“Endings have so much power in my life,” stated former president Tommy Krob of the Viterbo Student Government Association. Krob, a senior music theatre major, has served as the acting president of SGA for the last two years of his college career. Now, at the end, Krob reflected on the accomplishments made by his administration and shared his nuggets of wisdom in an exclusive interview with the Lumen.
During this past SGA meeting, April 11, Krob swore in the newly elected president of SGA, Logan Jancsurak, sophomore theatre major. President Jancsurak then appointed members of his executive team and proceeded to swear in the other newly–elected members of SGA. From that point, Jancsurak led the meeting as former president Krob sat back in his chair.
“It’s hard to no longer contribute, to step back from something I am so passionate about,” Krob reflected afterward. Krob took a pause, then said, “Last night, when [Jancsurak] said his first words as president, I had almost a physical response because the gravity of ‘this is really over’ set in.”
Krob, in making sense of these emotions, looks back on this event as a learning experience. He told the Lumen, he drew much inspiration from sitting on the sidelines, listening, and watching a well-oiled machine run all by itself. He said it’s time to step back, focus on his graduation plans, and let the new initiatives, brought by the new members of SGA, expand on the many accomplishments laid in foundation by his team.
“I peaked early on,” humored Krob in discussing the death of laundry cards, an institution of the past, which he claims as his greatest triumph as president. Krob credits other accomplishments such as SGA’s rebranding, lightening clothing restrictions in Mathy, funding the prayer garden, supplying masks to students, hammock poles, and the ongoing library restoration project to the SGA, run under his leadership these past two years.
Additional to these tangible achievements, Krob took pride in the fact that SGA has grown under his leadership. “I feel like I brought great people to student government,” Krob said, “In general, SGA felt very small when I first took over, a lot of people left, so I think we did a really good job in revitalizing it.”
Similarly, in reference to work that goes unseen, Krob said he is proud of the collaboration SGA has with students outside the club, our school, and what can be accomplished in doing so. Also, turning up the heat on university higher ups, especially concerning their transparency with students was, “a big emphasis of our work,” Krob stated.
Now, a new era is dawning for the SGA and Krob’s role is passing on his knowledge and being a guide to Jancsurak. “It feels very nostalgic being on this side of the process,” reflected Krob, “Luckily, [Jancsurak] is already in SGA, and also an exec, so it made it so much easier to prepare him for the job.”
Though it can conjure uneasy feelings, leaving something so dear to you in the care of another, Krob feels assured Jancsurak is the right fit for president. “The main thing I recognize in Logan,” Krob said, “and essential for anyone in this position, is not just a desire to make this university better, but an actual need.”
Krob continued in this vein, he said the position, as leader of the SGA, is one which places you before many roadblocks on the path to change. According to Krob, in order to enact change on this campus “You need to build an intolerance to hearing the word ‘no.’ Viterbo is very good at saying ‘no’ and not explaining why. I think the SGA president is someone who has to demand the ‘why,’ which I think Logan is exactly.”
Krob, at the conclusion of the interview, opened the discussion to more than just the seat of the president. He told the Lumen, in an address to all students, “I think what this semester has taught us is that Viterbo is what you make it. If it’s not what you want it to be, then make it what you want it to be. The school is here for you,” Krob said, “you paid for it; therefore, you have the right to change it.”
