University Star

Lilly’s Lounge at the LBJ Student Center erupted into a burst of applause and tears Wednesday evening after Nathan McDaniel and Alison Sibley were named next year’s Associated Student Government president and vice president. 

Nathan McDaniel and Allison Sibley celebrate their presidential and vice presidential wins alongside their campaign manager, Kristopher Infante, after the ASG election results are revealed April 4 in the LBJ Student Center.

McDaniel, political science junior, and Sibley, finance senior, vied for the ASG Executive Office positions against independent candidates Kurt Fulkerson, management post-baccalaureate student, for president and Maxfield Baker, political science senior, for vice president.

The ASG voting period opened April 3 at 8 a.m. and ended April 4 at 5 p.m. McDaniel received 1,838 total votes, 354 more votes than his opponent, Fulkerson. Sibley had 1,019 more votes than her competitor, Baker, with a final tally of 2,130.

The McDaniel-Sibley campaign focused on three main initiatives, including enriching academics, engaging students and enhancing national recognition of Texas State.

McDaniel said the tactics of a campaign rally and a student meet-and-greet were innovatively utilized in he and Sibley’s campaign. McDaniel said he plans to meet with administrators to develop a “good relationship” for student representation in the coming weeks.

“Building up to it, it was great hearing all the senators and their results,” McDaniel said. “When Alison got the vice president position, I was really excited for her. And whenever I got (named ASG President) I was real excited. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out.”

Sibley hugged McDaniel and her mother, Linda Flemming, as well as other supporters of the McDaniel-Sibley campaign as the election results were announced. Flemming said she is “very proud” of all of her daughter’s hard work and is excited to see Sibley in her new leadership role.

Sibley had tears in her eyes throughout the evening after she learned the outcome of the election. 

“So much hard work has been put into this and I just feel like I did this for a reason,” Sibley said. “For the coming weeks, first on my agenda is to sleep and then do schoolwork. This Monday, you can see Nathan and I with students and administration to make sure we live through our ideas and our platform.”

Fulkerson said he plans to stay active in the Maroon and Gold Student Organization and will continue to survey the student population.

“There were absolutely zero things I could have possibly done more (in my campaign),” Fulkerson said. “I had an absolute pleasure meeting so many students on campus and I made a lot of friends. I’m just really excited to have played a part in this whole thing.”

Baker said he “did all that he could” in his campaign by speaking to students frequently around campus. Baker said he will continue to participate in ASG meetings to speak on behalf of students who feel underrepresented.

“Whether I win or lose, I think I touched a lot of people,” Baker said. 

Out-going ASG President AJ DeGarmo had kind words for the new ASG Executives. DeGarmo said he is “very ecstatic” with the 10 percent turnout of student body votes in the election. He said there was more participation from the students this year than in previous years. 

DeGarmo said he is proud of the work the Election Commission did under the leadership of Cody DeSalvo, public administration junior. He said his main advice for McDaniel and Sibley is to “hit the ground running” by working on initiatives as soon as possible.

“I’m excited for Nathan and Alison, and their whole ticket elected,” DeGarmo said. “I cannot wait to see what they have planned for the whole year.”

The student body voted to pass an ASG Constitutional Referendum by a vote of 250 to 78. The change is to Article II, Section 2, Subsection B which will now consolidate the current senatorial positions from four categories of representation in academic colleges, on-campus, off-campus and at-large into just two groups of academic colleges and at-large senators.