The SpringHillian Volume 108, Issue 3
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Student Government Elections Katie Hendler | Reporter
With the voting cycle for Spring Hill College’s 2019 Student Government Association (SGA) Elections underway, presidential and vice presidential candidates have begun preparing for the upcoming election. The SGA holds this election every year to determine a new administration that will serve the students of SHC. Although these administrations are running for the same positions, both have very unique ideas and campaign platforms that set them apart from each other. Voting will be held today (Thursday, Feb. 28). Students
will receive a survey monkey in their email where they will be able to cast their vote. Juniors Nora Brooks and Cade Dernlan are competing for the office of president of SGA. Running alongside Brooks for the role of vice president is junior Maria Mengis. Dernlan’s vice presidential candidate is fellow junior Griffin Morgan. Brooks and Mengis are present members of the SGA presidential cabinet. “Our platform is centered around three words: experience, progress, and passion,” said Mengis. “We both currently hold cabinet positions, so
we are super aware of our sphere of influence as students and where we have the best chance of making a positive impact in our administration. However, we’re not letting our past experience hold us back. We’re very open-minded to future progress and won’t just be doing the same things SGA has always done in the past.” Along with their mission, Brooks and Mengis also have many initiatives they want to put in place, including a Diversity Advisory Board, which has been a work in progress since their freshman year, and programs that
lead to an increased sense of school spirit on campus. Dernlan and Morgan bring to the elections a set of experiences outside of SGA involvement. “During my time at Spring Hill, I have been blessed with many opportunities that have allowed me to become involved in a myriad of organizations across campus,” Dernlan said. “These experiences have introduced me to so many people – all of whom I love and respect greatly. Seeing the campus from so many different angles has given me a deep understanding of what Spring
Hill is all about and what it means to be a Badger.” Some of the DernlanMorgan campaign’s special initiatives include a reformed discrimination investigation policy, a new work order policy and a freshman mentoring program. Emilee Adams, the attorney general for the SGA, has been responsible for setting the elections timeline, clearing candidates to run for office and enforcing the Elections Code throughout the 2019 voting cycle. Presidential and vice presidential debates were held earlier this week.
Fake Wedding, Real Community Chase Brouillette | Reporter This past Saturday at 5 p.m., students gathered outside the Fairway Apartments for the event of the spring, the annual fake wedding. Though, don’t let the name fool you, it is just as much of a celebration as a real wedding would be. But instead of being a celebration of an actual marriage, it is simply a celebration of community amongst Spring Hill students. The event brings together students from various organizations, majors, interests, and backgrounds all to celebrate the (fake) union of
Photos: Chase Brouillette
two of their fellow students. From the procession including flower girls and a ring bearer, to the vocal accompaniment and even down to a homily, the fake wedding really seems to include all the elements of a real wedding. According to Ryan Flynn (’17) the tradition originated when “My friend and fellow classmate Pat Lameka (’16) and I were having some beers in Chicago in the summer of 2015, and I was telling him how my friends at another university put on a fake wedding. We just laughed
and said it would be great to do that sometime. Then, one week in September, rugby had a bye week and I ran over to Lameka in the caf and said we should put it on this week. We put it together that week, did it again for the 1617 school year, and the rest is history.” It has since been a campus staple for years, grabbing attention from both Spring Hill students and others. Some people even commuted to Mobile from their respective colleges to witness the spectacle. Josh
Tuminello, an LSU student who travelled from Baton Rouge for the event, stated, “It was honestly a really cool and unique experience because I don’t think it would ever work for LSU. I thought it was really interesting how everyone seemed to know everyone, and I felt genuinely welcomed by everyone there. I guess you could say I’m envious because my school doesn’t have the close community vibe that Spring Hill has.” Other cities people commuted to the fake wedding from include Nashville
and St. Louis. Overall, the fake wedding is a perfect example of the community that Spring Hill has to offer. It emphasizes the inclusiveness of the Spring Hill community, you don’t need an invitation to come to the fake wedding, you don’t even need to go to school here, everyone is welcome. It serves to show that despite the differences between us, we can all unite over something, even if it is something as simple as a fake wedding.