Zachary Kis (sophomore, aviation) has been elected by his peers to serve as the executive vice president of the Andrews University Student Association (AUSA) for the 2025-2026 school year. Having served the past two years as an active member of the AUSA Senate, Kis hopes to build upon the past experiences he’s had in student government to help build a stronger and stable environment for student and campus life. In an interview with the Student Movement, Kis elaborated on what he hopes to accomplish in the role of executive vice president.
How did you decide to run for AUSA executive vice president?
I decided to run for executive vice president because I have been involved in student government for a long time. When I came to Andrews, I joined Senate, and I’ve been there for two years now. That’s why I thought it would be a natural progression for me to run for the position that is in charge of Senate.
How have your past leadership experiences and overall academic journey prepared you for this position?
As mentioned, I have experience in Senate here at Andrews. I also had prior student government experience during high school, serving as class secretary during my Grade 11 year. These experiences have inspired me and given me confidence to run for positions here at Andrews. As for my academic journey, I think it’s pretty unusual for an aviation major to be involved with student government. I ran because I personally enjoy it and believe that I have something to contribute, not because it is a natural progression from the field I am going into. I think it’s important for AUSA to have officers from various backgrounds across campus—and that’s what I bring to the table.
What do you hope to uniquely do in your role in AUSA for the student body?
I aim to increase the visibility and influence of Senate. I believe that, as it currently stands, Senate is being underutilized, and I think that with the right direction, it can grow to be a very positive influence for the student body. Specifically, I want Senate to be one of the main avenues for students to voice their concerns and requests to the administration—alongside AUSA proper and the Student Movement. As an AUSA officer, I am in a position to hear the requests and concerns of the senators and then to relay them directly to the administration in the most appropriate manner.
What ideas do you have for students for next year, especially the AUSA Senate?
I want senators to be ambitious and creative with their senator projects. I think that if senators are given more direction and are made aware of which projects are within our means to accomplish, then they can focus more of their energies on actually working on their projects instead of taking lots of valuable time trying to decide which project to go forward with.
Has anyone or anything particularly inspired you to join AUSA and serve its constituents?
While in Senate, I worked under the two previous executive VPs—Alyssa Caruthers, who is the current AUSA president-elect, and Morgan Williams. They greatly inspired and encouraged me to run for the position. I am very grateful for their examples and I hope to one day inspire someone new to take over the position once I leave.
What are some things you hope Andrews University improves (regardless of whether it affects AUSA or not)?
I hope that Andrews improves its dorm situation. I believe that it is time for significant action to be taken to ensure that students have a comfortable stay while at Andrews because it is something that is, in my eyes, worth prioritizing. I also hope that communication between administration and the student body becomes more efficient so that we can be better informed about the issues that impact us.
What are some of the things you enjoy most about your experience at Andrews?
I appreciate the community that exists at Andrews very much. I’ve made good friends here, and I think that looking back, I’ll appreciate even more the opportunity I had to mature and grow in the Adventist education system.
You can follow AUSA’s Instagram page to stay up to date on the social affairs and upcoming events AUSA plans to have. To share your thoughts on any AUSA-related concern, please use AUSA’s Feedback Form.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.