Sept. 21, 2000

“I want to get students opinions heard.”

That's the simple, but significant, response of new Student Senate president Mariann Olson to the question: “What do you hope to achieve during your term as president?”

She may be new to the job, but if all goes according to her plan it shouldn’t be long before even the greenest of freshmen will know who Student senate is. And more importantly how it can help Calvin students.

Olson, a senior, business major from Burlington, Wisconsin, has already been an active member of the Calvin community. She played on the volleyball team as a freshman and sophomore, also played softball as a sophomore and has been in the Calvin Band. And she was a resident assistant as a junior.

Her wide range of experiences at Calvin will inform her work as President.

She hopes to have Student Senate organize a voter drive this fall to encourage students to be active in the coming presidential elections. And she plans a Senate-sponsored student survey in October that will give her and her Senate an idea of where to focus their efforts.

“I also hope to focus on more things for off campus students,” she said. “In the past many of the planned activities haven’t been convenient for them.”

Other services for off-campus students might include such things as "landlord lists" which would help off-campus students decide where to live. Olson's vision is to have Student Senate serve the entire Calvin student body. And to give a voice to student concerns. She knows the task is daunting. But she's eager to take on the challenge.

"I'm looking forward to a great year," she says.

--written by media relations student writer Andrew Heffner (class of 2004)

Contact Phil de Haan.