For the first time in campus history, two women are stepping into the top student leadership roles. Maddie Todd and Josie Huyard ran unopposed and were elected Liberty University’s student body president and vice president, Friday, March 27.
Todd said this opportunity is something she’s dreamed of her whole life.
“It is an honor to be able to be elected as student body president,” Todd said. “This is something that I have always dreamed of doing. Liberty is truly the most incredible university in the country. I believe that wholeheartedly. It is an honor to serve the students in this way and to be in this position.”
Huyard said she’s honored to lead alongside Todd, her longtime friend.
“Maddie and I were friends first … so we’re very excited to be able to work together. It’s going to be different for us because we are friends, so we’ll be able to speak truth with love in everything that we do and continue the vision, because vision is so important,” Huyard said.
Huyard said her drive and passion are nothing new and that in this role, she will work hard to meet the highest standard.
“I am (a) first-generation college (student), so this is a very exciting thing for me, to be in this role and to represent all other first-generation college students at Liberty, and I’m excited to be at the best campus in the world,” Huyard said.
In the past, students running for leadership roles participated in debates before the election period, but in the case of this solo ticket, Todd and Huyard used the opportunity to showcase their leadership to students at a meet-and-greet event hosted in the Student Government Association lounge, Thursday, March 26.
During the event, current SGA members took the opportunity to get to know the candidates through a panel-style Q&A. Members of the student body were given the opportunity to submit their questions via QR code for the candidates.
Current Student Body President Isaac Kantola shared his experience in the leadership role and offered some advice to the incoming leaders.
“I think the saying, ‘humble, hungry, smart,’ is the best advice that we give to any new leader,” Kantola said. “You’ve got to be hungry — you’ve got to have a passion for what you want to do … you’ve got to be smart, know how to read the organization.”
Kantola said this role has changed his perspective on what it means to be a leader.
“This position has taught me so much about leadership,” Kantola said. “Just be open to learning the hard way, but when you trip and fall, get back up and keep going.”
Kantola said some of his proudest accomplishments serving as SGA president are the relationships he and his team have built along the way.
“I think it’s taking SGA to new heights in terms of the way we’ve run this organization,” Kantola said. “We’ve built a lot of good relationships with the provost’s office, which is letting us speak into some really cool upcoming initiatives, which I can’t share right now but are really fun.”
The new leaders will be inaugurated on April 17, according to the SGA website. For more information on the Student Government Association, visit liberty.edu/students/sga.
Riden is the campus news editor for the Liberty Champion.