The Shippensburg University Student Government Association (SGA) held its annual Transition of Power ceremony in-person Thursday April 22 to inaugurate the 60th SGA Executive Leadership Committee (ELC).

Chairs were set up 6 feet apart in the Ceddia Union Building (CUB) multipurpose room for guests and newly elected senators. The 2020-21 SGA cabinet and the 2021-22 cabinet sat together on the stage. After taking roll call with 19 members in attendance, Brenda Aristy, vice president of finance, presented the 2021-22 budget. The SGA approved the budget with a unanimous vote.

Stephen Washington, 2020-21 SGA president, introduced SU vice president of student affairs Barry McClanahan to give remarks on behalf of the university. McClanahan shared leadership advice that benefited his early career and commended the 2020-21 SGA cabinet on moving forward despite facing COVID-19. 

Before swearing in the next SGA president, Washington congratulated the incoming SGA board and reflected on the hardships SGA faced over the past year. 

“This past year was not a walk in the academic park. It was quite far from it, but despite the trials and tribulations we were able to come together and do great things,” Washington said. 

Washington introduced the newly elected 2021-22 SGA President Riley Brown and swore him into office. Brown thanked those in attendance and expressed his enthusiasm for the coming year. 

“Today marks the optimistic hope for our future, a future that includes a campus that we once knew before the coronavirus pandemic,” Brown said. “A future that includes the resilience that has been on full display this past year in an effort to stay connected. And to our students, a future in which your college experience lives up to the expectation you have set for it.”

Brown swore in the new executive board, Imani Cameraon, vice president of internal affairs; Chase Slenker, vice president of finance; and Christopher Higgins as the vice president of student groups. Skylar Walder was the only executive board member to not be sworn in at the ceremony due to technological issues with Zoom. Walder would be sworn in as the vice president of external affairs at a later date, Brown said. 

After the executive board’s oaths, Brown swore in three groups of new senators: Class senators, academic senators and the student life senators. 

The SGA hosted a reception in the CUB Great Hall following the ceremony. 

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