After a closely contested election and runoff, the University of Southern Mississippi has officially announced its new Student Government Association (SGA) leadership board. Leah Johnson has been elected as the SGA President, with Oladamolaoluwa (Damola) Aikulola serving as Vice President, Connor Gibson as Chief Justice and Sarah Munn as Secretary.
The original election revealed an impressive turnout of 1,088 votes, with Malik Ahmad receiving 32.8% and Leah Johnson securing 37.4% of the votes. However, as neither candidate received the majority, a runoff was held on Thursday, March 20, to determine the next SGA president. The runoff attracted 1,078 voters and revealed Malik Ahmad to receive 45.8%, while Leah Johnson received 54.2% of the votes.
“This was a very competitive race, and I’m so happy to know that our Student Body showed out and participated for both elections,” said Johnson. “I’m so humbled by the trust Southern Miss has placed in me, and I am more than ready to get to work advocating for each and every student.”
Oladamolaoluwa Aikulola, the newly elected Vice President, plans to increase transparency within SGA.
“I understand how difficult it can be to find a place in a new, unfamiliar environment, and I want to ensure that other students have the resources and support they need to feel like they belong,” Aikulola said. “I’ll forever be grateful to the students of Southern Miss for voting for me and to everyone who made this dream come true from my campaign manager Micah to my one-man pr team Lakandis and all my volunteers. Rest assured I’ll hit the ground running with my plans to make Southern Miss a place where everyone belongs.”
Connor Gibson, who will serve as Chief Justice, aims to uphold the integrity of SGA’s judicial processes while maintaining fairness and accountability.
“I will work full-time to ensure that our regulations and by-laws are followed and upheld by every office-holder who is entrusted with the student body’s confidence,” Gibson said.
Sarah Munn, elected as Secretary, looks forward to strengthening communication between SGA and the student body. She hopes to amplify student voices and improve the representation of all students at Southern Miss.
“I believe that we cannot serve and advocate for a student body that we do not know,” Munn said. “Although there have been efforts to get to know the student body, SGA should continue to strive to enhance our efforts to build a relationship with Southern Miss students.”
The newly elected officers will be inaugurated on Student Awards Day, March 31, officially beginning their term. With the new leadership in place, the Southern Miss community can anticipate a year of innovation and progress.
For more information about SGA and upcoming events, visit the SGA’s official website or follow their Instagram @southernmisssga.
