New slate of SGA officers sworn in

The new slate of Furman University Student Government Association (SGA) officers had to “solemnly swear” to uphold their oath and fulfill their duties, but there was nothing solemn about their swearing-in; it was a celebration.

Mariam Nguyễn ’26, right, takes over as the president of the Student Government Association during a meeting in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center April 28.

As the elected student representatives opened their meeting, they each shared their summer plans to encouraging applause for their upcoming internships, research opportunities and summer jobs. Younger students thanked the outgoing seniors for their mentorship, while seniors looked forward to the festivities of the Last Day of Class.

Yaseen Echekki ’25, the 2024-2025 SGA president, passed the torch to Mariam Nguyen ’26 on April 28 during an SGA meeting in the Trone Student Center. As her first act as SGA president, Nguyen swore in the newly appointed Parliamentarian Kya Boseman ’27 and Elections Chair Clay Wallace ’26.

Echekki, who had served as SGA vice president before he was elected president, said he didn’t know his tenure would be such a wonderful experience. He and other SGA officials tried a new meeting structure to better facilitate dialogue about student issues, and he said, “I don’t think I could have asked for a more supportive council.”

Nguyen said she was honored to be a part of SGA’s legacy; first as a class representative her sophomore year, then vice president in her junior year. She said she strives to renew

SGA’s focus on transparency, student advocacy and engagement with university administration to push student-driven ideas from conversation to implementation.

“We are working to be more proactive in how we approach student concerns,” she said. “It’s about ensuring the work we do is reflective of and responsive to our campus community.”

SGA will hold elections for first-year class representatives in the fall. The following students will represent Furman’s student population on SGA for the 2025-2026 academic year:

Clay Wallace ’26, left, and Kya Boseman ’27 are sworn is as elections chair and parliamentarian, respectively, of the Student Government Association during a meeting in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center on April 28.

Executive Officers

· President: Mariam Nguyen ’26, politics and international affairs major

· Vice President: Kobby Frempong ’26, biology major

· Treasurer: Caroline Orr ’27, classics major

· Secretary: Sarah Chingwena ’27, health sciences major

· Parliamentarian: Kya Boseman-Nesbitt ’27, politics and international affairs major

· Academic Affairs: Curtis Wilson ’27, health sciences major

Senior Class Representatives

· Meghan Bove ’26, politics and international affairs major

· Sean Humphrey ’26, health sciences major

· Hannah Butlak ’26, Earth and environmental sciences major

· Meghan Madretzke ’26, psychology major

Junior Class Representatives

· Ava Cresto ’27, health sciences major

· Abbey Vincent ’27, chemistry major

· Lane Lytle ’27, religion major

· Libby Adams (Fall 2025) ’27, politics and international affairs major

· Michelle West (Spring 2026) ’27, undeclared

Sophomore Class Representatives

· Ellison Floyd ’28, undeclared

· Jack Gibson ’28, undeclared

· Hannah McCoy ’28, undeclared

· Grace Finkel (Fall 2025) ’28, undeclared

· Olivet Deschamps (Spring 2026) ’28, undeclared