The 2014-2015 SGA representatives and their families gathered for the annual swearing-in ceremony May 30 at the Hoover House.
Catie McCorry-Andalis, associate vice president and dean of students, welcomed and congratulated fellow inductees on their achievement to become the next group of leaders that will represent the student body for the upcoming year.
Representatives were officially sworn-in by Louie Rodriguez, assistant vice president for student affairs, which included 16 senators-at-large, eight collegiate senators and four members to the executive branch.
According to McCorry-Andalis, running for election is a testament to their ability to lead, be a role model and an agent of change for the institution.
“You all have some very big shoes to fill, including helping to define the next 100 years of our institution’s,” McCorry-Andalis said. “As a result of the risk that you’ve taken to run for election, you have proudly accepted to represent students, make decisions on their behalf and facilitate new traditions, programs and initiatives for future generations of miners.”
President Diana Natalicio thanked family members for contributing to their sons’ and daughters’ success and UTEP’s growth and development. She expressed her high expectations and excitement for the student representatives as they will have the responsibility to lead the way to UTEP’s closing centennial.
“You all are the bridge, the one that goes from our centennial––the last year of the first 100 years–to the first year of our second 100 years. You will have a responsibility on you and lots to build, but we are all very confident and excited on your ability to do so,” Natalicio said.
During his first official speech as SGA President, Roberto Dominguez, junior biochemistry major, said that in order to incorporate the different ideas that each SGA representative will have, it is important to always keep in mind the student’s needs and remember the duty to serve as leaders.
“Great leaders give plans and directions, while letting others participate on the team. We will have different goals and objectives but its important to integrate them as a team but more importantly to go and get suggestions and ideas from our students,” Dominguez said.
According to Dominguez, it is essential that SGA is a team and by working as one it will only add to their success.
“We each have many goals and great ideas, but we can accomplish so much more as a unit instead of individually,” Dominguez said. “We must help each other, sharpen and combine our strength our skills and motivation to serve.”
Dominguez is anxious to start his term as SGA President and said that he’s looking forward to engage more with UTEP students.
“I’m excited. SGA has had a great tradition of serving the student body. Our main goal this year is to directly have more contact with them, going out and being available for them. So that with this in mind and seeing all of their excitement, I believe it will be a great turnout for us,” Dominguez said.
Despite not running alongside a specific party, Dominguez said that he had the support of his encouraging family, friends and the many students that voted for him.
“It is an honor that the student body trusted me, taking in consideration that I was running as independent,” Dominguez said. “The fact that I gained their trust and their willingness to allow me to lead them into this ending of the centennial year, its very rewarding in itself.”
Dominguez and his team will continue to work together to make their goals a reality, not forgetting to close the centennial with a “grand style” as Natalicio said in her speech.
“It is important for us to close the centennial and to put into context everything that we will learn that will serve as a platform and foundation for future generations. If we have a good year, the next SGA will learn from it,” Dominguez said.
Andrea Acosta may be reached at [email protected].
