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Tuesday . April 4, 2017
Volume 68 . Issue 9
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ALL IN FAVOR
DOYLE, DIAMOND, DUNCAN WIN BIG IN STUDENT ELECTIONS
Newly elected Miss Southern University, Felise Thompson-Doyle and SGA President Elect Armond Duncan, celebrate as the 2017 SGA election results are announced on Friday, March 31 on the steps of the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union. (Courtesy/Don Green)
DUNCAN
DIAMOND
BY CHRISTINA WHITE - BRIA GREMILLION
SOUTHERN DIGEST - NEWS WRITER / MANAGING EDITOR
The Student Government Association (SGA) held its spring elections this past Friday and Southern University Baton Rouge now has nine newly elected student leaders. A large crowd huddled around the entrance of the student union in anticipation as the winners were announced. Native of Alexandria, Louisiana and junior double marketing and business management major, Armond Duncan is the newly elected SGA President for the 2017-2018 school year. With damp eyes, Duncan expressed that he was “so elated” to have received the genuine support and trust of his peers, earning a total of 1,265 votes, 63.7 percent.
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THOMPSON-DOYLE
LODREE
The newly appointed Student Government Association Vice President is 21-year-old junior and education major from Kentwood, Louisiana, Xavier Diamond. Diamond received 60.3 percent of student votes. In response to his victory, Diamond stated, “The feeling is awesome. It just feels even better when you see how many students believe in you to get the job done. The Vice President went on to say, “It’s definitely not about me but it’s about fulfilling the needs of the students.” The crown of Miss Southern University was claimed by Felise Thompson-Doyle, who received an impressive 919 votes from the student body. “I got to inspire people. I got to really prove that its not where you come from but it’s where you’re going. I think that’s
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why I’m most excited, that I got to inspire so many people,” expressed Doyle. In reply to the benefits of becoming a student leader, Director of Student Life, Jonas O. Vanderbilt, Jr., expressed, “You grow into being exactly who you are when you’re pitched to be a student leader. Being a student leader has its ups and downs but it makes you become the person you are and it molds you to be a stronger person.” Deja Lodree is the new president of the Association for Women Students, receiving 597 votes. When asked how she felt about her newfound success and role of leadership, Lodree simply had this to say, “The Lord is good and his mercy endures forever.” Adagio Coleman was elected as the SGA Chief Justice, raking in 971 votes. As the winning student leaders were
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announced, the audience erupted into cheers and joyful celebrations. Candidates avidly campaigned all last week, making their platforms known and intentions transparent to the entire student body. As a part of campaigning, the election pageant and SGA debates were held Wednesday, March 29 in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. Candidates vying for the top tier positions of SGA President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Miss Southern University, and Association for Women Students President debated with one another by answering questions composed by six panelists. The panel was made up of alumni such as past SGA presidents, former queens and student leaders. See ALL IN FAVOR page 3
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA