In his closing remarks for the session, Sen. Jay Thompson expressed his gratitude to the Student Government Association for the honorary status. “A hundred-odd years ago, in a Senate session, I began an experience that I never expected would have such an impact on me,” Thompson said. “And after about 100 Senate meetings, it was finally my turn to sign out.”
Student Government Association senators and the audience alike erupted in applause and cheers after Wednesday's meeting passed a bill granting President Jay Thompson emeritus status without opposition. senate meeting.
Thompson's emeritus status means he can be recognized at future events and speak at SGA meetings in the coming years.
Mr. Thompson graduated in May and worked at SGA for five years. During that time, he held a number of positions, including Engineering Senate, Grand Senate, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, Director of Legislative Policy, and Chair of the Government Oversight Committee. Mr. Thompson first assumed the position of chairman of the Government Oversight Commission, which was established in the fall of 2023.
Senate President Kylie Hower said Thompson was a mentor and mentor to her and other senators.
“Words truly cannot express how much we need to recognize Jay for all of his accomplishments,” Hower said. “Even after you (Mr. Thompson) are gone, I think you will continue to be a role model and people will call you by your name with respect, because they should,” she said.
Shortly afterward, Mr. Thompson delivered his closing remarks on the Senate floor.
Thompson likened the student government to a bonsai tree, with the leaves representing SGA members.
“It’s delicate, it’s complex, it’s stubborn, and it takes multiple leaves to create something beautiful out of it,” he said.
Thompson said previous student senators have given them a “rich foundation.” He said the job for those who remain is to continue to grow to provide an even richer foundation for future sessions.
The last piece of advice he gave is to do it yourself instead of waiting for someone to take action on the changes you want to make.
“You'd be surprised what can come out of a conversation where one person changes the tone of the room,” he says.
