The 2016-17 Student Government Association leadership team was inaugurated in a ceremony at the Pylons atop War Memorial Chapel on April 25.

Alexa Parsley of Erwin, Tennessee, a rising senior majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, will serve as president. Rex Willis of Earlysville, Virginia, a rising junior majoring in hospitality and tourism management in the Pamplin College of Business, will serve as vice president.

This year, the legislative branch within the association is changing to unicameral. There will no longer be a speaker of the house and a speaker of the senate. Instead, the position will be titled chair of the student assembly. Stephanie Payne of Woodbridge Virginia, a rising senior majoring in in political science and public relations in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, will serve as chair of the student assembly.

Parsley and Willis ran with the slogan “Come join us” during their campaign earlier this semester. The recently elected officers said they look forward to being a part of growth over the next year as they lead and serve their campus.

“I think what I am looking forward to the most is the opportunity Alexa and I have to build a more unified organization,” said Willis. “With the increased focus on internal unification, we hope to make our student government more transparent to the student body to serve them the best we can.”

Tuna Shankar of Rockville, Maryland, a senior majoring in public relations in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, served as the president of the association for the 2015–16 academic year, and recently reflected on her time in office.

“SGA taught me to think critically and to not settle for the norm, but rather figure out innovative ways to become better, or more inclusive, or more sustainable,” said Shankar.

The Student Government Association at Virginia Tech provides undergraduate students with a voice to make an impact at Virginia Tech.

Written by Hayley Childress, a senior majoring in public relations in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.