Meet Chris Nyden, this week’s campus celebrity! Chris is a 21 year-old economics major that’s driven, motivated and truly passionate about West Virginia University. Aside from being an active member of SAE, he is also this year’s recently elected Student Body President. He’s been active in the student government since he arrived on campus in 2010 as a freshman. When he’s not held up in his office taking care of his presidential duties, you can find him watching baseball or volunteering for the WVU baseball team.
Q: You ran for Board of Governors a few years back, but lost. After losing once, what motivated you to run for President?
A:I learned very early in that election that the most important way you can represent people is by listening to them and carrying their stories forward. Even after losing, I still felt an obligation to represent the many students who did vote for me. I won last year, and after delivering results on my platform, I felt it was my responsibility to run for President. It has always been about the students I’ve talked to and the small differences I can make in their lives.
Q: What are some of the biggest perks of being SGA President?
A:It definitely is hugely helpful in terms of networking. I have already met many accomplished and influential alumni, and I hope that can help me in the future. There are a lot of perks within the University and at sporting events. Vice President Jake Evans and I also both get offices and parking spots.
Q: How has becoming President impacted you as a person?
A:It’s certainly been humbling thus far. When you are sometimes the only voice representing 30,000 in a meeting or at an event, you make sure that you have done your research and be careful what you say. I have certainly had to keep that in mind in terms of how I present myself on a daily basis as well.
Q: Aside from being President, you’re also an active member of SAE. How have you learned to manage that along with your presidential duties?
A:I live in the fraternity house, so I see my brothers every day. But I don’t see it as something that’s hard to combine with my other duties. After working hard all week, it’s nice to be able to have fun on the weekends and relax. I could not have gotten to this point without the lessons SAE has taught me and the support from my brothers, so I certainly would not want to forget them now.
Q: Do you have any exciting plans for this upcoming school year?
A:We have a lot of plans. Some exciting things we’re working on is more partnerships with other organizations, whether they be community groups, student organizations, or Greek organizations on campus. There is a lot of potential to work together to improve WVU, and I think SGA has underutilized the resources we have on campus in the past. I also hope to work on building new traditions at the school. In the past, the University has poured money into unsuccessful events like the Student Lot. I’d love to partner with the Mountaineer Maniacs this upcoming fall and co-host tailgates before football games that are open to all students. These events would likely get more attendance, with the size of both organizations. I want everyone to be proud to be a student here, and there’s some progress we can make in that regard.
Q: What does WVU mean to you?
A:WVU represents opportunity to me. I’ve seen many people have their lives changed by this university, and it is very important to the state of West Virginia. I’ve made my share of mistakes along the way, but they have been forgiven, and I have this place to thank for that. It’s a great school with some of the best people in the world.