Chancellor Dan Jones, right, speaks with Emerson Geogre, left, and Davis Rogers. Photo: Thomas Graning, The Daily Mississippian.
The Associated Student Body and Student Activities Association officers for the 2014-15 school year were inaugurated into office Tuesday.
University administrators including Chancellor Dan Jones and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc spoke as part of the event. They both issued a congratulatory message to the newly inaugurated officers as well as a message to the outgoing officers.
Outgoing ASB President Gregory Alston said he was proud of the work he and his colleagues were able to accomplish while in office. He also said he looks forward to seeing what the newly inaugurated officers will do in the coming year.
“I think we are going out on a good note,” Alston said. “I’m really excited for the things we did and the initiatives we accomplished and the group I got to work with. I’m really confident with the leadership that is about to come in, so I feel very good about them.”
The ASB officers inaugurated were Davis Rogers as president, Emerson George as vice president, Madison White as treasurer, Heather Neilson as secretary, Kelly Savage as attorney general, and Jared Akers as judicial chair.
Carly Eason was also inaugurated as Student Activities Association director. Christian Schloegel was inaugurated as co-director.
Alston spoke words of advice to the ASB officers for the coming year.
“It’s very important that leaders stand up for what they believe in,” Alston said. “I think it’s very important that you stay true to your values. We all have values that are instilled upon us, and I think it’s our duty to follow those values and go with what our heart believes in. If we believe in something, I think it’s very important that we follow our beliefs to make the right decisions.”
Emerson George, ASB vice president for the 2014-15 school year, said he hopes to follow the example set by the outgoing officers.
“The ASB officers that are leaving had incredible leadership skills, incredible time management skills,” George said. “They took their beliefs and used them to make a huge difference on our campus. What Gregory said about holding true to your beliefs is really something that I’m going to try and make sure that I remember throughout the course of the next 12 months. I think that to stay on the right path, the best thing you can do is stay on your moral compass and listen to the students.”
Davis Rogers, ASB president for the 2014-15 school year, said he is excited to begin working in this role and looks forward to uniting the student body.
“I’m nervous, but I’m really excited,” Rogers said. “Greg set me up for a really good year, and I just have to follow his lead on that. I’m here to listen. I’m here to hear (the students’ voices). I represent all of you, so please feel free to contact me whenever you can, and hopefully we can unite as a campus. Join me in that.”
— Allison Slusher
thedmnews@gmail.com
