TSU Students Prepare for Grueling SGA Election Week With Final Candidates Selected

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - With the announcement that final candidates have now been selected, students at Tennessee State University will be preparing all week to elect a new core of officers who will lead them next year in the Student Government Association.

Labeled “The TSU 500,” this year’s grueling Student Election Commission Week, which begins Monday, April 7 and runs through Friday, April 11, will be marked by several activities including the Nomination Convention, debate, student rally, the Mr. & Miss T.S.U. Pageant, the beginning of online voting, and the announcement of the 2014 core of officers.

The week is expected to be an “exciting one” if the increased number of applicants is any indication, said Dr. Jame’l Hodges, assistant dean of Student Life and Engagement.

“We have more students vying for positions this year, and the general student population seems more elated over the core of candidates,” Hodges said.

The candidates, who have been variously described as smart, intelligent and about business, represent diverse majors, interests and career goals.

The hotly contested Miss T.S.U. crown pits Nashville’s Samantha Thomas, a Dental Hygiene major, against Amethyst Stephens, of Kankakee, Ill., a Health Science major. They are both rising seniors.The Mr. T.S.U. election, no less contentious, has John Hill, a History major from Chicago, going against Darren Bragg, a Chattanooga, Tenn., native who is majoring in Business Administration with a Supply Chain concentration. They are also rising seniors.

For the position of SGA president, Stone Mountain, Ga.’s Markeil Lewis looks like a shoe-in to be the official student spokesperson in 2014. He is the lone candidate for president.

On the other hand, the SGA vice presidential post appears the most contentious, with three rising seniors as candidates. They are: Alonzo Furtick, from Charlotte, N.C., an Art Major; Andre Reaves, an Agricultural Sciences major from Atlanta; and Memphis’ Lauren Thomas, a communications major.

The line-up of activities, dates and times for the 2014 Election Commission Week are:

Nomination Convention - Sunday, April 6, 4-6 p.m., Forum
Debate – Monday, April 7, 6-8 p.m., Poag Auditorium
Rally – Tuesday, April 8, 4-6 p.m., Gentry
Mr. & Miss T.S.U. Pageant – Wednesday, April 9, 6-10 p.m. – Poag Auditorium
Online Voting – Thursday, April 10, Opens at 6 a.m.
Voting Ends 3 p.m., Friday, April 11
Announcement of 2014 Administration – Friday, April 11, 4:30 p.m., Amphitheater

Hodges said all preparations are in place for a smooth election week.

“Students have worked diligently on preparing for their campaigns for election week. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with,” he added.

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