ISS Vacancy

This seat is currently vacant. If you would like to apply to fill a vacancy, please fill out this form.

Sarah Hochman

My name is Sarah Hochman and I am the Vice-President Internal and one of three Student Senators for the College of ACES. I am a junior studying Agricultural Consumer Economics with a focus in Public Policy and Law and am originally from Bloomingdale, IL. I have been involved with the ISS throughout my entire college career and have previously served as Chief of Staff, Chairwoman of Freshman Affairs, and Executive Assistant to the Student Body President. One goal I have this year is to get more students involved with ISS across campus. By having more students voice their concerns, then we can find more and more ways to improve campus for everyone, no matter what college they are affiliated with or what sport they play or what sorority they are in. In my free time I enjoy going to the gym, country music, flannel, cowboy boots, and British accents. Feel free to stop by the ISS Complex second floor of the Union (past the RSO complex) and say hello, or just shoot me an email with any questions or concerns about campus!

David Gutierrez

My name is David Gutierrez and I am one of three Student Senators for the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. I am studying Agricultural and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Public Policy and Law. I have previously served on the ISS Committee on Community & Governmental Affairs within the Illinois Student Senate. I am both excited and honored to serve my constituents at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and in the College of ACES! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me!

Madison Scanlan

My name is Madison Scanlan and I am a junior in the College of ACES studying Agricultural and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Public Policy and Law. I am also working toward an English minor. I have previously served on the Subcommittee on Student Rights and Campus Safety. I am excited to be a Student Senator for the College of ACES so that I can work for students on objectives that they deem necessary to better Illinois. Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or comments!

Alyssa Neimark

Hello! My name is Alyssa and I am currently a Senior in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. I am working towards applying to medical school for Fall 2016. I love being able to represent my constituents in the College of Applied Health Sciences because it is truly my "home away from home.” It is amazing that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has given us the opportunity to represent our peers in an attempt to make our experiences, and those of future generations, on campus memorable. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, studying medical practices of the past, as well as enjoying the company of strangers' pets on the Quad (since my apartment won't allow my own).

Kendal Hellman

I am so ecstatic about being apart of the Illini family and honored to, in my last year on campus, be a part of the Illinois Student Senate representing the College of Applied Health Sciences. When I am not in class or volunteering at Carle Foundation Hospital, I will do everything I can to improve the campus for students. From purifying and crystallizing proteins, planning social events for Alpha Epsilon Delta, and completing premedical classes, I have taken advantage of every opportunity this university has provided. I want to make sure other students have all these opportunities as well. Feel free to contact with me with any thoughts or concerns.

Ronald T. Lewis Jr.

Greetings everyone! My name is Ron Lewis and I serve as a Student Senator for the College of Business. My tenure with the Illinois Student Senate began with having the honor to be the Executive Assistant to the Student Body President. Throughout my freshman year, the biggest thing I learned was that in ISS, our role is to help different communities on campus be heard. Everything that happens in the ISS would not be possible without the passionate and driven students that make up the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Some of my hobbies include playing basketball, watching the performing arts, and hanging with friends. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns! I-L-L!

Zachary Bass

Hi! My name is Arielle Rausin, and I'm a junior in the College of Business. I grew up in Florida, but have been loving my time here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (minus the snow!). My true passion lies in Entrepreneurship and my minor, Cinema Studies. I have gained so much from Illinois these past two years that I feel it is my duty to give back. I would love to hear more from the community about how we can improve campus to make it a great learning environment for everyone!

Arielle Rausin

I have been a part of the Illinois Student Senate every year during my time at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Some highlights include being elected as Senator of the College of Business two terms in a row, Chair of the Committee on Academic Affairs, and being Director of Administrative Relations. I also sit on the executive board of the College of Business Council of Presidents, the Dean's Strategic Planning Committee, and I am former Daily Illini employee. I am currently a candidate for the Mitchell and Luce international scholarships, and I hope to go to law school to study entertainment/corporate law. I hope that one day, every student on campus is properly represented on the body, and that we become a more powerful voice for the future.

Scott Grubczak

My name is Scott Grubczak and I am a Student Senator for the College of Business. I am also the Treasurer for the ISS. I am a junior studying Finance and am from Medinah, Illinois. I began my time with the ISS my freshman year where I was an Executive Assistant to the Student Body President. During that same time, I became involved with the Committee on Financial Affairs and at the end of my freshman year I was elected to serve as a Student Senator for the Division of General Studies. My sophomore year, I continued to be a member of the Committee on Financial Affairs and successfully won a seat for the College of Business and as Treasurer for the Student Body. In my free time I enjoy reading, playing basketball, cooking, and trying new things. Please feel free to reach out to me any time with questions about the finances of the ISS or anything else ISS related or not.

