Zach Freeman and Maya Khaskhely were elected student body president and vice president on April 4, 2025. The two will serve during the 2025-26 academic year after receiving 60.1% of the total votes in a run-off election.
“I understand the needs of students are ever changing, and I’m passionate about giving back to a place that has given so much to me,” Freeman told The Tiger.
While addressing the highlight of his campaign, Freeman said that the best part of his experience was the opportunity to meet new people and individuals “from all different walks of life.”
He got the chance to speak with a range of students, faculty members and administrators that he likely would not have met without running for student body president.
Freeman and Khaskhely finished their interviews for the cabinet over the weekend, and they have decided to add a new cabinet position for a ClemsonLIFE student as a way to “foster inclusivity.”
This is not the only change that the new president would like to promote in his term, however. Freeman also plans to increase student representation in decision-making entities, including the Board of Trustees. Additionally, he notes that there should be a stronger connection between Clemson Undergraduate Student Government and other student organizations in an attempt to have a “unified student body.”
Freedman said he and Khaskhely want to create an “approachable and accessible” atmosphere within CUSG and the greater Clemson community.
“It’s not to be that figurehead, it’s not a resume builder. We are just passionate about serving everyone,” Freeman told The Tiger.
Freeman’s favorite part of being a Clemson student has been being able to experience all of the classic Clemson traditions. He received his Clemson ring in one of the spring 2025 ceremonies and noted his appreciation for how much “traditions shape the culture [of Clemson].”
When asked about the main piece of advice he would give to fellow students, Freedman said that he would recommend that everyone should join some of the over 500 clubs offered at Clemson.
Freeman is a rising senior management and marketing major with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and is originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is enrolled in the Clemson University Honors College and is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and Order of Omega, the “premier Honor Society for Clemson’s Fraternity & Sorority leaders,” according to its website.
Freeman also serves as a recruitment ambassador for the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business and works to support ClemsonLIFE. This leadership and executive experience equipped Freeman with the skills he felt necessary to run for student body president.
He said that joining clubs and getting involved has made him realize that “there truly is something special in these hills.”
Freeman said that he and Khaskhely would like to thank the student body for its support.
“It’s been an incredible journey so far, and while the campaigning may have come to an end, the real journey has just begun. We look forward to kind of creating a lasting impact on Clemson’s community,” Freeman said.
