Penny Mills, a senior communication studies major from Orem, is the 2020-2021 student body president. Her win over Ryan Miggin, senior accounting major from Syracuse, was announced March 12. Photo by Breanna Biorato.
After a short week and a half, the results for student body president elections declared Penny Mills, a junior communication studies major from Orem, the new president.
Mills said she is excited for the opportunity to be student body president and hasn’t fully taken in the results yet.
Mills first got the highest votes for the primary elections against Ryan Miggin, a junior accounting major from Syracuse, and Ava Chollet, a junior biology major from Covina, California.
Mills wants to represent all students, making everyone an equal. Her slogan is “make a difference, be the change.” Mills plans to incorporate her slogan into her roll as president.
“If students are passionate about something, let them be heard,” Mills said. “It is really important to represent all students.”
While voting, the ballot asked students to vote either yes or no for wanting the institute of politics to be a separate entity, said Luke Kerouac, director of student involvement and leadership.
“Anytime there are changes to be made to the construction we put those changes out for a student vote during elections,” Kerouac said.
Mills said she is excited to get the opportunity to advocate for the student body and let their voices be heard.
Being student body president comes with making tough decisions and deciding what are priorities and of most importance; Mills said she will address these situations by keeping the students in mind.
“The students are the most important thing,” Mills said. “We’re all here for the growth and benefit of the students.”
While Mills has a passion to make sure all student voices are heard, she said she doesn’t believe her voice has reached everyone in the ways she intended it too while campaigning.
Emily Maxwell, a freshman general education studies major from La Verkin, said she is concerned with the future of performing arts events on campus.
“I want the future of the performing arts events to be brought up,” Maxwell said. “I feel as if they’re being pushed to the side.”
Maxwell said the performing arts events seemed to be lost and forgotten in the midst of everything concerning COVID-19, and athletic events seem to be the priority.
As far as events in the future are concerned, Mills said she isn’t too sure what the outcome will be due recent events regarding COVID-19.
If you have any concerns regarding what may be happening in the student body, contact Mills on her Instagram page @pennnnerz.
