When George Washington University junior Andie Dowd thinks of the moment she learned that she will serve as the 2015 Student Association president, one word comes to mind: thankful.
“Finding out that I won was an incredibly humbling and wonderful experience,” Ms. Dowd said Friday—less than 24 hours after the GW Joint Elections Committee (JEC) announcement of her victory.
“I was so thankful to be surrounded by my team and friends,” she said. “My first thought was that I was incredibly excited and thankful that I even had the opportunity to run for SA president.”
According to the JEC, a record 5,456 votes were cast Wednesday and Thursday in the election that put Ms. Dowd in the SA’s top post. During the upcoming academic year, she will serve alongside junior Casey Syron, who was elected SA executive vice president.
The JEC announced the student body election winners Thursday evening to a room of eager contenders in the Marvin Center. Candidates have been campaigning for about a month, meeting with students and organizations in the hopes of gaining support.
Ms. Dowd—who centered her platform on student support and reducing stigma around mental health—secured her position with 52.2 percent of vote over her opponents, junior Benjamin Pryde and sophomore Alex Cho.
Newly elected Executive Vice President Casey Syron, a junior in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Syron, a junior in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, earned nearly 45 percent of the vote to best his opponents, sophomores Spencer Perry and Carlo Wood.
Mr. Spencer and Mr. Wood split the remaining vote, earning 1,373 votes and 1,365 votes, respectively.
“It felt incredible to see the results,” Mr. Syron said. “I am incredibly grateful for everyone's support, and I can't wait to start working on implementing my platform initiatives.”
Ms. Dowd and Mr. Syron are no strangers to student government. Ms. Dowd is the SA vice president for undergraduate student policy, and Mr. Syron served as a CCAS SA senator and a member of the Joint Committee on Faculty and Students.
Outgoing SA President Nick Gumas said that he is excited about Ms. Dowd’s commitment to the Peer Support Program and the Colonial Health Center.
“Her commitment demonstrates a great sense of responsibility for the wellbeing of the student body, and I am excited to see all that she accomplishes,” Mr. Gumas said.
His advice?
“Stay focused, work hard, but find some time to enjoy yourself outside of SA-related responsibilities,” he said.
Looking ahead, Mr. Gumas and current Executive Vice President Avra Bossov will work closely with Ms. Dowd and Mr. Syron to meet with administrators and transition duties for the upcoming academic year.
“I decided to run because I have a true passion for GW and have loved my experience here,” said Ms. Dowd, an international affairs major in the Elliott School of International Affairs. “I want to truly advocate for students, hear their concerns and work with students and the administration to better address these concerns.”
Here is the list of student body election winners:
SA President Andie Dowd
SA Executive Vice President Casey Syron
Undergraduate-At-Large Senator Nancy Mannebach
Undergraduate-At-Large Senator Sean Kumnick
Graduate-At-Large Senator Alissa Fromkin
Graduate-At-Large Senator Lacey Bruske
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Thomas Falcigno
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Erika Feinman
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Melissa Lawrence
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Nick Watkins
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Kathleen A. Hunt
CCAS Undergraduate Senator Evan Bursey
CCAS Graduate Senator Monika Jansen
CCAS Graduate Senator Miguel Angel Torthon Granados
CCAS Graduate Senator Brady Forrest
ESIA Undergraduate Senator Charles Spirtos
ESIA Undergraduate Senator Rohan Bhargava
ESIA Undergraduate Senator Eric Beeler
SEAS Undergraduate Senator Zachary Graybill
SMHS Graduate Senator Arielle Katcher
SMHS Graduate Senator Madelyn Hernandez
GWSB Undergraduate Senator Alyssa Weakley
GWSB Undergraduate Senator Paden Gallagher