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Andrew Nelms
Andrew Nelms

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News Release

Contact: Joe King, Office of Public Affairs
(815) 753-4299

June 16, 2005

Nelms sworn in as NIU student trustee

DeKALB, IL – Though only 22, Northern Illinois University’s newly-elected Student Trustee Andrew Nelms is not stranger to politics and public service.

Nelms, a native of Genoa, Ill., is a senior studying history at NIU where he has been involved in student government almost from the day he first set foot on campus. He has served four years as a senator in the NIU Student Association, two of those as speaker of the senate.

"I am a firm believer that everyone can contribute in their own way, and I felt that the way I could contribute the most to campus was through the Student Association," says Nelms, who is on track to graduate next spring.

As a member of the SA, Nelms has helped champion such issues as improved software for student records that minimizes the use of Social Security Numbers, establishing a fund to subsidize the cost of security required of student groups hosting events and the adoption of an extended fall break.

"It’s been a wonderful experience, and I think I have been able to better the campus and the quality of life for NIU students and the community, " Nelms says.

His experience in politics, however, extends far beyond campus.

In 2004, Nelms spent the summer in Washington, D.C., working as an intern in the office of Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, helping to respond to concerns and complaints raised by constituents in the congressman’s district. His duties included attending congressional hearings on the rising cost of college text books.

Nelms has also worked in the office of Illinois legislator Robert Pritchard since 2003 and ran his own successful campaign in 2004 to become a DeKalb Township trustee. Not surprisingly, after graduation Nelms hopes to pursue a career in politics, either in Springfield or Washington, D.C.

In the meantime, Nelms expects his time as student trustee to be busy and educational.

"As student trustee it’s hard to say, ‘I’m going to work on X, Y or Z, I just want to represent the student body to the best of my ability," he says. "As senate speaker I have had the opportunity to meet Dr. Peters (John Peters, president of NIU) and several members of the Board of Trustees, and I am excited about working with them. One of the unique things about NIU is how dedicated everyone is to this institution, and I am looking forward to be a part of that."

Nelms is the son of Donna Behlke, of Rockford, and Russ Nelms, of Genoa.

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