Where are they now: Life after the MSA presidency

By Jenna Youngs

Published Feb. 2, 2007

A pastor, a businessman and a future lawyer walked into an office. Sound like a bad joke? Perhaps.

student body president.

Doing it for the kids

Mykael Wright is regarded by many in MSA as one of the best presidents in the organization's recent history.

Wright, who was the first black president in MSA history, served as vice president in 2001 and as president in 2002.

During his tenure, STRIPES, the sober ride program, was created.

"I saw the bigger picture of college than a lot of people," he said. "I got to see the bigger picture of higher education. My time in office made me appreciate the totality of what goes into college."

Since graduating in 2003, Wright spent two years working for Teach for America in Phoenix as an English and social studies teacher and basketball coach.

He now serves as the education director and children's and youth pastor at his church in suburban Phoenix.

"I don't think it's fair to say a lot more people cared about MSA then per se, but there certainly was a lot more attention paid to the organization," he said. "We made sure we were accessible. A lot of the younger students knew us, and not in a bad way. They seemed more idealistic then."

Wright said that since moving to Arizona, he hasn't kept up with what's happening on campus.

"I still love Mizzou, but being in Phoenix, it's hard to pay as much attention," he said. "I think it would be different if I lived in St. Louis or something."

Building a business

Brian Laoruangroch sometimes stops and wonders whether students will remember what his administration accomplished in 2004, or whether they'll remember him as the first MSA president to be impeached. But most of the time he's too busy running Sellyoularphone Co., a business he started in July 2005, to worry about it.

"That was three years ago," he said. "I think a lot of projects were seeded in my administration, like the 24-hour computer labs and expanded library hours, but I won't be remembered for what I accomplished. I'll always be remembered for the impeachment."

Laoruangroch said many of his troubles stemmed from his young age as president. At 19, he was the youngest student ever elected to the office.

"I had to mature a lot faster than a lot of people my age," he said. "Being younger, I was one of the first to be underage while in office. I had taken on responsibility and a public office, and I had to follow a different set of guidelines than others my age who were having fun as college students. I didn't accept the fact that I took on added responsibilities and wasn't as mature as I needed to be. After my time in office, I was forced to mature quite a bit. I decided to do something different than most my age again and start a business."

Laoruangroch, who is completing his final three credit hours in an online course, said he no longer worries about his past problems and accomplishments in MSA because Sellyoularphone Co. takes up all of his time.

He sells "replacement phones" through the Web site, sellyoularphoneco.com, and on April 1, will open his first store location at Columbia Mall. There are 20 employees working at the company and all but two are still undergraduates. If all goes according to plan, he said, the company will begin opening locations nationally by the end of the year.

"In MSA, it was hard to accomplish things because of bureaucratic roadblocks," Laoruangroch said. "In business, while there are still some roadblocks, the bottom line is will a decision keep the company strong or not."

Hitting the books

Tony Luetkemeyer spends most of his days holed up in the library at the law school.

As a first-year student at MU's School of Law, he said he doesn't have time for much else, though he still spends a few moments occasionally reminiscing about his summer at the White House as an intern in the Domestic Policy Council office.

Luetkemeyer, who served as president in 2005, said he's most proud of ending conflicts within MSA that he said remained following Laoruangroch's term.

"I think when Cheryl (Tomes) and I took over, everyone would agree MSA was in shambles," he said. "I would like my legacy to be bringing credibility back. After we left, students no longer saw it as people fighting all the time. Instead of seeing squabbling students they saw thoughtful discussions."

Advice for the newbie

New MSA President Rachel Anderson, who will celebrate her formal inauguration tonight, has already experienced some added pressure of being the first woman in the office since Susan Manuel in 2000.

"She just needs to remember to be herself," Wright said. "I didn't put any added pressure on myself because I was the first black president. It's not like you get a cookie or anything for stuff like that. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're the first or the last, it just matters that she's serving all students to the best of her ability, not just all women students."

Laoruangroch said Anderson needs to remember to have a tough skin and not to hold a grudge against those who oppose her.

"My advice comes from the mistakes I made in office," he said. "People can criticize you and put the spotlight on you, but it's about what you do and what you can accomplish."

Luetkemeyer said as long as Anderson keeps her job in perspective, she'll do fine.

"Remember the job is student body president," he said. "Don't blow things up and take the job too seriously. You'll have a lot of important job duties and responsibilities, but it's not the U.S. presidency. People aren't dying because of the decisions you're making."

The three former presidents said that in the end, their tenure taught them life lessons, but it doesn't continue to define their lives.

"The great thing about life is not knowing what's going to happen next but keeping an eye open for the next opportunity to do something cool," Laoruangroch said.