Second-year business management and finance major Nathan Smith of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was recently elected as president of Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø’s Undergraduate Student Government, along with his Vice President, Ridwan Olayiwola, a mechanical engineering major. Nathan and Ridwan will officially begin in their leadership roles on April 29, 2026.
Q: Tell us about your involvement at Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø.
A: I have been involved in Undergraduate Student Government (USG) for two years – the first year as an intern, and this year as senator for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship. I am a Student Ambassador for the college for 2026, was president of BPR, president of Sales Club and am a past member of the Collegiate Entrepreneurship organization and the American Marketing Association. I was also just initiated into Sigma Chi fraternity and Order of Omega (leadership and scholastic excellence honor society).
Q: Why was it important for you to get involved on campus?
A: I wanted to start getting involved because I wanted to set myself up for success in my future career, and I knew getting good grades would not be enough to reach the goals I have for myself – I knew leadership positions would really help.
Q: What are your future career plans?
A: I’ve always been interested in banking and investing but I’m also leaning towards politics because of my involvement in student government. I like working with a lot of different people, and I’m very outgoing. I want to be able to make change.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I would like to pursue an MBA at Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø. I like the program here, Crawford Hall is really nice, and I have a good relationship with a lot of the business professors. I am open to working during that time as well.
Q: What stands out about your academic experience at Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø?
A: I got here at the perfect time – just as Crawford Hall was finished. A lot of my peers were split between the old business building and Crawford Hall, but I was able to start here. It feels like my class has gotten involved a little more than in years past and it’s like a new era is being ushered into Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø because of the new building.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your USG campaign.
A: (from Braden Goloja who ran Nathan’s marketing campaign): The biggest thing was understanding Nathan and Ridwan’s message. U.N.I.F.Y. was our slogan for the campaign: U.N.I.F.Y. – Understanding Needs, Innovation, Fairness and Your Voice. We shared that message with students and showed that Nate and Ridwan would act as a resource that students could go to for support for their student organizations. Using that momentum will be crucial to hit the ground running when the administration takes over April 29.
Q: What are your goals as USG president?
I want to bring more school spirit to Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø within the traditions that we already have as well as start new traditions. I would also like to bring back big concerts in the MAAC like in past years. Building relationships with students and administration is also important. The past two years, I have had the opportunity to go to Texas A&M and attend their Conference on Student Government Associations, where I learned how to build traditions and work with administration and staff.
Q: How do you plan to work with Kent 91¿´Æ¬Íø students?
A: My goal is to be fair to all student organizations and work with them as much as possible. To this end, I am creating a public relations role that will be regularly in communication with student organizations across campus, rather than forcing students to look for us.
Q: How can students get in touch with you if they have suggestions or concerns?
A: I am on campus a lot, and I always enjoy having people come up and speak to me, even if I don’t know them. Students can feel free to come up to me when I’m in Crawford Hall, the Student Center, the DI Hub or walking around campus. If anyone has ideas or feedback, they can email me at nsmit147@kent.edu. Students can also stay up to date with what’s going on via our Instagram account ().
