Students honored at MSA banquet
Feb. 19, 2008
Missouri Students Association Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays swears in Jim Kelley as MSA president Saturday in Memorial Union. Kelley, MSA vice president Chelsea Johnson and cabinet members were formally inducted into their positions during the annual MSA inaugural banquet.
Senior Jim Kelley slipped on his suit jacket before crossing the linoleum floor to the podium. He cracked a joke about his 5-foot, 8.5-inch height as he adjusted the microphone to a more appropriate level and made his first speech as the Missouri Students Association president.
This past Saturday night, Kelley, Vice President Chelsea Johnson and the cabinet joined their families, friends and other university leaders to celebrate their positions in the annual MSA inaugural banquet.
Six tables with floor-length, white tablecloths and glass place settings complete with three forks and cloth napkins decorated the linoleum. A table at the front of the room donning a black tablecloth, distinguishing it from the others, sat empty.
“We didn’t really want a head table,” Kelley said. “We wanted to be able to sit with our families.”
After the three-course, catered dinner, each member of the new cabinet spoke briefly on their hopes and excitement for the coming semester.
“I’m greatly looking forward to this semester,” Department of Student Communication Director Billy Eilbracht said. “It’s going to be a blast.”
Though Kelley and Johnson were officially sworn into office at the Feb. 13 Senate meeting, they were symbolically sworn in again Saturday. Though there was a bit of a mix up on the exact wording of the oath.
“Does anyone happen to know the MSA oath?” Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays asked to laughter from the audience. Chief Justice Drew Weber was scheduled to give the oath, according to the night’s agenda, but he couldn’t attend because he wasn’t feeling well, Weber said.
“Our Senate Speaker is really on top of things,” Kelley said, citing Mays’ problem-solving skills as Mays left the room to print out the oath from the MSA Senate Web site.
Also at the meeting, Student Affairs Committee Chairwoman Erin Moran was announced as the 2008 recipient of Kurt C. Nelson/Reece Dameron Excellence Award for Outstanding and Selfless Service to MSA Senate.
Mays cited examples of her accomplishments this past year including the establishment of an express lane in the Brady Food Court and installing recycle bins in Brady Commons.
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