by Schyler Jones | Nov 9, 2020 | News Slider, Politics
As millions across the country celebrated the results from the presidential election, much of the focus was on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Harris will be the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president of the United States. Harris, the daughter of immigrants, is no stranger to breaking barriers. Her mother, who came to the U.S. from India at the age of 19, used to tell her, “You may be the first to do many things, but make sure you’re not the last.” Harris promised in her victory speech on Saturday to follow those wise words. Speaking directly to the children of our country, she said, “Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before. And we will applaud you every step of the way.” For women, especially women of color in the U.S., her election is personal. Shaniya Pleasant, a senior biology major, explained why representation matters to her. “I think that having a Black vice president elect is so important because I finally get to see someone who looks like me, who loves me, and wants the best for us in office for once,” Pleasant said. “It’s so vital because representation matters on all levels. And today a Black and South Asian woman is our country’s first female vice president elect, and that simply makes my heart swell.” Sarah Feldman, a junior nursing major, had similar thoughts. “In society today, women are viewed as less than, and from the time children are born they are taught to fit into...
by Cory Woodroof | Apr 17, 2013 | News Slider
SGA announced on Wednesday that Andrew Hunt had been elected as the new President of Lipscomb’s Student Government Association. Hunt will take over the position previously held by Patrick Grace. Drew Watson was announced as the new Vice President, the SGA title Hunt held this past school year. Julia Rox will once again hold the title of Secretary, while Melissa Parrish won the title of Treasurer. Hunt expressed his excitement in the victory. “I was really, really nervous going into it, and I really had no idea what to expect,” Hunt said. “But I’m really, really excited.” Hunt shared a couple of the tasks he hopes to accomplish in his first days as the new SGA President, among those being the need to finalize the new addition of off-campus meal plans. “We’ve still got some stuff to nail down about off-campus meal plans, so I’m really going to try and finish that up,” Hunt said. Hunt also said that he hopes to establish an SGA presence on the university’s Board of Trustees. Saying he was both surprised and excited about his win, Watson also shared his hopes for next semester, underlining his desire for improved communication between SGA and the student body. “I really want to work on communication,” Watson said. “We’re going to start by getting the word out and accepting ideas from the student body.” Kaley Greene was named Miss Lipscomb, while Tyler Osborne was named the Bachelor of Ugliness. Here is the full list of election winners, courtesy of SGA. President Andrew Hunt VP Drew Watson Secretary Julia Rox Treasurer Melissa Parrish Senior Senators Kelli Blackshear Rachel Bush...
by Hunter Patterson | Apr 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
You only live once. This seems to be the common term used on campus these days. As cliché as it is, there is truth that comes from it. We only live once, and we are only in college once. Why not make it the best it could possibly be? That is simply the reason I am running for president. I’ve been a student here for three years. I have tried to experience just about everything that’s happened on campus. I’ve made so many meaningful relationships with students and faculty; I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I simply want every student to have the best year on campus they have ever experienced. A lot of you might ask how I am going to make that happen? Well, there is something wrong with that question. The question should be, how are WE going to make that happen? I think there is a slight misconception with role of the student government president. It is not a pedestal to sit on while just changing a few policies to make the students content. I believe that the president is a bridge that connects us to people and resources that can make our ideas a reality. I want to be that bridge so that every student can contribute to making next year an absolute blast. I’ve already heard some great suggestions from many of you, and I am eager to hear from any and every one of you that has an idea. Last question. How am I going to do all these things since I haven’t been a part of SGA before? No, I haven’t...
by Hunter Patterson | Apr 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
People ask me if I think I can really get off-campus meal plans and a three day easter weekend and some of the other things we talk about in our video and on our fliers. The fact is, I wouldn’t know how reasonable these things are if it weren’t for me getting to experience the process this year in SGA. This isn’t groundbreaking work; Daniel has been working all year to get us to the point where we can have a conversation about these things.As his presidency has come to a close, I’ve found myself working to keep his process moving forward, which means taking initiative for the past couple months on off-campus meal plans. I plan on living on campus this summer, and I expect to be busy working alongside Jeff Wilson to get a deal hashed out that will provide a debit account for restaurants off campus. I can’t sit here and promise you this is definitely going to happen, but I can promise you that I am not content with our meal plan system as it stands and that I will fight through the summer and into the next school year in order to get us a better service. I want to be transparent with the student body, and I want them to know where their money is going. But don’t just vote for a giant banner in the square or a clever video on Facebook – get a chance to know who I am and what I stand for by coming to Bison Square immediately following Chapel on April 10. Get a little popsicle, listen...
by Crystal Davis | Apr 20, 2011 | News Slider
After Monday night’s debate, hanging fliers around campus and lots of campaigning, the time has come to elect your Student Government Association for next school year. The elections began at midnight Tuesday, April 19, and will continue for the next 24 hours. The SGA candidate list, excluding the senate positions, is as follows: President- Kirk Averitt and Daniel Wakefield Vice-President- Alé Dalton and Amy Estepp Treasurer- Patrick Grace and Leah Raich Secretary- Kenneth Coca and Thomas Whisenant Jackson Sprayberry, the 2010-2011 SGA President had many great things to say about the candidates. “From what I know of each of the candidates, they bring a vast array of experiences and qualifications that would allow them to serve in the executive council of SGA in an effective manner,” Sprayberry said. Sprayberry doesn’t think that any candidate is favored to win by a landslide. “SGA elections are an interesting breed of elections,” Sprayberry said. “Those that appear to be a front-runner may not be the one who actually wins. At this point, I’m not sure there is a clear front-runner in any race.” One of the main issues that Sprayberry said would be a focus each candidate is the continued commitment “of creating community for all of our students through planning events, the shaping of university policies, and by making capital investments across campus.” When emails went out across campus urging students to place an intent-to-run form in the SGA elections, they emphasized the SGA’s ability to take affect the lives of students on campus. “I feel students are looking to elect individuals who will continue to unashamedly and persistently express student concerns to the administration,” Sprayberry said. Alé Dalton,...
