DeKALB — The Student Association Senate approved Embrace Models, a student organization that aims to give students the chance to become more involved with fashion, photography and the performing arts.

The student group is a modeling organization that has been independently run since 2012. Members participate in runway modeling, still photography and dance performances. The members are passionate about promoting self-love, according to the biography on the organization’s Huskie Link.

Embrace Models president Daila Duncan and Jason McKenzie, Embrace Models vice president, spoke to the SA Senate during a 5 p.m. meeting Sunday at the Holmes Student Center, Sky Room.

“Embrace Models has a vision to be one of the most diverse modeling organizations on campus,” Duncan said. “We hope eventually that we will have people of all races and backgrounds in our organization.”

Duncan said the organization will be able to bring the campus together with its diverse community and hold shows in different communities.

“We want to show each other and the NIU community that we are love, we are great, and we are beautiful,” Duncan said.

SA approves new senator

Senator Wendy Ogunsanya was sworn in by SA Senate Speaker Christine Wang after being unanimously voted into the SA Senate during the meeting.

Ogunsanya, a senior accounting major, was unanimously voted into the SA Senate. Ogunsanya moved to the U.S. from Nigeria three years ago.

“What I really admire about Wendy is her persistence and dedication,” Wang said. “A lot of students would have given up halfway through the process, but it has taken her a lot of time, and she will be a really good spokesperson, especially for international students.”

The SA has a capacity of 40 members. With a standing of 28 members, 12 vacancies remained on the Senate.

Ogunsanya applied for the position last semester but wasn’t able to get approved until readjusting her application to fit the qualifications.

“I am in the College of Business, and I wanted to be a part of the NIU community outside of that,” Ogunsanya said. “I feel the Senate will give me a good taste of being an active part of the university.”

Ogunsanya said diversity is important to the NIU community, especially within the Student Association. Senator Luis Flores agreed with her.

“I think it is always good to have diversity, especially on the Senate,” Flores said. “There are now more people with different backgrounds on the Senate and at NIU, so it is always a good thing.”

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Morgan Fink is a staff writer. She can be reached at [email protected].