The 2013-14 officers of Virginia Tech’s Student Government Association were recently sworn in during a campus ceremony and have already begun their work to serve the university's undergraduate student body.

Undergraduate students cast their ballots earlier this spring and elected Brent Ashley of Felton, Del., a junior majoring in dairy science and animal and poultry sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to be their president. Anjelica Smith of Chesapeake, Va., a junior majoring in communications in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was elected vice president for a second term.

Ashley was a Student Government Association senator during the 2012-13 school year.

Bryan Mitchell of Virginia Beach, Va., a junior majoring in cultural geography in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was also elected as the speaker of the senate. 

Andrew Higgins of Springfield, Va., a junior majoring in political science and history in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was elected speaker of the house.

Students also elected senators from each college at the university. The following students were elected to represent their respective colleges:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

  • Chris Atkins of Berryville, Va., a junior majoring in agricultural sciences
  • Sam Saunders of Nelson County, Va., a sophomore majoring in agricultural economics

College of Architecture and Urban Studies

  • Carter Gresham of Virginia Beach, Va., a sophomore majoring in landscape architecture

College of Engineering

  • Yun Andrew Lee of Fairfax, Va., a sophomore majoring in industrial systems engineering
  • Aurelien Stamper of Santa Clarita, Calif., a junior majoring in aerospace engineering (Editor's note: The name of this student was initially misreported; this story was updated Oct. 24, 2014. Virginia Tech News regrets the error.)
  • Jacob Rendall of Wenham, Mass., a first-year student majoring in general engineering
  • Jason Schwartz of Springfield, Va., a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering

College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

  • Jeremy Jewett of Midlothian, Va., a sophomore majoring in history
  • Amanda Lemons of Roanoke, Va., a junior majoring in political science and economics

College of Natural Resources and Environment

  • Alyssa Hamill of La Plata, Md., a sophomore majoring in environmental resource management
  • Ben Shryock of Hague, Va., a junior majoring in wildlife science

Pamplin College of Business

  • Jason Ioannides of Mauertown, Va., a sophomore majoring in finance

College of Science

  • Ignacio Mallo of Springfield, Va., a first-year student majoring in biological sciences
  • Daniel Strock of Fredericksburg, Va., a first-year student majoring in biological sciences

University Studies

  • Warren Nooger of Warrenton, Va., a first-year student majoring in university studies

The Student Government Association is the voice of undergraduate students at Virginia Tech and is advised by Student Centers and Activities within the Division of Student Affairs. It is structured similarly to the federal government, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The association also has directors for different issues, including transportation and sustainability.

Aside from meetings of the judicial branch, all meetings are open to students. Any undergraduate may participate in the House of Representatives, which has one representative from each of the more than 700 registered student organizations. Students have the opportunity to run for senate or higher office.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

 Written by Kimberly Bassler.
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