By Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau
After weeks of campaigning and years of planning for the ceremony, it was a big day Friday when the Associated Students of Grand Canyon University honored the new 2016-17 student body president, Slate Herman, at the first-ever inauguration hosted by the organization.
“I am honored to be the first president to stand at this podium to make an inaugural address,” Herman said. “This next year, ASGCU will have the opportunity to represent the largest number of students this campus has ever seen.”
During his speech, Herman revealed a need to develop career-ready students, carry on GCU traditions, to show love and appreciation for the campus and to continue important initiatives such as the “It’s on Us” campaign and the Lopes Support Network, both established by Cody Dumas during his term as the 2015-16 ASGCU president.
“We have an opportunity and a responsibility to be good stewards of this campus God has given us,” Herman said.
Members of the senate also were presented at the ceremony, and eight new officers were sworn in, with Dumas at the podium, to faithfully abide by the ASGCU constitution. Andrea Hamilton was elected administrative vice president, and Nicholas Lauder is the new executive vice president.
“While our association has existed for several decades, it was solely focused on planning different events for the student body,” Dumas said. “While this area of GCU life is great, we realized that there was no real governing organization that advocated or represented the GCU student body as a whole.”
Herman, a junior, said he felt inspired by Dumas and his time in office to run for president.
“I’ve really learned a lot under him,” Herman said. “I would love to emulate some of the qualities that Cody has to carry the student body on.”
Dumas expressed full confidence in the new ASGCU president.
“To be president, it really takes dedication, someone who is willing to have hard conversations with team members, students and University employees in a positive and constructive manner,” Dumas said. “I have no doubt that with Slate coming in as the new president, ASGCU is in good hands.”
Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or [email protected].
