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TCU 360

TCU 360

All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

    SGA winners discuss plans for next year

    SGA+winners+discuss+plans+for+next+year

    Below are the winners of the Student Government Association election, according to Elections and Regulations committee chairman Jansen Harrison. They will each serve for one semester.

    • Josh Simpson- President
    • Lauren Sharp- Vice President for Operations
    • Graham McMillan- Vice President for External Affairs
    • Cody Westphal- Treasurer

    With the Student Government Association elections complete, the winners discussed their views on the campaign, the election, and their next moves on campus.

    Josh Simpson, the new student body president, said that he based his platforms on the sentiments of the students.

    “For me, it’s about really understanding the students, and for months now, I’ve been talking to a lot of people and friends about how we could improve TCU,” Simpson said. “Our platform was really reshaping SGA and that is on par with what is needed now.”

    Although not inaugurated until December, Simpson said he will be working on goals for next semester and with a lot of groups on campus.

    Simpson said he believes that students elected him because he was able to include groups whose voices were not being heard.

    “These people have great ideas for the university but they don’t know how to develop them into action and I felt that SGA couldn’t act on their behalf,” Simpson said. “So some of those people voted in this campaign so they could change their situation.”

    Lauren Sharp, newly elected vice president for operations, said she was nervous because she had not run for an officer position before but enjoyed running against David Belpedio.

    “I was confident with whoever was going to win,” Sharp said. “I wasn’t really nervous about the results part of it because I would have been happy with either of us.”

    Sharp credits her high involvement on campus and the want for change in helping her get elected.

    “A lot of people voted for me because I was a girl and I was a change because there have always been a lot of guys on Cabinet,” Sharp said.

    Graham McMillan, who was re-elected as the vice president for external affairs, said the process of the campaign was stressful.

    “My whole mentality about it was to be myself and try to be as real of a person to everyone and hopefully they’ll like who I am and not who I portray,” McMillan said. “But there was an element of stress to it but acting natural and being myself was getting me through it.” 

    McMillan said he plans to help change the culture of the student body so that students can feel comfortable to talk with the SGA about anything.

    “I need to finish up my term right now but it would help to start working on the projects I started in my platform,” McMillan said. “Not only just for that but to make the SGA a better place.”

    Cody Westphal, the new treasurer, said running unopposed did not stop him from campaigning or worrying about the election.

    “People joke about 'no confidence,' but if I’m going to hold such an important office then I want the student body to have adequate confidence in me,” Westphal said.

    Westphal said the first thing he will focus on when his term begins is constructing a new budget with a more accessible format.

    “What makes me unique is that I want to get the budget published,” Westphal said. “I want every one to know what we are spending money on.”

    Westphal said it was also his communication across campus groups that helped him get elected.

    "We chose TCU because it was special and I’ve taken it upon myself to make it even better than it already is," Westphal said. "I honestly care and hopefully you all think I’m able to do this as well."

    SGA election results can be seen here.