The 2018 Inauguration of the Saint Anselm College Student Government Association was held on March 25th at 2pm in the auditorium of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.

The event was opened with a prayer led by Father Stephen Lawson. Sophomore Parker Petruney, current Secretary of Internal Procedures introduced the event’s first speaker, SGA advisor Dean Alicia Finn.

Finn spoke proudly of the 2017-2018 administration, offering her leadership advice by using the metaphor of kite-flying from a personal anecdote.  

The event proceeded with a series of awards. Petruney gave the Abbot Gerald McCarthy Award to Professor Matthew Masur for his commitment to the Benedictine tradition.

Former SGA vice president Brandon Pratt presented the Dr. Constance Richards Award to Lorie Cochran for her extensive work with the NHIOP ambassador program.  

The Dr. Alicia Finn award was granted to Wayne Currie for his excelling leadership of the Multicultural Center. Senior Secretary of Club Affairs Andrew Shue gave the Fr. Peter Guerin Award to the leaders of Men’s Soccer for their outstanding contributions to the community.  

Finally, the Dr. Joseph Horton SGA Member of the Year award was given to Pratt by former President of SGA Emma Bishop.

After the awards, Bishop gave her final remarks as acting President of the SGA. She thanked Finn for her mentorship over the past two years, and spoke fondly of her work with Pratt. In her speech she highlighted the efforts with the Assisted Dialogue program, the New England Alliance, and the Respect the Nest initiative.  She expressed her wishes that the change and growth effected by her leadership continues to thrive with the next administration. Pratt followed her speech by speaking genuinely of his own experience in SGA. He thanked Finn and Bishop for all that he had learned and the lessons that he would be taking forward into his political career.

After Pratt’s closing remarks, sophomores Joshua Hughes and Jacob Ethier were sworn in as the President and Vice President of the Student Government Association for the 2018-2019 academic year, respectively. Ethier gave his statements first, expressing his gratitude for the position and speaking highly of his campaign running mate and roommate Hughes.  Hughes then delivered a lengthy address about his background and hopes for the new administration.

Hughes stressed his ambition to effect change by “seeking out the underrepresented and confronting injustice”, emphasizing his passion and concern for the community.  He praised the work done by Bishop and Pratt, mentioning the Respect the Nest program as one he would like to continue into the next year.

In addition to Bishop and Pratt, seniors Allia Connolly, Thomas Mannion, Joey Smith, and Rebekah Stearns were thanked for their years of service.  The student body of Saint Anselm College anticipates the new SGA administration, while sending its seniors off with warm wishes for their success.