ALEX BENDER
THEY/THEM
PRESIDENT
Leadership Council
Alex Bender is studying Computer Networking at Anoka Ramsey Community College’s Coon Rapids campus. Alex was a member of LeadMN in its previous incarnation as MSCSA during the 2016/2017 academic year before leaving higher education for many years. They returned in 2024/2025 as a member of LeadMN’s Board of Directors representing Region 7. The following year they joined the Executive Board, now Leadership Council, as Secretary. This year, as President, Alex seek’s to lead with experience, foster continuing growth for LeadMN, and use their voice to fight for the future Minnesota’s students deserve.
Alex has a passion for Advocacy and Public Policy that makes LeadMN a perfect fit, but the thing they love most about their work has always been the people. As a student leader, Alex constantly seeks opportunities to encourage other students to speak out and work together towards a common goal. The transformative power of a group of people coming together to create a better future has always motivated and inspired Alex and they hope to share that inspiration with as many people as they can.
Currently Alex lives in Circle Pines and when they aren’t working retail or advocating for student issues they can surely be found gathering friends around a table to play games and laugh together. Alex has a deep love for board games, tabletop RPGs, and storytelling and feels that the common thread between these passions is their ability to bring people together. It’s no surprise that they returned to the organization to help bring students together to organize, advocate, and make their voices heard.
Aaron Eischen is a Graphic Design Technologies student at Dakota County Technical College with a passion for creativity, design, and helping others. His interest in graphic design started in high school when he took a graphic design class and quickly realized that graphic design was something he wanted to pursue as a career.
While attending DCTC, Aaron has developed experience in graphic design, including working with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. He has also explored areas such as typography, branding, photography, web design, and digital media. Aaron has earned an Adobe certification in Visual Design and continues to build his skills through his coursework, personal projects, and hands-on experiences.
Aaron became involved with LeadMN because he immediately felt welcomed and connected to the people around him. After attending his first meeting, he knew that LeadMN was something he wanted to become more involved in. That feeling continued to grow as he became more active in the organization and eventually traveled to Washington, D.C.
While in Washington, D.C., Aaron found himself becoming more confident and outgoing than he had ever been before. Being surrounded by other student leaders gave him the confidence to speak with new people, share his ideas, and step outside of his comfort zone. During the trip, he realized that he wanted to take his involvement with LeadMN even further. While sitting in his hotel room, Aaron made the decision to run for LeadMN’s Vice President position and submitted his application right from the hotel.
Aaron has also been recognized for his academic and creative accomplishments. Throughout high school, he received multiple academic honors and awards for his graphic design work. One of his accomplishments was competing with Business Professionals of America, where he earned the opportunity to compete at the national level in Nashville.
Aaron’s motivation comes from a simple belief: you only get one life, so you might as well make the most of it. He tries to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible by getting involved in clubs, events, organizations, and other experiences that allow him to stay active and continue growing. His busy schedule is a reflection of his desire to experience as much as he can and make the most of the opportunities available to him.
Outside of school and his other commitments, Aaron is a longtime gamer. Although college has kept him busier recently, gaming continues to be an important interest of his. He has also spent time working closely with Shawn “Solo” Fonteno on a roleplay server, combining his interest in gaming with creativity and collaboration.
One of the things Aaron enjoys most is helping others. He finds genuine happiness in seeing other people smile and knowing that he has made someone’s day a little better. This is also one of the reasons he enjoys being involved in organizations and leadership opportunities where he can work with and support other people.
Aaron believes that learning is something that should never stop. He believes that knowledge is strength and that developing knowledge across multiple subjects can open more opportunities in life and make him a more valuable professional. He continues to challenge himself to learn new skills, explore new subjects, and become a more well-rounded person.
Aaron is continuing to grow both as a designer and as a leader. He hopes to use his creativity and skills to create meaningful designs, work with others, and continue exploring the many different opportunities available within the graphic design field.