Ayla Parham is the new PSGA president for the 2015-2016 academic year. She outlined her vision which includes opening opportunities for student internships, building relationships with the Parkville community, and making PSGA more transparent and accessible to students. The new program specialist for Student Life is Jasur Rakhimov, an MBA student from Uzbekistan who brings his artistic skills to planning events.

1. September 4, 2015 Page 5
New PSGA president seeks fresh agenda
Park University’s new PSGA president, Ayla Parham, addressed students, faculty and staff at Opening Convocation on Aug. 21, outlin-
ing her vision, ideas and goals for Park’s Student Government Association and the university for the 2015-2016 academic school year.
New semester, new classes and
a new Park Student Government
Association (PSGA) president.
Ayla Parham is the new
Kristen Haug
Staff Reporter
Rakhimov named Student Life’s program specialist
The 2014-2015 academic school year ended with
Hungarian student, Nori Gedei serving as Student Life’s
student program specialist.
Gedei contributed two years to Park University and
Student Life before graduating last May.
This year, Jasur Rakhimov, who is from Uzbekistan, will
take a turn at the position.
Since he was offered the position in mid-July, Rakhimov
has been working on upcoming events, managing mentors
and RA summer training.
Students can meet Rakhimov in the Student Life office,
on the first floor of Thompson Commons, which some
students refer to as “the fish tank” because of the windows.
Students may find him on the phone or on his computer
scheduling future events.
This week Rakhimov will be working on homecoming
week – where John Rush, the human iPod, should be coming
to Park University.
Rush is a performer who utilizes computer technology to
turn his solo playing into the sound of a complete band. He
plays eight instruments in performance and features both
original music and covers.
“We have a lot of events,” Rakhimov said. “All of them
are really fun.
“I work here to make the student’s lives as awesome as
possible” he said, carrying boxes and walking through the
underground to go to the mailroom.
During the walk, Rakhimov took the time to say “hi” to
every person he encountered on his way; calling each one
by first name.
Aside from the meetings with Park Student Activities
Board, working in Canvas, and scheduling events,
Rakhimov is using his job to express his creativity.
He enjoys drawing so he always carries a notebook and
a few pencils.
His Facebook page RATT ART counts 700 fans, and he
also regularly updates his website jasur.rakhimovs.com.
When making posters, he doesn’t hesitate to add his
personal touch. The ones seen on the facebook page of Park
University Student Life were drawn by him.
As an MBA student, Rhakimov said he is learning skills
that will be useful in the job market, such as presentations
skills and customer services.
Ben Zibers, coordinator for student engagement,
describes Rhakimov as, “attentive, focused and driven.”
“[Rakhimov] extends his drawing talent and his creativity
to impact his work,” said Zibers.
Students can contact Rakhimov at 816-584-6726 or at
jrakhimov@park.edu.
Chloé Durand
Culture Editor
PHOTO/Max Mohr
PSGA president. She is a senior
majoring in secondary education
and biology, member of student
leadership and student life, RA,
and a member of Association
for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Parham said she was inspired
to run for president last year
because of her campus activity
involvement and her appreciation
for Park University. She said she
wanted to get more
involved in the Park
community and be a
positive leader.
“Overall I love
Park,” Parham said.
“I’ve enjoyed my
time here and the
opportunities I’ve had.”
Now, she is seeking
to incorporate her love
for Park, she said,
into her new role as
president.
Because the
semester has just
begun, Parham and
PSGA have not
finalized an agenda for
this year. However, she
does have a few ideas
of what she desires to
accomplish.
Parham said she
wants to open an
opportunity for students
to receive internships,
and build further
relationships in the
Parkville community.
“I think that it is
important to give the
community a sense of
who we are as a university,” she
said. “I think getting students to
intern and volunteer will allow
this.”
Within PSGA she wants to
instill a practice of living by
Park’s core values, which are:
accountability, civility and respect,
excellence, global citizenship,
inclusivity and integrity.
Parham would also like to see
PSGA become more transparent.
“It will be good for the student
body to see that PSGAis accessible
and there for the students,” Parham
said. “For a long time PSGA has
been seen as an elitist association.
I want to be there for the school.”
Parham encouraged the student
body to attend PSGA meetings and
voice opinions as well as stopping
by their office.
Faculty senate president and
associate professor of philosophy
Adam Potthast agrees with
Parham’s vision for this 2015-
2016 academic year.
“The really strong skills are the
ones that can continue the energy
and that’s what leaders like Ayla
really do for a university,” Potthast
said. “They allow us to extend that
energy throughout the semester.”
Potthast said he thinks Parham
has the skills to aid her this year.
“Ayla is excited, and working,
and organized,” he said. “All
which make a great leader.”
With a new year to look
forward to, Parham said she wants
to encourage students to keep
working hard. “Park is in a process
of change, and it is easy to get
discouraged,” she said. “We just
need to work hard, and persevere.”
Ayla Parham brings new vision to Park’s student government and the university
Artist Jasur Rakhimov is filling the role of program specialist for
Student Life, bring his skill with pen and pencil to event planning
and student fun.
PHOTOS/Courtney Fairhurst
Above: Students enjoyed a s’mores buffet that was set up outside the president’s house. Students were then invited
inside for a guided tour of the house by the President Jeff Ehrlich’s wife, Donna, as well as the family dog, Buddy.
Below: Students lined up on the sidewalk outside the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on May 21 as faculty and staff
prepared for Convocation.
PHOTOS/Max Mohr
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