own strengths lie in “creating a vision and goal,” while his team members help him shape that into a realistic strategy. Organization, a detail-oriented mindset, diligence, and high-energy are all skills and qualities that Kile’s team possesses. Along with his four chosen vice presidents, all ten society presidents will also serve on the Student Body Council to minister to the student body in 2019.
Mission
Passionate. Sacrificial. Authentic. These serve as the major tenants for the Student Body Council’s mission next year. These qualities of leadership were chosen to fit under the umbrella of Maranatha’s mission which is to “develop leaders for ministry in the local church and the world ‘To the Praise of His Glory.’”
To explain his three-pronged mission, Kile referenced a quote he has heard men’s soccer coach Jeff Pill say many times in class: “Control the controllable.” Kile and his vice presidents believe that, while they can impact others, they can only control themselves. Therefore, each of them is committed to living out these three qualities with the ultimate goal of influencing others and having the student body adopt them as well.
“It starts with us,” Kile said.
Excitement
Kile admits that he doesn’t know exactly how next year will look. But rather than fearing the lack of certainty, Kile shared, “I think I’m most excited for the unknowns. I’m excited to see where the student body can be, and where the Lord can use me this coming year.”