The President’s Student Commission is a select group of full-time students representing different constituencies on campus. The commission is charged with advising Bemidji State University President John Hoffman on how to build a better university.

There are three ways to be seated on the President’s Student Commission:

  1. President’s Student Commission Scholarship – 4 seats
  2. David & Kathryn Sorensen Leadership Full-Tuition Scholarship – 1 seat
  3. Chet Anderson Leadership Scholarship – 2 seats

Their Project

The President’s Student Commission is about leadership and the culminating project will provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate leadership experience and knowledge. The commission is divided into three random groups. Each group will develop and implement an in-class presentation on the following topics:

  • Understand, recognize and foster effective and powerful leadership qualities in themselves and others
  • Understand and perhaps manage organizational politics and learn more about building relationships
  • Lead effectively through situations involving conflict
  • Create opportunities for personal reflection amid day-to-day issues and crises of management
  • Identify ways to integrate service-learning into academic curriculum
  • Enhance learning by extending learning beyond the classroom and into the community

Nomination and Application Process

Nominations for the President’s Student Commission are solicited in the spring semester of each academic year. Faculty and staff may nominate students by contacting the President’s Office. In addition, students can nominate themselves by submitting an application to the President’s Office.

AY 2022 – 2023 are currently open until November 3, 2022.

Any full-time students interested in participating in the President’s Student Commission are required to complete the application, which is only available during the nomination period.

Select applicants will participate in an interview.

President Hoffman will make the final selection for the President’s Student Commission. Each member of the Commission will receive up to a $1,000 scholarship offered by the BSU Foundation.

David & Kathryn Sorensen Leadership Full-Tuition Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a Minnesota High School graduate with preference given to a Minnesota public school. The individual must apply using the approved application, be enrolled full time as a junior or senior student at Bemidji State University with a minimum academic cumulative grade point average of 2.70. This scholarship will be awarded in recognition of students who embrace and practice the values of community leadership. Community leadership is exhibited by characteristics that work to improve the environment in which we learn, live, work, recreate and serve. These characteristics should be either embodied in and/or demonstrated by striving to achieve the following behaviors: exhibits integrity, leads innovation, energizes and leads others and delivers results. The student chosen for this scholarship will be seated on the President’s Student Commission in the year this scholarship is received.

Chet Anderson Leadership Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded annually to a returning BSU student or students who have demonstrated strong leadership skills in their school and/or community and qualify for an athletic scholarship at BSU based on the evaluation of the coaching staff. The recipient(s) of this scholarship must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0, as indicated in the guidelines of the BSU Student Leadership Program. There will be two annual selections for this scholarship (one male, one female). Recipients of the Chet Anderson Leadership Scholarship are automatically seated on the President’s Student Commission.