Student Government Association President Jonathan O’Dea announced his replacement for the 2018-2019 academic year on Monday.

Students elected Jacob Smith, a second-year business management student, by voting on the Nest—AACC’s student club management website—between April 30 and May 4. Smith beat out his opponent Jesseca Greene, a third-year visual design student.

 “It was pretty emotional after all of [the campaign work], actually hearing it,” Smith said. “Especially … [being] a first-generation college student, having two brothers who never graduated high school—it is just a big deal and really humbling.”

Smith ran for SGA president on a platform of giving students a voice, both at the main campus in Arnold and at the Glen Burnie and Arundel Mills satellite campuses. 

“I hope that Jacob will accomplish increasing involvement with the senators between the clubs,” O’Dea said. “I hope that he opens up other avenues and gets to where we couldn’t this year.”

Smith said he plans to finish up a lot of what O’Dea started this past year, but he said he has new ideas on how to get things done.

“I hope to make some great things happen,” he said.

“I want [Jacob] to create more trust between the clubs and the SGA,” Matthew Vosburg, SGA’s vice president of finance, said. “I do understand there is some mistrust.” 

“I hope [Jacob] uses what he has learned with SGA, from all of us, and takes that with him and applies that and really listens to the student body to bridge them together,” Francheska Salazar, SGA’s executive vice president, said. 

Smith’s term starts on June 1 and lasts for one year.

Click here to watch the two candidates debate live.