The Alma Mater rang out across the Parade Ground at noon Wednesday as about 100 students and community members watched Taylor Cox and Carrie Hebert’s inauguration as Student Government president and vice president.
Cox and Hebert invoked their campaign name as they took office, thanking families, friends and staff members for their support along the way.
“Leadership is action. It is not disposition,” Cox said. “You will be heard.”
The pair will hit the ground running, as Cox said they plan to “raise more money than anyone” else for different SG accounts this summer. The duo said they will also begin a community spirit program over the summer to help raise the money, though they did not elaborate on the details.
“We believe we should be a prideful campus 365 days a year, not just during football season,” Cox said.
Cox and Hebert said one of their main goals is to make SG more transparent by using a communications director to let the student body know about meetings and events through press releases and social media.
“We want the [SG] office to be the campus living room,” Cox said. “We want to put you in the know at all times.”
Be Heard campaign manager Thomas Rodgers said he thinks the students will trust the new SG administration. He said the fact that 73 percent of the Be Heard ticket’s candidates won their seats in the spring election is proof.
“Students will have a restored faith in SG with Taylor and Carrie,” he said.
Another Be Heard campaign manager, Khristen Jones, said she looks forward to what SG will accomplish under Cox and Hebert.
“I know I’m leaving SG in a better place than when I found it,” she said.
Now that Cox and Hebert have officially taken office, they’ll get started filling out their support staff this week. Students can apply until Friday for interviews that Cox and Hebert will conduct Saturday and Sunday for executive branch positions.
Cox said he expects the staff to have about 15 students fewer than outgoing SG president Cody Wells’ executive branch.
Wells was on hand to address the student body for the last time as president. He reflected on the past year, including some of what he considered to be pivotal moments of his time in office.
Kurt Keppler, vice chancellor for student life and enrollment services, told the crowd it had been a “joy” working with Wells and former SG Vice Presdent Kathleen Bordelon, and Keppler gave advice to the newly inducted president and vice president.
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Contact Danielle Kelley at [email protected]