RHA Speaker-elect of Congress Nathan Dare said that he’s always had a knack for the details.

“I have a really profound passion for legislation,” Dare said. “I get to see what our money can do across this campus.”

Since he began serving as Schurz Hall’s representative in the Operations Committee this fall, the health sciences major from Puxico, Missouri, has been helping to direct the the flow of RHA funding and efforts at MU. So when President-elect Maggie Recca encouraged him to run for speaker of Congress, leader of RHA’s legislative branch, he had to consider.

At the April 10 Congress meeting, Dare was elected speaker by unanimous vote. In his new role, he said his responsibilities will be running Congress every other Monday as well as coordinating guest speakers and funding requests.

Dare said he already has several goals planned for when he takes office.

“By far my biggest objective is trying to push towards an all-upperclassmen res hall,” Dare said. “Just seeing the lower numbers and all of these res halls closing for this next year, it’s kind of disheartening to me.”

Dare said he hopes to increase the number of students living on-campus by encouraging more upperclassmen to return to the residence halls.

“Talking to many students this year, I’ve found that, definitely, an upperclassmen res hall is something that people are interested in,” Dare said. “I’m gonna try my hardest to implement that.”

Additionally, Dare said that he wants to work with MSA to create a more “cohesive unit” in student government, as well as work with Recca and RHA Vice President-elect Mitchell Davis to implement Recca and Davis’ platform goals.

“I’m gonna work really hard to ensure that we give our constituents what they voted for,” said Dare.

To that end, Dare has already began coordinating with incoming RHA executive members has already begun and they’ve made plans for the summer. Dare said that his familiarity with the new members of the executive branch will be helpful.

“When I found out who I’m going to be working with next year, it’s a lot of people that I’ve worked with this year,” Dare said. “I’m so excited to be working with the same group of people.”

Generally, Dare said he will work to try and encourage input from his representatives.

“Not only am I supposed to be leading, but I’m kind of a facilitator,” Dare said. “I need to hear what my representatives next year are passionate about. Hopefully, it’s the same things that I’m passionate about, but if it’s not, I want to make sure they have the same voice that I do.”

Outside of student government, Dare serves as the philanthropy chair of his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau, and is a member of the Pre Occupational Therapy Association and Marching Mizzou, although he said won’t be part of the latter next year due to time constraints.

Dare was sworn in April 24, and will preside over his first Congress on May 1.

_Edited by Emily Gallion | egallion@themaneater.com_