More About

Dave Zelm

  • Student Senate President, Alumni
  • Dave Zelm, 36, served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000 to 2006. Dave was working at the Pentagon on 9/11 when al-Qaeda terrorists crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the west wall of the 6.5 million-square-foot building. During the Iraq War, he was deployed in Kirkuk, a city of 850,000 in oil-rich northeastern Iraq that became an epicenter of inter-ethnic unrest. He also served in Japan and South Korea during his time in the Air Force. Today, Dave is earning his Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree at Inver Hills Community College with plans to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University after he graduates from Inver in 2019. His goal is to earn a Master of Science (M.S.) in Aeronautics with a minor in Small Unmanned Systems. Dave serves as president on the Student Senate Executive Board. He is also president of Club V.A.L.O.R., a military and student veterans group. Dave is a single father with three children, one daughter, Madelyn, 10, and two sons, Jack and Zander, ages 8 and 6. He resides in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and when he’s not raising his children, studying, running his own aerospace business or taking part in extracurricular activities on campus, he enjoys working with drones, planes, rockets and robots as well as competing in Airsoft and playing the Dark Souls videogame series.

About This Leader

  • Dave Zelm's roles on campus:

About the Role of Student Senate President

The Executive Board of the Student Senate is comprised of  the Student Senate President, Vice President, Director of Communications, Treasurer, and Legislative Director.  As a whole, the Executive Board:

  • Is responsible for implementing all decisions made by the Student Senate
  • Notifies the faculty and administration of any student concerns as deemed necessary
  • Sets the agenda and for Student Senate meetings
  • Presents separate officer reports at all regularly scheduled meetings.
  • Attend and lead leadership workshops and trainings
  • Executive Board members will receive a stipend based each semester upon completion of their duties

The Duties of the President (as outlined in the Student Senate Bylaws)

  • Shall be responsible for the overall organization of the Student Senate.
  • Shall have knowledge and enforce the Student Senate Constitution and By-Laws.
  • Shall direct and delegate responsibilities to other Executive Board Members and Senators as deemed necessary.
  • Shall appoint all ad-hoc committee chairs.
  • Shall appoint students to campus wide committees.
  • Receive all Letters of Intent from potential Associate Student Senators, and forward them to the Executive Board.
  • Votes only in the event of a tie.
  • Shall preside and run all meetings by parliamentary procedure.
  • Shall call emergency meetings when needed.
  • Have authority to make emergency decisions that will be submitted to the Student Senate at the next regularly scheduled Student Senate meeting for approval.
  • Be a representative on the Student Activities Budgeting Committee (SABC)
  • Attend all Lead MN functions and all regional meetings. If unable to attend, the President shall appoint a delegate with consent of the Senators to attend in their place.
  • Shall have knowledge of all Lead MN governing documents.

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12 Answers from

Dave Zelm

  • Favorite Sport or Physical Activity: Airsoft
  • Most Precious Material Possession: My grandfather’s service revolver
  • National Mammal if You Could Have One: Hyena
  • Most Important Issue or Problem Facing Humankind: Individually: overcoming exaggerated and imagined fears, and just doing what you want.
  • All-Time Favorite TV Show: Firefly
  • All-Time Favorite Movie: The Right Stuff
  • Place You Would Most Like to Visit: Okinawa
  • Dream Job: I already work for myself; I can’t imagine a job in the world I would want if I had to work for someone else.
  • Who You Would Most Like to Meet: I don’t really like celebrities – maybe Elon Musk?
  • One Thing You Want to Accomplish in Life: Rotocraft license
  • Skill You Would Most Like to Learn and Master: Patience
  • Your Motto: “The rules are made up and the points don’t matter.”

PTK MEMBERSHIP PROCESS

1.) Qualify for Membership

Students who complete at least 12 college-level credits, earn a 3.5 semester GPA in at least one semester, and who maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 qualify for membership. If you are not sent an invitation to join contact ptk@inverhills.edu.

2.) Invitations Sent

Invitation emails and letters are sent to eligible students after the second week of fall and spring semester each year. The invitation will include instructions and your individual passcode needed to join.

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4.) Induction and Get Involved!

We host an induction ceremony each semester. You must sign up to be inducted. Find out more by joining our meeting or take a look at our event calendar at inverhills.edu/ptk

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