Newly elected Tabor College Student Senate President Andrew Wiens has been selected by Kansas Senator Sam Brownback to be the Kansas college student representative at the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship Student Congress, June 20-27, in Lexington, Ky.

“I am honored to be selected to participate in this outstanding event,” Wiens said, who is a junior honors student from Topeka. He is pursuing a quadruple major in history, Bible, business, and philosophy, and will be joined by students nominated from each state and the District of Columbia.

The purpose of the event, which will be held at Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky, is to educate future public leaders in the skills and processes of statesmanship, providing lessons in diplomacy, dialogue, listening skills, negotiation, and mediation.

In addition to holding mock legislative sessions, students will hear top speakers from around the world on conflict resolution, decision making in a shared power world, and national and international relations.

“I am excited to see what’s going to happen,” Wiens added.

Tabor College Provost Dr. Lawrence Ressler was delighted to hear that Wiens had been selected from among college and university students in the state to represent Kansas.

“We owe Senator Brownback our gratitude for nominating a student at Tabor College to represent the state of Kansas,” Ressler said. “The Henry Clay Student Congress has a marvelous purpose, to help educate a new generation in the skills and processes of statesmanship.

“Andrew will represent Tabor College very well and I am sure he will enrich the college when he returns from what will be a transforming experience.”

Wiens recently was elected Student Senate President for the 2009-10 academic year. He is eager to take the gavel of campus leadership next fall.

“Hopefully, I will be able to use what I learn at the Henry Clay Student Congress and apply it to leading the Student Senate at Tabor next year,” he said.

Wiens is keeping his options open for future public office.

“After I graduate from Tabor, I’ll probably go to grad school somewhere. I’m interested in philosophy, history, and law, but public service is a possibility. I’m not shutting down that option.”

Wiens is the son of Emery and Donna Wiens of Topeka.