The Executive
The Executive is comprised of the four elected and appointed officers of the Illinois Student Government. Members of the Executive Committee may not be Senators in the Assembly, but may serve in the Senate of the Urbana-Champaign Campus. The Executive directs the ISG, assists the President in crafting an agenda, assists in the appointment of staff, and must approve of all Executive Orders. All terms last from April to April.
Walter Lindwall
Student Body President
Walter Lindwall was elected in March to serve as the President of the Illinois Student Government for a one year term. As ISG President, Walter also serves as the Student Body President. Walter's role is to represent the student body and government as a whole to the campus, administration, and beyond. Walter chairs executive meetings, where the work of the government is put to action. He also serves ex-officio on all ISG-Standing Committees.
Walter grew up in Lincolnwood, Illinois. He is a Senior studying Political Science with a concentration in Public Policy and Democratic Institutions. After graduation, Walter hopes to work with non-profit organizations with the goal of making Illinois a better place for everyone. Walter is working to improve campus life in the areas of mental health and sexual assault prevention, while working to alleviate student costs and make the university more inclusive.
Alice Zheng
Student Body Vice-President
Alice Zheng was elected in March to serve as the Vice President of the Illinois Student Government for a one-year term. As ISG Vice President, Alice also serves as the Student Body Vice-President. Alice assists Walter in advocating for the needs of the student body. She also serves as the Chief Operations Officer of the Student Government, where she coordinates relations with the press, assists Walter in maintaining relations with campus and university administration, RSOs and other student governments, as well as coordinates publicity for activities of the government.
Alice is from Cupertino, California. She is a junior studying Political Science and Asian American Studies. After graduation, Alice hopes to attend law school. On campus, Alice is working closely with ISG and other student groups on sexual assault prevention. Outside of academics, Alice is a huge fan of Star Wars and loves reading comics.
Susan Zhou
Chief of Staff
Susan Zhou was Appointed in April to serve as the Chief of Staff of the Illinois Student Government for a one-year term. Susan’s role is to manage and direct much of the internal operations of the ISG.
Susan is from Darien, Illinois, and is a Sophomore studying Political Science and Economics. She is an IBIS team member, a member of the debate team, and part of the FBI Citizen's Academy. She hopes to one day work for the FBI. Susan is currently working to facilitate and retain membership within the ISG, as well as promoting community outreach programs on a wide variety of topics.
Kendall Relf
Treasurer
Kendall Relf was appointed in April to serve as the Treasurer of the Illinois Student Government for a one year term. As Treasurer, he is responsible for overseeing the financial affairs of the ISG as well as coordinating expenditures with the Administration. As such, the Treasurer maintains records of all Senate spending as well as ensuring said spending’s compliance with University and Campus guidelines.
Kendall is from Chicago, Illinois and he is a junior studying Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing & Management. After graduation, Kendall plans to attain a joint J.D./M.B.A. degree, one day becoming a coporate lawyer. Kendall has a passion for sketch comedy, filmmaking, and improv comedy.
Staff
Derryl Achmad
- Press Secretary
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Yash Agarwal
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Computer Science & Chemistry
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Jared Bastian
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Aerospace Engineering
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Nokesville, VA
Ritish Bhimavarapu
- Executive Assistant
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
John Fetscher
- Historian
- Major: Actuarial Science
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Elmhurst, IL
Vada Gregory
- Executive Assistant
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
James Kosmopoulos
- City of Urbana Liaison
- Major: Biology
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Champaign, IL
Nishant Kumar
- ABTS Liaison
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Ali Mirza
- Membership Development Coordinator
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Lombard, IL
Caelin Muir
- Collegiate Readership Program Director
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Alec Navickis
- City of Champaign Liaison
- Major: Agricultural & Consumer Economics
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Roscoe, IL
Alexis Perezchica
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Winfield, IL
Kirsten Peterson
- Director of Governmental Affairs
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Normal, IL
Jacob Rajlich
- Transportation Representative
- Major: Civil Engineering
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Saint Joseph, IL
Yinchun Rui
- iSurvey Program Director
- Major: Mathematics
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Shanghai, China
Shelby Sears
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Macomb, IL
Jim Song
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Business
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Springfield, IL
Jessica Tieggelaar
- Executive Assistant
- Major: Biology
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Mapleton, IL
Mike Van Wagner
- Executive Assistant
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- Year:
- Hometown:
Colette Wasson
- Executive Assistant
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Joshua Wolff
- Deputy Director of Governmental Affairs
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: Grayslake, IL
Vacant
- Communications Director
- Major:
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- Hometown:
Vacant
- Deputy Chief of Staff
- Major:
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Vacant
- Event Coordinator
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- Hometown:
The Judiciary
The Judiciary of the Illinois Student Government, composed of seven justices, reviews the actions of the Government to ensure those actions are not in conflict with the Constitution, Register, or University Policy and Rules. The Judiciary also serves as the investigatory body of the Government, ensuring any problems that arise are addressed and best practices are followed. The Judiciary is able ot hear complaints from the Student Body on pieces of legislation, executive orders, or any other action by the Government. To file complaints, please refer to the guidelines defined in the Register, which can be found on the “ Our Work” page. Meetings of the Judiciary are held every other Wednesday from 5-6pm in the Illinois Student Government Complex. Check the pre-packet each week to find an agenda for weeks when the Judiciary meets. If you have any questions, please contact the Chief Justice.
