While looking back at his year as Northern Iowa Student Government president, Thomas Madsen felt a bit bittersweet. Though both he and former Vice President Blake Findley will have more free time, the pair looks fondly on their work in office.

“During my term, I have been able to meet incredible people here at UNI and around the state as well. It is going to be strange not seeing and spending as much time with the people I got to work with now that my time is up,” Madsen said. “However, I am honored and proud that I got to represent the student body here at UNI.”

Madsen and Findley stepped down from their former positions as president and vice president April 16. Kevin Gartman and Paul Anderson took over their respective positions.

Now that Findley’s had a chance to look back, he said he’s proud of how his term went.

“We were able to reach out to students and create programs that were needed here at the university,” Findley said. “I am going to miss knowing what is going on within our student government, but, more importantly, I am going to miss interacting with the students of UNI, and I am honored I was able to represent our university.”

Madsen said one of the things he is most proud of is student government’s lobbying efforts on campus and at the state capital.

“ … We were able to gain the appropriate support needed by the state for the university,” Madsen said. “By doing that, we were also able to create better lines of communication within NISG and across campus by getting out there and interacting with various students, faculty and staff here at UNI.”

During their term, Madsen and Findley revamped the UNI website, negotiated contracts with area apartment complexes to gain support for the Panther Shuttle, created an advising council to better serve the needs of international students at UNI and worked with members of the university to set goals for the completion of the Maucker Union roof renovation, which is set to begin next year.

The pair also established the Above and Beyond Awards, which recognizes faculty and staff who students believe go above and beyond their jobs.

Findly said he could never give back to the university what this job has afforded him.

“I took this job because it gave me the opportunity to serve and represent a university that I am proud of,” Findley said. “Through this position I have been able to gain relationships and experiences that I could never give back to the university.”