News

The 2011-12 leadership of the Student Government Association was sworn into office Tuesday evening, Sept. 27, during the organization’s first-ever inauguration ceremony at Martin Methodist College.

Dr. Ted Brown, president of Martin Methodist, administered the oath of office to SGA President Teri-Beth Thompson, who then, in turn, administered the oath to each of the other 11 elected members of SGA.

Brown took the Gault Fine Arts Center audience on a brief history of student government through the college’s 141 years.

“Based on the historical documents that I have been able to review,” Brown said, “it appears that student government is among the first organizations established at then-Martin College. In fact, the history is a bit ambiguous as to which came first, the student government or the office of the president. Back in 1870, small colleges did not have full-time presidents, and Martin actually started with the chairman of the board serving in that part-time executive role. But from the very beginning there was what was then called a Student Council.

“I thought that was a good lesson for me to learn about who is really essential on this campus,” he added with a smile.

Brown made mention of student leadership issues on the Martin campus during in the 1920s and then in the 1940s, when men first enrolled. According to the documents that he discovered, he said, the most active era of student government at Martin College was, not surprisingly, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when young people across the nation were voicing their opinions and challenging the status quo.

“Since my arrival at Martin Methodist, I have considered student government to be an important partner in campus governance and in Martin’s progress over the last decade,” Brown said. “I have always been impressed with the high level of leadership that students lifted up for their student government officers. And student government has been admirably represented on the college’s board of trustees during my time at Martin, a dynamic that we have used to great advantage on numerous occasions.”

The officers of the Martin Methodist College Student Government Association for 2011-12 are:

• President – Teri-Beth Thompson, a junior biology major from Waynesboro, Tenn.;
• Vice President – Nate Harber, a sophomore sports management major from Lewisburg, Tenn.;
• Secretary – Rachel Wolfe, a junior biology and physical education major from Lewisburg, Tenn.;
• Treasurer – Caitlin Hopper, a junior biology major from Shelbyville, Tenn.

The class representatives for SGA are:

• Senior Class President – Tyler Cox, a sport management major from Antioch, Tenn.;
• Senior Class Senator – Blake Malugin, a business administration major from Summertown, Tenn.;
• Junior Class President – Chase Hayes, a business management major from Antioch, Tenn.;
• Junior Class Senator – Miranda Tucker, an elementary education major from Estill Spring, Tenn.;
• Sophomore Class President – Taylor Parks, a pre-physical therapy major from White House, Tenn.;
• Sophomore Class Senator – Sharah Dass, an accounting major from Karachi, Pakistan;
• Freshman Class President – Ann McNeese, a pre-nursing student from Cookeville, Tenn.;
• Freshman Class Senator – Deanna Ray, a business major from Celina,Ohio.