Senior Eddie McDonald (left), SGA president, shakes hands with first-year SGA president-elect Miles Pifer (right).
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
First-year Miles Pifer was elected as the next SGA president.
As the final ballots are tallied and the anticipation reaches its peak, the Student Government Association (SGA) comes to the conclusion of its new representative election for the 2024-2025 academic year.
“We have passionate leadership that has experience but is new to the organization, so I think it’ll be different this year, but I’m excited to see what comes out of it,” current SGA President and senior Eddie McDonald said.
On April 25, the results from the elections were released. The newly elected members of SGA for the 2024 through 2025 academic year consist of: sophomore senators Erin Beaudry, Gabrielle Barnett, Lucas Gordon and Ava Ruggiero; junior senators Shortbed Bowden, Joy Ramsey, Kaza Dayton and Isaac Awogboro; senior senators Comfort Tambaya, Daryl Tucker, Abby Moyers and Veronika Murphy.
Gordon, who represented the first-year class over the 2023-2024 school year, was pleased with the increase of student involvement in the election.
“You know, I was definitely excited to see that I had been reelected. I know in the original election cycle for our freshman senators, there wasn’t that much representation—this past election cycle was just really exciting to see all the new faces on the ballot,” Gordon said.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, Miles Pifer, a first-year, and Christopher Mercer-Garrett, also a first-year, have both been elected into important positions of student leadership. Pifer was elected president and Mercer-Garrett was elected vice president.
With the conclusion of the recent elections, Pifer and Mercer-Garrett, as well as the formidable student senate, have emerged to steer our campus community towards a brighter future.
Taking on the role of president, Pifer looks forward to leading the student body through collaboration.
“The communication hasn’t been the best it can be, so I want to increase that communication, increase the openness, the drive that not just some but all students have to speak with their senators and speak with staff and faculty to address issues that happen on campus that students talk about,” Pifer said. “Broadening campus as a whole and kind of having this umbrella that surrounds campus and all the organizations that we all fit under, we can all benefit from each other and show that we can just work together for the betterment of campus.”
Mercer-Garrett echoed this sentiment, and emphasized the importance of all student voices being heard.
“There are a lot of BHC students that are involved in SGA, and I think that turns people away. And I’m not saying that to be derogatory, but I think that turns people away. I think for me coming in as a freshman I can definitely be an advocate for everyone, regardless of whether they are BHC or not BHC,” Mercer-Garrett said. “I think that’s going to be the only way we’re going to really be able to have more participation on campus.”
With the inauguration of the newly elected members of SGA, a new chapter unfolds—one marked by collaboration, inclusivity and progress. Together, students have the power to shape the landscape of the Marlin community, to ensure that every voice is heard and every perspective valued.
By Jennifer Mejia
