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From left: UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., with Student Senate President Curtis McKnight and Vice President Bradley Bohn. |
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Incoming Student Senate President Curtis McKnight, right, presents outgoing President Jonathan Henning a plaque in recognition of his efforts in the past year. |
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From left: New UNMC Student Senate Officers, President Curtis McKnight, Vice President Bradley Bohn, Treasurer Agnes Constantino and Secretary Allison Gorman. |
One day earlier, the Fremont native was sworn in as UNMC’s Student Senate president for 2008, along with Vice President Bradley Bohn of Ravenna, Neb., and the rest of the senators.
McKnight, who also serves as a non-voting member of the Board of Regents, will lead 34 senators in influencing university policy and promoting the interests of all UNMC students.
He’ll work closely with UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., who administered the oath of office, and members of his administrative team.
“The student senate is a very critical organization in the medical center,” said Dr. Maurer, who meets with student leaders on a monthly basis. “The student regent, president of the student senate and vice president are integral in moving the purpose and mission of the medical center forward. It’s a very close and rewarding relationship.”
McKnight’s executive team includes:
- Bohn, a second-year medical student, who served as a University of Nebraska Student Regent in 2005-06 while student president at the University of Nebraska at Kearney;
- Allison Gorman, a first-year physical assistant student from Plattsmouth, Neb., as secretary; and
- Graduate student Agnes Constantino of Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, as treasurer.
McKnight thanked the students for their “vote of confidence,” saying, “I can’t think of a more exciting time to be here.”
Dr. Maurer agreed. “This is a very dynamic period in the life of the medical center,” he said, citing several future projects including a student plaza between the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education and the College of Pharmacy; a new facility for the College of Public Health; and plans for a campus identification monument.
“Everything we do here is to improve the education of our students, whether it has to do with faculty or programs or research or clinical care,” Dr. Maurer said. “Student leaders and the student senate have a phenomenal impact on the trajectory of the medical center.”
Dr. Maurer praised the work of outgoing Student Senate President Jonathan Henning and Vice President Casey Bowen.
“It’s been an enriching experience,” Henning said, noting a myriad of issues the senate dealt with this past year from student health insurance to the university budget to recycling.
Henning also thanked Student Senate adviser David Carver, Ph.D., and Student Services Specialist Patti George for their leadership. “Without your guidance, the senate wouldn’t be what it is today,” he said.
McKnight, in accepting the challenges ahead, agreed he’ll “carry the torch” for a swimming pool on campus, a vision of past student senate presidents.
The Student Senate members, including officers and their respective colleges, are:
College of Pharmacy
- Tessa Deyle–senator elect
- Branden Nemecek
- Drew Klinkebiel
- Karsen Duncan
- Brian Domack
School of Allied Health Professions
- Carrie Ramsey–senator elect
- Alicia Eisenmenger
- Jeremy Peterson–senator elect
- Steven K. Peterson
- Chalie Livingston
- Allison Gorman – Student Senate secretary
Graduate College–all senators elect
- Karel Capek
- Agnes Constantino – Student Senate treasurer
- Mario Fernandez
- Tomas Helikar
- Paula Richards
- Nissa Mollema
- Megan Montgomery
- Kalyan Nannuru
- Aishwarya Prakash
- James Randazzo
- Andy Yang
College of Medicine
- David Berkheim
- Bradley Bohn – Student Senate vice president
- Casey Collier
- Marc Handler
- Curtis McKnight – Student Senate president
- Eric Monk
- Kari Sufficool
- Jacqueline Wells
- Andrew Klutman
College of Nursing
- Erin Hunt
- Kerry Stinebaugh
- Robert Lundholm
- Shanna Olney