Student media referendum passes among election results

The Student Government Association and Student Programming Association election results saw the student media referendum pass in an approximately two to one vote, while three new faces and one returning are set to fill the open SGA and SPA officer positions.

The student body ultimately elected Grant Henry as SGA president, Austin Wendt as SGA vice president and Quynhlynnette Nguyen as SPA vice president. Caroline Jacobi ran unopposed for the position of SPA president.

Henry said that he is grateful that the student body elected him, and he is looking forward to seeing what influence he will have on the university.

“My emotions are all over the place. I’m really thankful to God, first off, for this opportunity. I’m still shaking a little bit just from the excitement of it,” Henry said. “This is definitely going to be a great opportunity…for me to just kind of see where I am with this university and how much influence I can really have in this position, so I’m really super grateful right now.”

Preparing to serve his third term as SGA vice president, Wendt said that he is looking forward to working with Henry’s administration and that students should be excited about the upcoming changes.

“I’m excited to be able to work for the students once again. I’m honestly humbled for a third term that the students have trusted in me. I’m excited about working with university administration, but also working with and for Grant’s administration,” Wendt said. “I think all the students should be excited because I think [Henry is] going to bring us some real needed change here at the university.”

Nguyen said that she is thankful for the support she received throughout the election. She said that SPA is ready to do its best planning and programming yet.

“Today I am filled with a little more Colonel Pride than usual,” Nguyen said. “It is truly a privilege to be able to serve the students of Nicholls State University and help make their college experience one to never forget. I am also overjoyed to be able to work alongside our new SPA President Caroline Jacobi. We hope to achieve as many goals as possible for the upcoming year.”

The student media referendum passed with 1,220 in favor of it and 607 students against it. SGA Director of Student Rights and Grievances Peyton Chiasson, author of the referendum, said that its passing shows that students are concerned about campus issues.

“I’m beyond excited that it passed, this is a big step for student media, but I think this is a big step for the university,” Chiasson said. “The students are taking a step up and they’re obviously concerned about what’s going on on campus. I mean this is what SGA’s for. This is what we’re about. We’re giving this autonomy to be able to bring issues forward, to bring students’ voices forward and I think it was showing today.”

Additionally, the first SPA logo design passed with 1,258 votes in favor of it, while the second design received 569 votes.

Overall, of the 5,174 eligible voters on campus, 1,827 participated in the election.