Mild Du tossed leftover bags of chips at Bethel University freshmen in between hops to the left and slides to the right. She had found herself joining the freshmen as they danced to “Cupid Shuffle.” Du had been at a transfer event with her fellow executive directors, Abby Burbach and Mercedes Floerke. After the event the executive team left, blasting “Pump Up the Jam” on their portable speaker as they walked, stopping at random places along the way to do the “HOT TO GO!” dance. They headed towards Freshman Hill, planning to do the dance there as well, but instead they found themselves joining the “Cupid Shuffle” with the freshman. As soon as the song was over, they left on a mission to find other students to give chips to.
Activities like these remind Du why she loves her position as student body president. The senior business and political science major takes pride in being a part of a team and working with fellow student government members to improve student life.
Upon entry into office, she and her vice president, Noah Schmit, continued the changes Du had started during the 2023-2024 school year. One of the most notable changes being transitioning the student government from a senate model to a council.
This year, the council consists of seven members instead of 25 that had made up the senate. The smaller group has created a space for them to build real friendships. Du appreciates how they cheer each other on and support each other in their positions.
“I think that’s one of my favorite parts about being student body president,” said Du, “is kind of being able to be a part of this and being like, oh yeah, my team did that.”
She loves going to student government planned events like Bingo Night, the first student council event of the year outside of Welcome Week. She enjoys being there to encourage her council members and talk to students.
“I’m so proud of my team,” Du said. “They did this, they put this on, and it just makes me happy.”
Du and Schmit are also planning to introduce compost bins on campus—one of their big goals for the year— and hope the bins can continue for years to come.
“We don’t want it to be this one-year thing where we get this compost bin in, and then we leave and then it’s gone” she said. “We want it to keep going.”
When Du first came to Bethel, she didn’t plan on joining student government at all. During high school, she had overcommitted herself to student council and other extracurriculars. In college, she wanted time to focus on creating videos and other forms of media. Du worked on The Clarion during her freshman year but still ended up on the student senate as well.
After being on the senate, Du realized that she still had a desire to work in student government.
“I kind of just love seeing the plans that we have coming to fruition, and just kind of seeing the impact that it makes on the students,” Du said. “So it’s like okay, maybe I can do more.”
Du met Schmit during the spring semester of her freshman year. She began to consider running for student body president, and she and Schmit dreamed of the team they could create. Their plans were derailed, however, when Schmit studied abroad in Spain during their sophomore year. With Schmit gone, Du ran and won as vice president instead, with Trey Adelsman as the president for the 2023-2024 school year. But once Schmit returned Du ran for president with Schmit as her vice president. They won.
Now as student body president, Du is busy as ever, but she still finds time for her other interests and hobbies. Du likes to work on videos in her free time, and she makes at least one video every year. This year,she’s focusing on the women’s hockey team and has already started working on her newest video. Wednesday she blocked off a few hours in her schedule for a photo and video shoot during one of the practices at Albert Lea High School with her friend Ellie McLaughlin. Du also uses her video talents for student government, to help give a second perspective on videos or media that the student council produces.
Du loves being around people. She strongly dislikes silence and alone time, and will turn on music anytime she thinks it is too quiet – but never white noise. She has a record player in the corner of her shared office with Schmit that plays vintage records she’s collected from thrift stores. Sometimes when she’s in the office she’ll open her door so that she can share the music with her team.
She loves how the student government teams are connected to each other. Often a member will text their group chat when they are studying to see if others want to come sit with them, or just to talk and hangout.
“That’s kind of the community that Noah and I wanted to build anyways, where it was like, yes we work with each other, but also, we’re friends,” said Du.
Du is excited to attend more events and activities hosted by the student government to see the students grow, and keep improving as a team with her fellow student government members.
