I had no idea that my interview with the University of Illinois Student Body President would be so much fun. My assumption was that he would be very serious and “down to business,” but this was not the case; at heart he’s a laid back student just like we the rest of us aim to be. Brock Gebhardt’s warm brown eyes and smile set the tone for our Campus Celebrity interview last Monday morning. This Peoria native, dressed in a conservative gray sweater and corduroys, is our campus’s student body president. His one year term began in April of this year, and coincidentally, inauguration day doubled as his 21st birthday! Brock is a senior, double majoring in Economics and Political Science. You can catch Brock Gebhardt in action every Wednesday during student government meetings at seven p.m. in the Illini Union Pine Lounge. In addition to the major role he plays in student affairs, Brock is also a member of multiple committees and organizations, including the executive organization of Big Ten students and Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity.
Her Campus: How did you react when you were first asked to be a Campus Celebrity for HC Illinois?
Brock Gebhardt: I was really excited! I like any opportunity to connect with the campus and the student body in a different way.
HC: What made you decide to run for Student Body President?
BG: I wanted to hear about the issues on campus, be an influence on what happens and help give the students a voice.
HC: What was the campaign like for you?
BG: Months and months of work, but it was a real learning experience. I really learned a lot about recruiting people and communicating my position if I won the election. I made websites, graphs and charts, while also talking to dozens of people. I had more cups of coffee than I care to remember. But I made an effort to talk to the senators and show them I had honest reasons for running.
HC: How has your term been so far?
BG: Absolutely amazing. There have been trials and tribulations, internal disagreements and strife with graduate students and trying to find a good structure of representation, but we have recently resolved all of those problems. This is great because now we can refocus our energies towards more external matters.
HC: What have you learned since being in office?
BG: A lot about how organizations are run. I’ve also learned about motivating individuals and interpersonal relationships, which is connected to how to communicate more effectively. You learn how to get everyone to work together and to get things accomplished, especially since no one is getting paid to do any of this — it takes a certain touch to get everyone moving in the right direction. I’ve learned who to talk to and who’s connected to the right people in order to get things done. But one of the most important things I’ve learned has been public speaking, more specifically, speaking in front of an unruly crowd.
HC: What does the Student Body President do for fun?
BG: I love to read, especially the newspaper and novels. I’m also a pilot; I fly small single engine planes here at school and back home. I love to travel, which I haven’t gotten a chance to do much of lately, but I’ve been to almost all of the states. Over the summer I was flown to Israel by the Israeli Consulate in Chicago. They took us sightseeing all over Israel. It was really amazing. Here on campus my favorite thing to do is probably go out. I really like to go to Joe’s; it has great, cheap food and dancing. What more can a college student ask for?
HC: How does Student Body President affect your overall college experience?
BG: Now that I’m Student Body President, I’m connected to the University forever. This school means a lot to me. My dad went here, as well as my great uncle. This is a commonality that I have with people who are really important to me, and being the Student Body President strengthens that bond.
HC: How do you feel about the Illini Football team this season?
BG: I think we put up a good fight. We were worried that we’d be weak from the start, but we came out strong. I’m optimistic about the rest of the season.
Fun Facts about Brock:
-Brock love to ride his motorcycle. He has a Suzuki GS 500 sport bike.
-One of his favorite books is The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
-Two of his favorite TV shows are “The West Wing” and “How I Met Your Mother.”
-His Hollywood crush is Mila Kunis. “She’s gorgeous, she’s a good actress and I really liked ‘That ’70s show.’ Not to mention, she’s funny. But mainly she’s drop dead gorgeous — my celeb crush is somewhere between her and Megan Fox.”
-His favorite artist of the moment is Bob Dylan
-The things he loves most about the University of Illinois are the students, the diversity and so many different personalities and backgrounds. There are so many people here to learn from.
Photo credit: Misch Bocska