Calvin’s student body elected Tyler VerMerris and Ethan VanOrman to be next year’s student body president and vice president, respectively, on Friday, April 12. The pair competed against candidates Lizzy Wichers and Igne Savickas –– as well as Josh Steinberg and Olivia Tuit –– and won with 36.1% of the total votes, according to an email sent on April 12 by current Student Body President Bear de Boo. 

Leading in love, passion and humility

Tyler VerMerris is a junior studying biochemistry and sociology on a pre-med track. Following graduation, he plans to pursue his biochemistry degree by becoming a doctor. In regard to becoming a doctor, VerMerris told Chimes that he has “a passion for justice in my community, and there is so much injustice in the medical community that I want to speak into and work to change through my work.” 

Outside of his courses, VerMerris said that “people are my favorite.” In order to build his community, he enjoys spending time outdoors (especially with friends), doing intramurals, attending events on campus, supporting Calvin’s sports teams and “everything else on campus!”

His decision to pursue presidency came after close members of his community “recommended that I should pray about it and discern that option,” VerMerris told Chimes. After a month of deliberation and prayerfulness, he felt that running for office was the right decision. Now, after winning the presidential role, VerMerris told Chimes that “I love Calvin, and feel that I could lead the student body towards that same passion for our school.” 

VerMerris is passionate about the student body because he has felt so welcomed by the community, and he wishes the same for all students on campus. To make other students feel just as welcomed as he has, he is “passionate about making all voices on campus heard, and using Senate to amplify the good voices and work already present on campus. Making sure good things on campus are attended and heard from is important to having all students have a space on campus,” VerMerris told Chimes.

In his year as president, VerMerris plans to work with VanOrman and the rest of Senate to “heighten. . . the connection to on-campus internship opportunities for international students,” as the pair has heard from students that this is a “critical need in gaining experience for work before going out into the workforce.”

In his role, VerMerris plans “to step into the role as a humble leader, who actively listens to students to find what change is truly needed on campus in order to be an effective leader.”

Focusing on community and relationship building

VanOrman is a junior majoring in political science from Grand Haven, Michigan. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in law, though he is currently uncertain exactly what that will look like. Outside of his major, he has “a passion for residence life and the people on my floor, being involved in the Political Dialogue and Action Club and the IJM Chapter at Calvin.”

VanOrman has served as a resident assistant for the past two years. In order to continue his work with the student body, he said he decided to run alongside VerMerris because “this next year will be my first year outside of the dorms and I want to contribute to the community of Calvin while being off campus.” Because of his care for the community, he intends to use his role to stay involved as a way to continue to impact the student body.

One aspect of the campus community that VanOrman particularly appreciates is “the openness of students.” 

“I always find myself impressed at how open everyone is to meeting new people and increasing their friend circles. I think that it’s really a testament to the quality of students that Calvin attracts and the relationships that we foster with each other,” VanOrman told Chimes.

Though VanOrman will be studying abroad in the fall, he says he feels this is “more of a benefit than an obstacle.” He plans to use his role by “meeting, learning and creating relationships with a broad range of student leaders around campus” so that he might “set attainable and realistic expectations for what Senate can achieve next year.” 

Overall, VanOrman plans to support the Calvin community through his skills of “relationship building and disposition towards community.” Through his time serving as a resident assistant, he noticed that “students here genuinely want to find community but are not always capable of doing so.” He believes his role is “to support students by streamlining communication, developing relationships and advocating when the circumstances are right.”

Message to the student body

VerMerris wants to say “big thanks to the student body for electing us and selecting us to be humble leaders of the student body. We cannot wait for next year and are excited for all the opportunities this opens up!” 

VanOrman wants “to thank the student body for their support and for electing us. Throughout the campaign, I was blown away by how many people showed out for their candidates and friends, and it gave me a great deal of optimism. Please reach out to me if you ever have any questions or just want to talk!”