Welcoming Our New VPs for 2025-2026

This past Friday, Assistant Dean of Students Hollister Olson announced the newly elected Vice Presidents of the Student Council for the 2025-26 school year—IV Formers Ethan Zhu, Victor Nikolaev, and Walter Mchana.

Zhu decided to run for Vice President of Academics following a conversation with his V Form friends, whose expectations of the college application process fell short. “I’ve heard so many complaints such as “‘if only I had stuck with Latin,’ or ‘if only I didn't have this teacher,’” he recalled. “In general, I hope to improve the academic experience of Lawrenceville students through addressing the concerns of excessive homework and inconsistent grading,” Zhu stated. His platform placed emphasis on promoting cross-checks for homework loads and course-wide cross-grading. He noted that those two parts of his proposal are “the most difficult to implement” due to the “distinct schedule of students and the varying teaching styles of teachers.” Having already collected feedback from his peers, Zhu noted that he hopes to implement cross-grading in the upcoming school year and revamp the Peer Tutoring program. Another cornerstone of Zhu’s platform involves restricting student workload. “The standard homework time is set by the Lawrenceville Student Handbook, because the time limits are set with consideration of the balance between students’ academic performance and wellbeing,” Zhu claimed. In addition, he hopes to bridge the information gap for students seeking research opportunities. 

Vice President of Honor and Discipline Nikolaev’s initiatives seek to reinvent the disciplinary system from one grounded in fear to one that highlights community and support. “I hope to make the process clear and predictable,” Nikolaev said. “I want to remove unnecessary stress from the already challenging academic environment,” he added. Nikolaev is also excited to implement his proposal of Discipline Committee Appeals: “This initiative will help reshape the current disciplinary process, giving students second chances and reducing the effects that disciplinary procedures have on college applications,” he emphasized. Furthermore, Nikolaev looks forward to expanding the role of the Honor Council. “I want the committee to be more proactive,” he explained, “so that every student feels supported at all times.” 

Lastly, as the incoming Vice President of Social Life, Mchana hopes to leave a lasting legacy on the social experience of Lawrenceville students. Reflecting upon his experience on the Social Council, Mchana observed that “every student has a different perception of what the word fun means.” In response, he hopes to start working on his proposal of the “Fun Factory” as soon as the next school year starts. The Fun Factory is a place where students can propose events and turn them into actions. “I want social events at Lawrenceville to feel fundatory and not mandatory,” he explained. 

Considering the packed schedules of Lawrenceville students, Mchana looks forward to “navigating and working with other members of the student council so [he] can organize events that fit well in the academic routine.” Instead of layering on top of the heavy workload of Lawrenceville students, Mchana aims to create activities which the community “has the energy for”.

The next phase of the election process will focus on selecting the remaining Student Council representatives, including those of Diversity, Arts, Wellness, Athletics, and Community Service.