NGU student council candidates share visions for 2026-27 academic term
Treasure Hardwick, News and Feature Editor
Photo by Treasure Hardwick
At North Greenville University, the student body council plays a vital role in representing students and shaping campus life by communicating student concerns to administration, supporting organizations and events and working to create a more connected and engaged campus community.
As the 2025-26 academic year comes to a close at NGU, a new student body council is being prepared for the 2026-27 year. The council will continue in its role of representing students by communicating concerns to administration, supporting campus organizations and events and working to foster a more connected campus community.
On April 20, 2026, at 7 p.m., new student body council candidates presented their visions for the upcoming term to the current council.
A common theme among the candidates was a call for stronger discipleship among students and improved relationships between student-athletes and the broader student body.
Among these candidates, student Xavier Gonzalez is running for the student body presidential position. His vision is to see students grow not only academically, but also spiritually. While he sees great opportunities for students to grow in their relationships with Christ, he also sees room to grow.
Drawing from his own experience, Gonzalez explained that upon entrance to NGU, he faced spiritual challenges and questions. He has no doubt that other students have faced the same issues while at NGU.
“I want to make sure that the spiritual needs of students here are being met. That is something I am really, really passionate about,” he said.
To address this concern, Gonzelez plans to better the Big and Little Program at NGU.
He said that while many people have great experiences within the program, he is aware that not everyone does. He plans to better the program by finding a way to ensure that upperclassman stay consistent in pouring into the younger students.
In addition to mentorship efforts, he wants to improve campus life is by creating spaces for students who stay on campus on the weekends.
Because a large majority of the students leave campus on the weekends, students who stay may feel isolated and dread Friday’s arrival.
Focusing on another area of campus life, Xander Reeves, a junior business major at NGU, is also running for the presidential position.
As a student-athlete himself, Xander explained that he sees a serious issue with a divide between student athletes and the broader student body, as well as with students who profess faith in Christ and those who do not.
Reeves explained that when he came to NGU, he was not a follower of Christ, but he slowly came into a relationship with the Lord. He credited this to the consistency of students around him who shared the gospel with him.
Through this experience, he has seen a divide between students. His vision as president would be to bridge the gap specifically between athletes, as well as unbelievers who feel disconnected from the larger student body.
As a part of this effort, he plans to encourage students to attend athletic events, and student-athletes to participate in campus activities.
Additionally, he plans to emphasize FCA, as he believes it is one of the best ways for the student body as a whole to connect.
“FCA is a student led organization where students can feel comfortable and they can come to know Jesus through more of a student-oriented focus,” he said.
Supporting Reeves’ vision, Landon Hallman, a biology major at NGU, is running for vice president.
Simiarly, he also wants to focus on spiritual aspects at NGU. He plans to implement more bible studies within majors and athletic teams, all while supporting Reeves.
“My job is to represent the study body and support the president,” he said.
Joining the campaign in a different role, Kylie Nelson, a junior health science major, is running for marketing coordinator.
She explained that she originally did not plan to run for this position. But, when she heard Reeves plan to unite the student body, she decided to join.
“This is the opportunity of the lifetime that we get to step in and bridge that gap,” she said.