Justine Ochoa

Hello everyone! My name is Justine Ochoa and I am a sophomore currently "exploring" in the Division of General Studies. As a member of various activities here on campus such as Air Force ROTC, the University of Illinois Foundation, and now the Illinois Student Senate, I have been able to hone my strengths as a leader and listener. As one of the Student Senators for DGS, I will put these strengths into building a better community and strengthening the voice of our peers. My newfound passion is helping others find themselves and feel confident in their skin, their college, and their community. This is something that I feel strongly about and will incorporate in my position here in the ISS. My hobbies include reading, great conversations, and hanging out with friends.

Mark Schaer

I got involved with the ISS beginning my freshman year, and was elected as a senator for the Division of General Studies for my sophomore year. Being a part of the Committee on Financial Affairs and being involved with the ISS has helped me realize that I want to be a business major. I'm also a member of the a cappella group No Comment, and I love singing and listening to music in my friend. Please contact me if you have any questions!

Tadas Aleksonis

I am Tadas Aleksonis and I am a Senator for the Division of General Studies at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. I come from Peoria, IL, home of Caterpillar and corn. Living in a medium-sized city, I've always had the motivation to move somewhere bigger like Chicago and go do big things. That motivation has led me to the Illinois Student Senate, and I hope to help improve this great university of ours. I am applying to switch into the computer science engineering major. After graduation, you'll see me in either New York or LA, but until then, my big time sink is listening to stand-up.

Jaclyn Kaminski

Hello everyone! My name is Jaclyn Kaminski and I am a freshman in the Division of General Studies looking to major in Business. In high school I was a member of Youth and Government and loved every minute of being in the club. While in this club, I was an Executive Board member and won an award for Most Effective Legislator down in Springfield. It was down in Springfield that I really developed my passion for politics. Whether it was editing a bill or hearing others ideas for making our state a better place, I wanted to be a part of it all. After hearing of all of the activities offered at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I knew the Illinois Student Senate was one that I had to get involved with and I am exceptionally happy that I will be a part of it this year.

Max Dolinko

I'm extremely excited to be a part of the Illinois Student Senate this year. I’m interested in many things like music, theater, ecology, and food. I love to laugh and have a good time! I have a younger brother and I am terrified of birds. I am very passionate about teaching and cannot wait to have my own classroom. Additionally, and I will have an EGOT one day, so asking for my autograph might not be a bad idea.

Joseph Higgs

My name is Joe Higgs, and I am excited to begin serving as a Student Senator for the College of Engineering. I study Computer Science, and I'm from Plantation, Florida. I also serve as the President of my fraternity, Alpha Chi Rho. I look forward to promoting awareness of the ISS within my major and the greek community on campus. In my spare time, I enjoy working out.

Brendan Weibel

My name is Brendan Weibel, and I am a freshman majoring in Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering. I have been a part of student government for as long as I can remember, and had the opportunity to represent my high school's student body as the Student Representative to the Board of Education last year. I am a James Scholar and Chancellor's Scholar as well as a new hire in OTCR Consulting. I'm very excited to represent the ECE Department and College of Engineering as a student senator this year.

Matthew Yi Chang

Hello. My name is Matthew Chang and I am one of the Student Senators for the College of Engineering. I was born in Texas, grew up in California and China, and now I'm at Illinois for college. I am a sophomore studying Materials Science Engineering, and this will be my first year serving as a Student Senator. I know I must have a lot to learn from the ISS, but I will try my best to pitch in my idea and help address the concerns on campus. I'm also involved with the Taiwanese Student Association. In my free time, I play baseball, pool, and chill with my friends around campus. I'm really excited to be working with ISS this year!

