President Message 9/30/25: Meet the UND student leaders

President Andrew Armacost interviews UND’s Student Government leaders for this week’s video, talking with President Jonathan Blankenship and Vice President Joslyn Sutton.

The two juniors introduce themselves to the campus community and answer questions from the president on what they’re working on this year.

Armacost asks what it feels like to preside over the biggest student body in UND’s history: 15,844 students, as of last week’s census.

Blankenship, an Honors student studying Commercial Aviation and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, says he is honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead — though it’s “still sinking in.”

He adds that he and Sutton ran on a “Voice for All” platform, with “voice” serving as an acronym for vision, opportunity, involvement, community and empowerment.

Sutton, who’s studying Air Traffic Management, Atmospheric Sciences and Space Studies, talks about her role supporting Blankenship and heading the Student Senate, as well as ongoing efforts to promote safety.

Their team is working on a “Safe Ride” program that provides students with a free ride home, especially on the weekends, as well as a partnership to provide cup stickers to students that deter beverage spiking.

Those interested in connecting with UND Student Government can find information on the UND website, as well as by following the office’s Instagram page, @UNDstugov.

Blankenship asks UND’s president about how to work on leadership skills, and Armacost advises students to observe the leaders around them and discover their own leadership styles through opportunities in the classroom and on campus.

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