Fernando Arias
- Chief Justice
- Major: Political Science & Economics
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Wheaton, IL
Adam Yusen
- Deputy Chief Justice
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Skokie, IL
Andrew Maikisch
- Justice
- Major: Political Science
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Oak Lawn, IL
Cherish Recera
- Justice
- Major: English
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Oak Forest, IL
Zain Al-Khalil
- Justice
- Major: History
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: Glenview, IL
Joshua Bi
- Justice
- Major: Economics & Political Science
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: San Diego, CA
Vacant
- Justice
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Peggy Kern
- Clerk of the Judiciary
- Major: English
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Naperville, IL
Rory Svoboda
- Clerk of the Judiciary
- Major: Public Policy & Law
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Clarendon Hills, IL
The Senate
The Senate of the Illinois Student Government is the core of the student government. It is made up of 54 Senators from each college or equivalent unit. The seats are apportioned to the colleges by enrollment size. For example, the largest college, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences ,has 14 senators, and the smallest college, Education, has one. Graduate students are also members of the Senate, and are elected either from the Graduate College, the College of Law, or the College of Veterinary Medicine.
To become a Senator, a student must either win their college’s seat in the Academic Senate during the Spring semester, or fill a vacant seat in the Senate of the ISG. Colleges may opt to run an election in the Fall to fill their respective seat. A Senator can be elected to the Academic Senate, but decline their seat in the ISG, at which point, an ISG-only senator will be appointed.
Senators are elected based on their respective Major. A list of voting units for the 2016-2017 academic year, as approved by the Senate of the Urbana-Champaign Campus on 02/08/2016, can be found here.
Senate Leadership Committee
The Senate Leadership Committee meets weekly and is charged with managing the flow of Senate business and determining the membership of other Senate committees. Chaired by the Speaker of the Senate, the Leadership Committee is responsible for setting the agenda for each General Meeting of the Senate by reviewing old, new, and future business and determining whether to assign acts to the Senate floor or to various committees. The Leadership Committee also serves as a forum to collaborate between other committees, exchange feedback with the Executive branch, and discuss the operations of the Senate. The voting membership of the committee is composed of the Speaker, the Director of the Senate, and the chairs of the Senate’s nine standing committees. The President and Vice President also serve as non-voting ex officio members.
Alissa Xiao
- Speaker of the Senate
- Major: Economics
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Freemont, CA
Margareta Sutarova
- Director of the Senate
- Major: English
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: Woodridge, IL
Vikram Sardana
- Chair of Academic Affairs
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Marissa Finley
- Chair of Campus Affairs
- Major: Psychology & Political Science
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Plainfield, IL
Aishwarya Shekara
- Chair of Community & Governmental Affairs
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Anna Sekiguchi
- Chair of Diversity & Inclusion
- Major: Earth, Society & Environmental Sustainability
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Normal, IL
Derek Meyer
- Chair of Financial Affairs
- Major: Actuarial Science
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Heyworth,IL
Katrina Rbeiz
- Chair of Internal Affairs
- Major: Psychology & Global Studies
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
Lydia-Walsh Rock
- Chair of Public Relations
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
Rebecca Laurent
- Chair of Sustainability, Resilience, and Environmental Justice
- Major: National Resources & Environmental Science
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Edwardsville, IL
Senate Staff
Rubab Hyder
- Clerk of the Senate
- Major:
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- Hometown:
Vacant
- Parlimentarian
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- Hometown:
Vacant
- Deputy Director of the Senate
- Major:
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College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES)
Senator Xavier Morgan
- ACES Senate Seat 1
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- Hometown:
Senator Madeline Poole
- ACES Senate Seat 2
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- Hometown:
Senator Audrey Dombro
- ACES Senate Seat 3
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
College of Applied Health Sciences (AHS)
Bridgette Rasmussen
- AHS Senate Seat 1
- Major: Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Barrington,IL
Senator Marianna Zalova
- AHS Senate Seat 2
- Major: Kinesiology
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Carol Stream, IL
Division of General Studies (DGS)
Senator Mary O'Callaghan
- DGS Senate Seat 1
- Major: Undeclared
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Riverside, IL
Senator Armando Miranda
- DGS Senate Seat 2
- Major: Undeclared
- Year:
- Hometown:
Senator Joshua Joines
- DGS Senate Seat 3
- Major: Undeclared
- Year: Freshman
- Hometown: Kennesaw, GA
College of Education (EDUC)
Senator Natalie O'Callaghan
- EDU Senate Seat 1
- Major: Elementary Education
- Year: Senior
- Hometown: Riverside, IL
College of Fine & Applied Arts (FAA)
Senator Casey Griffin
- FAA Senate Seat 1
- Major: Stage Management & Political Science
- Year: Sophomore
- Hometown: Warrenton, VA
Senator Sully Peterson-Quinn
- FAA Senate Seat 2
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
College of Law (LAW)
Senator Emilio Campos
- LAW Senate Seat 1
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- Hometown:
College of Medicine (MED)
Currently, the electorate for College of Medicine does not exist. This is because the College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign is an entity of the Chicago Campus and is therefore not captured in the Registration Census. Additionally, the Medical Scholars Program is not admitting new students. Current students in the Medical Scholars Program appear as graduate students in the Registration Census based on the non-medical component of their joint degrees. The seat for professional students in Medicine is expected to transition to the new Carle Illinois College of Medicine
College of Media (MEDIA)
Senator Madeleine Hubbard
- MEDIA Senate Seat 1
- Major: Journalism
- Year: Junior
- Hometown: Fosyth, IL
School of Social Work (SSW)
Vacant
- SSW Senate Seat 1
- Major:
- Year:
- Hometown:
College of Veterinary Medicine (VET-MED)
Sarah Reeves
- VET-MED Senate Seat 1
- Major: Veterinary Medicine
- Year: Professional
- Hometown: Rolesville, NC