Jefrin Palsetia

I am a junior studying Material Science and Engineering, but this happens to be my second semester at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since I transferred in. I feel more welcome at Illinois looking at the enormous amount of opportunities the students have to get involved. I am honored to be a part of the ISS team. This position has made me aware of a few rules in politics in just a couple of weeks wherein previously I had no experience of. In my free time, I usually go on movie marathons where I don't get out of my bed for hours at end, but that barely happens now

Joe Lasser

Hi everybody, my name is Joe Lasser and I am the Student Senator for the Aerospace and Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering units. I come from a small town called Colfax, which between Champaign and Bloomington, IL. I am just now becoming a full-time student on campus; my freshman and sophomore years I have been a Parkland Pathways student. If you haven't heard of it already, the Pathways program is a fairly small program that gives a limited number of people the ability to go from one of three community colleges participating and transfer to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with relative ease. Although it is not a requirement, it helps those who cannot immediately afford the tuition at Illinois, as well as giving those who were initially denied to the University a chance to redeem themselves. This year, I want to broaden the program's spectrum to more majors, as well as increase the number of participants. If you want to talk to me about anything at all, contact me at lasser2@illinois.edu. Hope to see you around campus!

Gustavo Alisio

Heather Shade

My name is Heather Shade, and I am proud to be serving as a Student Senator for the College of Fine and Applied Arts. I'm passionate about student rights and awareness. I hope to maintain and improve the life of students on campus for current students and the future generations that attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I love to watch TV shows, read, and play logic games. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns!

Mike Czmiel

Hello Everybody! My name is Mike Czmiel and I am a Chicago suburb native majoring in Architecture and minoring in Business here at the U of I. Although I am involved in several organizations (an Ambassador for the College of FAA as well as my fraternity's Public Relations Chair to name a few), being a Student Senator is a position I am immensely proud to occupy as I have always had a knack and interest for anything related to politics. With ambitions of attending graduate school and attaining a Masters of Architecture and/or a professional Masters of Business Administration, I know that my time here at Illinois will greatly prepare me for the future as well as forge the lasting connections needed for any emerging professional. And now that I represent a constituency, I very much look forward to increasing and strengthening these connections in the months to come. You can usually find me in my studio space, but feel free to reach out for a chat, a question, or just to say hello—I'm always looking forward to meeting someone new!

Joshua Johnson

jrjhnsn5@illinois.edu

Kevin Seymour

kseymou2@illinois.edu

Calvin Lear

Juan C. Bernal

I am a PhD and JD student in the Department of Philosophy. My areas of studies include political philosophy, philosophy of law, and I am also greatly interested in symbolic logic. When I am not studying (rarely), I like to be involved in student organizations around campus that promote inclusiveness and diversity. Other than that, I really enjoy playing soccer and try to do so any time I can.

Derek Robert O’Connell

David R. Hamilton

My name is David Hamilton and I am a 4th year PhD student studying experimental condensed matter physics. As an undergraduate, I was a member of the Cal Band and Editor-in-Chief of the Berkeley Political Review. In my spare time, I co-host a humor podcast on YouTube with over 10,000 subscribers. As a Student Senator, it is my goal to make ISS more accountable to the student body and more responsive to the concerns of less privileged voices on campus.

Jacob Forby

Ahmad El Khatib

As a graduate student whose research primarily focuses on asphalt pavement roadways, I know a thing or two about paving the way. Having been at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for five years now, I've had the chance to spearhead, establish, and grow multiple initiatives and organizations on campus. My intention this year is to encourage an enriching and inclusive campus experience for all demographics. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, weightlifting, running, and meeting new people.

Joshua Baalman

My name is Josh and I am from a small, southern Illinois town called Jerseyville. I grew up spending a lot of time with family, either out on the river or just at family get-togethers. With over 30 first cousins, every gathering was an event! I have worked on a family farm all my life, growing every kind of fruit and vegetable imaginable. I am studying political science and pre-medicine here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and I hope to be going to medical school to become a practicing physician.

Ellen Guo

My name is Ellen Guo and I am a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. This is my first year as an Illinois Student Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Outside the classroom I spend much of my time at the Ice Arena skating on the IllinoiSkating team (Synchronized Skating). I really enjoy the opportunity to share my passion for the sport with my teammates and to represent my school at the regional and national level. I am also currently working with several girls to start the Smart Girls Group UIUC chapter, an organization centered on empowering girls to share their smarts and change the world. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.My name is Ellen Guo and I am a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. This is my first year as an Illinois Student Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Outside the classroom I spend much of my time at the Ice Arena skating on the IllinoiSkating team (Synchronized Skating). I really enjoy the opportunity to share my passion for the sport with my teammates and to represent my school at the regional and national level. I am also currently working with several girls to start the Smart Girls Group UIUC chapter, an organization centered on empowering girls to share their smarts and change the world. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Rahul Kalluri

My name is Rahul Kalluri and I am currently a sophomore in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I've been involved with Illinois Student Senate since my freshman year, serving on the Committee on Internal Affairs. As a Student Senator this year, I'd like to give the pre-health students more opportunities to learn about their future and make the whole process less intimidating. In my spare time, I like to play tennis, read, and play video games.

