A Senior Business Management and Music double major with Conducting honors as well as an Arts Entrepreneurship minor, Korpela ‘25 is also heavily involved outside of academics. She is a member of Gustavus Wind Orchestra (GWO), takes saxophone lessons, and was recently elected student senate co-president for the ‘24-’25 academic year.
“If you told freshman Chance that she would be student senate co-president, she would not believe it” said Korpela.
Korpela stepped up as co-president after hearing the wave of the academic and calendar changes happening last year and realizing it’s a lot for any member of the community to handle. As the co-president, Korpela ‘25 said “now I can’t imagine not being in the meetings and hearing from students who have questions about the changes and advocating for what students need directly to President Bergman, faculty, and the Board of Trustees.”
Gustavus has five pillars that influence the lives of every student. When asked about which pillar directly impacts her work on the student senate, Korpela ‘25 spoke of her love for service. Whether it be her meeting with the dean’s office or speaking with president Rebecca Bergman, it influences her time as co-president.
“ It’s a great experience,” said Korpela ‘25. “But it can be challenging at times, sometimes meetings are not about you and what you’re doing for students, but it’s about the challenges of other students and the institution.”
Starting freshman year, Korpela’s involvement with the wind orchestra and being a part of the 2020 GWO Minnesota tour helped her grow closer with her current friends and roommates. In doing so, it provided a foundation and a family-like atmosphere for her. This foundation enabled her to impact local Minnesota high school students during all the tour stops and have her family and friends show up in Monticello, one of the tour stops, during the tour concert. Korpela ‘25 says that playing music and serving others is something “she looks forward to every day.”