K-State SGA Holds Presidential Candidate Debate

Candidates discuss goals and vision for student government leadership

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Kansas State University's Student Governing Association (SGA) held a presidential candidate debate on February 19th in the K-State Student Union courtyard. The two candidate parties, Christian Peña/Caden Bastian and Lauren Wolter/Matt Hendricks, discussed their platforms and goals if elected as the next student body president and vice president.

Why it matters

The SGA presidential election is a significant event for the K-State student body, as the elected leaders will represent their interests and make decisions that impact the entire campus community. The debate provided an opportunity for students to hear directly from the candidates and make an informed choice in the upcoming election.

The details

During the debate, Christian Peña emphasized his goal of making SGA more transparent and accessible to all students. Lauren Wolter outlined her campaign's mission of 'Innovate, Inspire and Impact.' Both candidate teams encouraged students to vote through the Canvas platform on February 24th and 25th.

  • The SGA presidential candidate debate was held on February 19, 2026.
  • The SGA presidential election voting will take place on February 24-25, 2026.

The players

Christian Peña

Candidate for K-State student body president.

Caden Bastian

Candidate for K-State student body vice president, running with Christian Peña.

Lauren Wolter

Candidate for K-State student body president.

Matt Hendricks

Candidate for K-State student body vice president, running with Lauren Wolter.

Brady Kappelmann

Current K-State student body president.

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What they’re saying

“My goal is simple as student body president. If elected, I hope to make SGA more transparent and accessible to all here at Kansas State. We hope to continue to break down barriers and make everyone feel included in the decisions we make within SGA.”

— Christian Peña, Candidate for K-State student body president (kstatecollegian.com)

“My vision for this role is to truly live out Matt and I's 'whys' and bring to the forefront the platform we spent over six months developing. This is our opportunity to truly make a lasting difference at K-State.”

— Lauren Wolter, Candidate for K-State student body president (kstatecollegian.com)

“I'm really excited to hear the different ideas that both these campaigns have. It's been a lot of fun following along this year, not having to worry about campaigning ourselves, but getting to see some of the new ideas that both the campaigns are bringing.”

— Brady Kappelmann, Current K-State student body president (kstatecollegian.com)

What’s next

Students at Kansas State University will have the opportunity to vote for the next student body president and vice president through the Canvas platform on February 24-25, 2026.

The takeaway

The SGA presidential candidate debate provided K-State students with an important opportunity to hear directly from the candidates and their visions for student government leadership. Regardless of which party is elected, the debate highlighted the candidates' shared commitment to making SGA more transparent, accessible, and impactful for the entire student body.