April 13 marked the last day in office for Northern Iowa Student Government President Kevin Gartman and Vice President Paul Andersen.

As Gartman and Andersen pass on the torch to Katie Evans and Renae Beard, who took office April 15, the pair sat down with the Northern Iowan and reflected on their time as two of the most prominent student leaders on the University of Northern Iowa’s campus.

Some of the accomplishments the two have completed include: initiating Panther Fridays, a bike rental program for students, creating and finishing an NISG website and getting the NISG name out there for students who are unaware of what NISG does.

“It was kind of crazy, really, to think about how fast the year has gone,” Gartman said. “To think that it’s been a full year, that’s sort of our first start of goodbyes.” 

At the last NISG meeting of the semester, held April 8, senate members received awards for their service and reminisced about the school year.

“Pretty much every senator had really great things to say, not only about our cabinet, but the work that they’ve done,” Andersen said. “I don’t think we could have had a better group to work with, a better cabinet to work with.”

Gartman will be walking in the spring commencement but will be student teaching in Des Moines area. At this time, Gartman has not found out where he will be student teaching. Andersen plans to stay involved with NISG, sitting on committees and wants to get re-engaged in some of the organizations he was involved with when he first came to UNI, such as Student Ambarradors Association and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

As for what the two will miss about being president and vice president, Gartman said the connections he has made around campus, among administration, staff and students, will be something he will miss the most.

Andersen said his work in office is what he will miss.

“Not only the ability to connect and the knowledge that you gain, but the fact that you come in every day and work for students . . . that’s extremely rewarding,” Andersen said.

For Evans and Beard’s administration, Gartman and Andersen hope their administration can continue to expand NISG and perpetuate the work Gartman and Andersen’s administration were able to do.

“It’s really important for students to understand why we’re here, what we do and what our purpose is,” Andersen said. “Our only purpose is to represent students and to make the experience here at UNI better for them in any way, shape or possibility we can.”