Laura Saldivar

Hi everyone! My name is Laura Saldivar and I am a junior majoring in Communications. In high school I spent my time researching education reform and youth safety programming. I was able to found a prevention organization and later serve on multiple national youth boards. Currently, I serve as one of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS-B) Student Senators. It is my hope to be a voice for my constituents and to help in whatever way possible to make the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign a home to many.

Matt Hill

Hello everyone! My name is Matt Hill and I currently serve as the Vice President External for the Illinois Student Senate, Student Body Vice President for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Student Senator for Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. I have been involved in student government since my freshman year, and I have served on a variety of committees and in different staff positions. I’m excited to be heading the external relations of the ISS this year to reach out to students across campus and increase our presence, representation, and service to the Student Body. I love Illinois because of the sense of community everyone here strives to create while we are all in such a large Big Ten setting. Please feel free to reach out to me if you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns about our University or campus—the ISS is here to listen, advocate, and represent students.

Christopher Smiciklas

Hello! My name is Christopher Smiciklas and I am one of four Student Senators in LAS-B. I am a sophomore studying Economics and Russian with a focus in Mathematics. I have been heavily involved with several political campaigns from local to statewide elections. One goal I have this year is to create greater awareness of the ISS activities and projects. I believe communication is the key to a well functioning government. In my free time I love to read economics based books, hangout with my fraternity brothers, and talk politics. Feel fee to email with any questions, comments, or concerns about anything on campus.

Steven Zhang

I'm a bit of a pariah in that I have immigrant parents and moved around a lot in my early years. I grew up working in a restaurant and being exposed to the poor and uneducated immigrant culture in Illinois. I'm involved in the History Honors Society that encourages talk about anything history related. I joined ISS out of desire to understand how student government worked on the college level and to seek out other individuals who were also politically aware.

Matthew Coppola

My name is Matthew Coppola and I am a senior in Chemical Engineering. I ran for the Illinois Student Senate last year because I was dissatisfied with the way it was being run. I believe that the ISS should serve the collective interest of all students on campus and I only support projects that do just that. I am currently on the Subcommittee on Environmental Sustainability and I hope to expand on the successful projects that the committee has done in the past.

Aishwarya Patel

ampatel7@illinois.edu

Brandon Rodgers

Mitch Dickey

mdickey2@illinois.edu

Mimi Heim

Hello there! If you're actually reading this, I apologize for being the most boring person on campus. But, here it goes. My name is Mimi, and I am a junior studying Political Science and Psychology. As you might have guessed already, I am on the path to someday attending law school. Aside from being a huge nerd and constantly studying my days away, I have spent most of my undergraduate time getting involved with a variety of campus organizations. Currently, I am honored to serve as one of the Student Senators for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. With this position I strive to not only fulfill my expectations, but also exceed them in order to better this campus that easily becomes home to us all. Other than that, I like to write, read, and sleep in the little free time that I have. I am addicted to Netflix (not kidding) and will probably become America's first woman president (now I'm kidding). And, if I haven't had the fortune of meeting you yet, I hope to soon enough! Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Farah Chalisa

Jvon C. Howard

My name is Jvon C. Howard, and I am a Illinois Student Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and representing students in the Social Science units (LAS-D). I am currently a senior at Illinois majoring in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. I enrolled into the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Fall 2012 as a transfer student from Harold Washington Community College in Chicago, IL as a sophomore. During my tenure at Illinois, I have been a member of the Young Democrats and have been involved in two political campaigns. I have also been an active member of the Political Science Club since Spring 2013. Once I have graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I would like to pursue a law degree in International Corporate Law.

Victor Rivera

vcriver2@illinois.edu

William Lynch

I grew up one of the westernmost Chicago suburbs, Geneva. My passion for government began in high school where I ultimately became Senior Class President. In college, I received my B.A. in Political Science and Theology from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. During my time there, I developed a passion for trap and skeet shooting and community involvement. After I graduate from Illinois Law, I plan on becoming a prosecutor somewhere close to where I grew up.

Michael Dow

I'm a third year student in the College of Veterinary Medicine. I have had an interest in politics since my first job when I wanted to know why I couldn't have all the money I actually earned when it came to payday. I am a part of the Illinois Student Senate because to me there is a responsibility for all to take interest in and understand what decisions are being made by representatives.