Peter Waning ’27 is continuing a proud family legacy while carving out his own path as Student Government Association (SGA) President.
A third-generation Marian student, Waning follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, who attended Marian College and served as freshman class president in 1968 and later as Student Body President in 1970. While that legacy is meaningful, Peter’s leadership journey began with a simple yes.
He first became involved in SGA through College Mentors for Kids when the organization needed a student representative. What started as a willingness to serve quickly became a passion for creating change on campus.
Although he did not initially see himself becoming SGA President, encouragement from the previous president gave him the confidence to run. When he stepped into the role, Waning set a clear goal: improve communication and strengthen campus unity.
“The more our campus is connected, the more unified we’ll be,” Waning said.
Under his leadership, SGA has implemented several initiatives designed to increase transparency and student engagement. Waning prioritized expanding SGA’s social media presence, introducing one-minute meeting recap videos and enhancing event promotion to ensure students better understand what SGA does and how it serves the Marian community.
He also restructured senate meetings to foster greater collaboration and representation. Rather than primarily hearing updates from the executive board, senators now have more space to share updates from their respective clubs and organizations. Guest speakers and cross-campus conversations have created a more inclusive environment where students feel empowered to voice what matters most to them.
These changes have led to increased student participation in the 60+ clubs and organizations and more responsive campus programming, strengthening engagement across the university.
One of Waning’s proudest moments as SGA President was speaking at New Student Convocation, where he welcomed incoming students as one of the first friendly faces they encountered on campus. He also values the opportunity to represent students in spaces such as Board of Trustees meetings, gaining insight into university leadership while advocating for the student body.
For Waning, leadership is rooted in accessibility and passion. He encourages students who want to make a difference not to feel intimidated by the process. He believes getting involved is more attainable than many students think and encourages them to pursue what they care about most.
Waning’s leadership reflects Marian University’s commitment to developing servant leaders who strengthen campus community and prepare students to make a meaningful impact beyond graduation.