SGA looks to new semester

President-elect+Jessamyn+Reichmann+and+vice+president-elect+Freedom+Richardson+pose+outside+of+Monroe+Hall+on+March+11%2C+2019.+They+won+after+running+unopposed.

Courtesy of Troy Pierre II

President-elect Jessamyn Reichmann and vice president-elect Freedom Richardson pose outside of Monroe Hall on March 11, 2019. They won after running unopposed.

Anum Siddiqui

While most students said their goodbyes to campus in the spring, Jessamyn Reichmann, sociology senior, and Freedom Richardson, political science junior, spent the summer looking ahead to the fall semester.

Reichmann and Richardson, the Student Government Association president and vice president respectively, said students should already expect to see evidence of the work they did all summer.

“The preparation work began back in May. Before our cabinet departed for the summer, we held a cabinet meeting that set the tone for expectations and personal goals,” Reichmann said. “Entering into summer, each cabinet member had their own set of responsibilities.”

Those responsibilities included filling Senate vacancies, planning the itinerary for Homecoming, outlining new social justice programs and more.

Another major priority over the summer was filling the position of Director of Communications. The cabinet position was left unfilled last spring after Reichmann and Richardson’s original pick, mass communication senior Lily Cummings, withdrew from the position after being named director of the Donnelly Center.

The position is set to be filled Sept. 4 at the State of the Student’s Government Address.

“After much deliberation and continued interviews, I am confident in our team’s pick and expect a speedy confirmation process to be underway soon,” Reichmann said.

Reichmann and Richardson were inaugurated into office last April after winning an uncontested election. Despite the lack of competition, both officers have made a point to remain true to campaign promises.

“As highlighted throughout the course of our campaign, our goals remain: investing in the potential of every student from every study,” Richardson said.

Richardson feels this hard work has been a key factor in gaining student trust and cooperation.

“We’re confident, after weeks of meetings now behind us, that we have acquired campus-wide support for the execution of various initiatives to meet the needs of our students where they are,” Richardson said.

Richardson said he believes their close collaboration and thinking ahead will help them reach their goals for the semester.

The duo is confident in their administration being unique from the past, an idea both Reichmann and Richardson stressed throughout their campaign.

“In all that Jessamyn and I have ever accomplished, it’s consistently required working with and for others. These goals will and can only be accomplished alongside other dedicated student leaders in the Senate, Finance Committee and other campus partners,” Richardson said.

This semester, their focus is on providing the kind of leadership Loyola students need, according to Richardson.

“Our administration remains steadfast in providing the example-based leadership that students have been expecting from their student government,” Richardson said. “We are forging a path of cohesion and efficiency. Ultimately, we believe this’ll be the greatest distinguishing factor from past administrations.”