Student Senate announces election results, reps for 2026-27

Students at Northwest Missouri State University recently voted to decide who will represent them on the 104th Student Senate for 2026-27.

Phillip Motazedi, a senior from Joplin, Missouri, who is studying a major in digital media with a content strategy emphasis, was elected president of the Student Senate. He served as Student Senate vice president during the 2025-26 academic year.

Additionally, he serves on campus as vice president of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, secretary of AdInk, and director of marketing and promotions for the Student Activities Council.

“I have been a part of Student Senate throughout my time at Northwest, and it has helped me reach my potential in ways that have truly shaped who I am,” Motazedi said. “Because of that, being elected to serve as Student Senate president is an incredible honor, and I am so grateful to my peers for placing their trust in me.

During the next year, Motazedi said he will work to strengthen Student Senate’s connection with Northwest students.

“I want each student to feel empowered to share their questions, concerns and ideas, so we can continue building meaningful relationships between the student body and administration,” he said. “Student Senate is for everyone, and we are going to focus on filling every open position to ensure that all voices can be heard in these leadership spaces.

Joining Motazedi on the Senate’s executive board are Vice President Ava Sammons, a junior dietetics major from Ankeny, Iowa; Secretary Isabella Reutter, a junior social studies-history major from Ogden, Iowa; and Treasurer Carter Gebhards, a junior digital media major with a visual imaging emphasis from Rock Port, Missouri.

The Student Senate announced winners of its campus elections during its April 14 meeting, and new officers were sworn in at the April 21 meeting. 

Student representatives elected to the Student Senate are listed below. An asterisk denotes class presidents. 

Senior Class Representatives

• Eli Bosley
• Aidan McCauley
• Daniel Sherchan*
• Mason Swaney

Junior Class Representatives

• Audrey Coffey* 
• Jaycee Fangmeyer 
• Norah Seeley

Sophomore Class Representative 

• Zach Bailey
• Brooklyn Kelley
• Avary Rodda*
• Keegan Strange

On-Campus Representatives 

• Cecilia Hadley
• Lizzy Ruhl 

Off-Campus Representatives

• Keeton Gaukel
• Tyler Griffith
• Roshni Lama
• Corban Schroeter
• Elize Janse Van Vuuren

Inclusion Representatives

• Salem Atkinson
• Takato Emori 
• Jin Fitzmaurice 
• Jackson Little
• Cathryn Saboor

Organizational Representatives 

• Anna Bailey, Panhellenic Council representative
• Riley Nelson, Interfraternity Council representative
• Alex Morse, Student Activities Council representative
• Ava Murphy, Lead Green representative
• Emilia Ramaunaskas, International representative

Freshman class representatives and other open Student Senate seats will be elected when the 2026-27 academic year begins in September. 

Student Senate meetings are at 7 p.m. each Tuesday in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom during the fall and spring semesters. Meetings are open to all students. 

For more information about Student Senate, send an email to ssenate@nwmissouri.edu, call 660.562.1218, or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/studentaffairs/ssenate/.