Kate Gremillion has been elected as Loyola’s new Student Government Association president. The mass communication sophomore and former SGA chief of staff won 298 of the 523 votes cast March 15 to March 16 to defeat SGA presidential candidate Cody Dardeau.
“I’m very excited, relieved and hopeful for the future and eager to get started working,” Gremillion said. “I think people are going to see an SGA that gets things done a lot quicker, more efficiently and communicates better.”
According to Gremillion, there were several factors that contributed to why the student body chose her as their next president.
“I think it had to do with that we had different personalities, the different things we brought to the table, I think, the things we made the decisions on and our different ways of leading and communicating,” she said.
Gremillion’s campaign team, which consisted of political science senior LeeAnn Moss, political science senior David Zoller, political science freshman Lindsey Martin and general studies freshman Haley Sledge, posted signs and flyers around campus campaigning for Gremillion. She also said she received endorsements from Black Student Union and Loyola Asian Student Organization which helped her.
“All of them behind me really kept me strong and positive so that’s what made my campaign successful in the end,” Gremillion said.
During her campaign, some students expressed concern that Gremillion’s administration would be similar to those of current president and marketing junior Sarah Cooper and her predecessor, Cade Cypriano, A’09, and feared her experience in their executive staffs would lead her to make the same mistakes.
Gremillion, however, says she feels her experience under both administrations will serve her well.
“Hopefully I’ll prove them wrong and right,” she said. “I think I’ve learned a lot of good things from the other administrations that I’ll continue to do, and they will see through my work that I’m different in many ways.”
Gremillion’s inauguration date has yet to be determined, but she is expected to be sworn in within the next few weeks.
“I’m very excited to start working for the students, representing the students and I immediately want to start being their voice,” she said.
Cooper said she was happy about the election results and that she thinks Gremillion is going to be successful in office.
“Kate is a very, very strong, qualified candidate. She isn’t going to need a big transition. I trust in what she is capable of doing,” Cooper said.
Although Cooper said she thinks Gremillion possesses all the necessary tools to accomplish her initiatives, Cooper left Gremillion some advice.
“I would say be open. Be open to criticism and be patient,” Cooper said. “Students come to you for the smallest things. Be willing to work with different levels, from the administration to the students.”
Craig Malveaux can be reached at [email protected]
