Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC) President sophomore Brooklyn Schara and Vice President sophomore Angelina Larrea have revealed their cabinet for the 2025–2026 year. The new cabinet consists of first-year Esperanza Gonzales as the Public Relations Secretary, junior Olga Gatesi as Treasurer, junior Kaitlin Buelow as Parliamentarian, sophomore Kimberli Mazariegos as General Secretary, first-year Jonathan Xique Hernandez as Finance Secretary, first-year Adrian Stancil-Martin as the Community Relations Coordinator and sophomore Madelynn Kennedy as Club Support and Training Coordinator.
Photo provided by Angelina Larrea.
As LUCC President, Schara expressed a belief that the her role should not have a set agenda. Rather, Schara said she aims to maintain a strong relationship between LUCC and the student body to respond to their needs whenever possible. She also said she wants to further focus on changes to the Lawrence community in recent times and how they have affected student body relations. At a cabinet level, Schara aims to improve internal processes and review legislation.
“I’m excited to get to work and see what we can do with a year,” Schara said.
As Treasurer, Gatesi’s goal is to ensure there is equity in the process of student organizations receiving funds. She believes it is important to properly allocate funds in a manner that benefits the broader Lawrence community in order to allow these organizations to prosper.
As Finance Secretary, Xique Hernandez said he aims to smooth out processes with budget approvals and fund allocations between LUCC and student organizations. Furthermore, he said his goal is also to maintain open and transparent lines of communication ensuring that organizations get the funds they deserve.
“What I like to think is we all paid to be here, [so] all this money belongs to us,” Xique Hernandez said. “It’s vital that these funds get out to people.”
As Parliamentarian, Buelow hopes to refine the student handbook with a focus on making it more accessible and representing the best interests of the student body. Furthermore, she emphasized her wish to make the document more understandable and less daunting for students.
As the Community Relations Coordinator, Stancil-Martin acknowledged the intimidation around LUCC that students feel. As a result, Stancil-Martin said his top priority aims to improve student involvement in LUCC by ensuring the student body understands what their organization does. The role of Community Relations Coordinator is a relatively new and undefined role according to Stancil-Martin, but he said he has been in communication with his predecessor to understand his responsibilities and what he can achieve in his position. Another goal of Stancil-Martin’s is to implement changes the student body wants to see on campus.
“I implore to any reader out there to reach out to me with any ideas,” Stancil-Martin said. “It doesn’t matter how out-there they may be, my goal is to see if they are feasible and to implement them as best as I can.”
As the Club Support and Training Coordinator, Kennedy likewise understands that her role has in the past been undefined in LUCC. Kennedy, however, said she will assist current and new student organizations to provide a support system for them. Kennedy’s role entails training organizations, co-chairs, and representatives ensuring they understand LUCC’s legislation. Moving forward, Kennedy ultimately wants to refine her role’s responsibilities for future cabinet members. Another goal of hers, like that of Buelow, is to ensure organizations understand the student handbook to further unify the Lawrence community.
“I want clubs to make sure that they know that they have someone supporting them,” Kennedy said.