Majors: Political science and special education (CEHS)
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Each fall semester brings a familiar feeling of change, the excitement of getting back on campus (or arriving for the first time!) and the anticipation of opening a new chapter. And while uncertainty can be scary, Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN) president Paul Pechous says to embrace it.
“This year is going to be all about new beginnings — there’s a special energy around campus,” says Paul. “You have a new chancellor starting his tenure here, but also new students beginning their own journeys. I think students have a lot to look forward to.”
As president of the university’s student government, Paul and his ASUN colleagues are using this exciting time of transition to focus on expanding campus safety measures and mental health resources for Husker students while also exploring ways to make ASUN bylaws more inclusive.
As a senior staring down his final stretch as a Husker student — and his own big transition out of college — Paul is focusing on staying grateful and using his role to help others.
“I’ve reflected a lot over the summer on how much I never thought I’d be in this position and everything this university has given me,” he says. “I’m very thankful, and I’m looking forward to being able to show that thanks by giving back — that’s a big thing for me in this role.”
This time of reflection for Paul also has him thinking about when he set foot on campus as a first-year student. It’s left him both a little nostalgic and eager for new students to arrive and start having their own experiences.
“As a freshman, I was very nervous about coming to a campus of over 24,000 students. But as you start to get involved in things and find different communities that mean a lot to you, campus becomes really small.”
And, he says, those connections keep getting stronger as you continue to grow as a Husker.
“You’ll find your people and make a lot of new friends,” he says. “I talk about having a Husker family, and I really believe in that. That’s what I would look forward to as an incoming student.”
