Student Government Association named junior agribusiness major Ellie McGowan as their 2022-23 president on March 23. 

Other members of the Executive Board include: sophomore Claudia Sweeney as vice president of administration, junior Gabe Maynard as executive vice president and junior Jacob Fritts as vice president of finance. 

McGowan said she is excited to have the opportunity to represent students, faculty and staff. 

“The thing that I’m looking forward to the most in serving in this role is definitely just being able to connect with more people than I ever have before,” McGowan said. “I have always fostered a long-term passion for people, and so being able to meet multiple different students who serve in leadership roles, who are coming and transitioning to campus definitely interests me.” 

McGowan said SGA is here to serve the student body so it is her goal to let students know they can depend on her. 

The Executive Board works alongside the SGA president to make Murray State a better place for students.

Sweeney said she ran for vice president of administration because of her love for Murray State. 

“This campus has given me so many opportunities to grow, lead and serve,” Sweeney said. “Throughout my time here, I have been involved with SGA each year. I served as a cabbie—volunteering for events on campus—and over the past year, I have served as a PR chair for CAB [Campus Activities Board], posting graphics to SGA’s social media in regards to upcoming events.” 

Sweeney said these positions allowed her the opportunity to grow more as a leader.

As the vice president of administration, Sweeney will be responsible for taking attendance and minutes for each SGA meeting and leading interviews for vacant positions with the rest of the Executive Board. 

As the executive vice president, Maynard will work alongside the SGA president while also overseeing the CAB, as its president. 

Maynard said he is hoping to make connections with others at the University.  

“I am looking forward to meeting new people and working with SGA as a whole to be a voice for the students here at Murray State,” Maynard said. 

As the president of the CAB, Maynard said he hopes to see more students become involved with campus activities. 

“The CAB is a great place for students to get involved on campus and present things they want to see on campus,” Maynard said. “There are so many aspects that I am excited to dive into with this role.” 

Fritts, the vice president of finance, will be responsible for the SGA budget and managing the account. 

Fritts said the Executive Board wants to do what they can to help Murray State students. 

“To say we are all super excited for this opportunity would be an understatement. We’re all super eager to get to work,” Fritts said.

The Executive Board campaigned together with the idea they could help make Murray State an even better place for current and future students. 

Current SGA President Ian Puckett said he is proud of the work he and his administration accomplished during his term. 

“We were really proud of getting that additional row of parking at the Curris Center,” Puckett said. “The Curris Center is a student center, first and foremost, and we felt the parking should reflect that.”

Puckett said he and his administration also were proud of the COVID-19 PSA released in August, but he said he is the most proud of the scholarship fund plan announced earlier this year. 

Once complete, the need-based scholarship fund will directly support students working clinicals or unpaid internships. 

Puckett said he will miss being able to help students but appreciates the friendships he made during his tenure. 

“What I’m going to miss the most is having the authority to make a decision that could directly impact students now, or within weeks or months or the next semester,” Puckett said. “It just thrilled me to death, knowing that I could do that and that the students had placed their faith and trust in me to do that.” 

Puckett said he is happy to see McGowan take over the position and is confident she will represent students well. 

McGowan said she is excited to take on this role and learn more about herself in the process. 

“I feel like my levels of personal growth are going to be tested this year and I’m going to be pushed to do things I’ve never done before and that doesn’t scare me,” McGowan said. “I’m really excited for that opportunity.” 

SGA meetings are held Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the Curris Center Barkley Room.