One of the largest and oldest traditions at Murray State is All Campus Sing, but along with all of the singing and dancing comes the announcement of the new Student Government Association president and officers.
Jeremiah Johnson, senior from Hopkinsville, Ky., was re-elected SGA president for the upcoming school year in a landslide victor over his competitors. He will represent the student body and serve as the student regent on the Board of Regents for a second year.
That honor will put him in an exclusive list of only six other former SGA presidents who served more than a single year.
Johnson beat out his competitors Chase Brasher, senior from Paducah, Ky., and Dylan Gerlach, junior from Louisville, Ky. He earned 59 percent of the votes, which totaled 600.
“I’m excited, it’s going to be a great year,” Johnson said. “I’m going to try and work on things that I have noticed in the past year.”
He said he felt like the past year was him just getting his feet wet with the SGA presidency.
“I feel like there is a lot of stuff I need to work on with me, and there is a lot of stuff that SGA needs to work on,” Johnson said. “I also know that we need to work on our relationship with the city.”
Johnson said he thinks since there are several new faces and second year executive officers, the SGA will be able to get new ideas as well as have experience from members who know how the program works.
Kevin Coughlin, sophomore from Binghamton, N.Y., received 53 percent of the votes to earn the title of SGA vice president.
Johnson said he was thrilled to have Coughlin work under him as vice president. Coughlin has experience with student government and has worked with the campus activities board for the last two years.
Words cannot describe how happy I am right now,” Coughlin said. “I am excited to start as vice president and I could not be happier that Jeremiah got re-elected for a second year.”
Greg Bone, senior from Louisville, Ky., was the only candidate running for SGA treasurer. Robert Spalding, sophomore from Mayfield, Ky., was also re-elected as SGA secretary.
At-large senators candidates are Michael Dobbs, freshman from Winchester, Ky., Samantha Anderson, senior from Winchester, Ky., Matthew Bailey, freshman from Hardinsburg, Alix Bloodworth, freshman from Murray, Christian Bowles, freshman from Prospect, Ky., David Madewell, sophomore from Owensboro, Ky., A.J. Glaser, freshman from Louisville, Ky., and Luis Aponte, junior from Clarksville, Tenn.
The new officers will take over in the new positions in May.
Each academic college also announced its new senators. Each academic college gets three students to serve as representatives.
The senators for the School of Nursing will be announced next week due to voting complications. Voting for nursing representative senators will begin April 26 at 9 a.m. and will end on April 30 at 9 a.m.
