By Michela Gritti
UNCP students have elected Elijah Griffin and LaNiya Harris as the next president and vice president of the Student Government Association, bringing two experienced campus leaders to the forefront of student advocacy.
Griffin, a junior mass communication major with a concentration in broadcasting, has been involved across campus as a peer academic leader, three-year orientation leader and member of student conduct. He currently serves as SGA governor and associate vice president.
Harris, a senior majoring in sociology and criminal justice, is a returning orientation leader, a member of the cross country and track and field team, an Honors College student and a junior senator in SGA.
Both described emotional reactions to the results.
“I was overly ecstatic,” Harris said. “I almost cried. I called my mom and then told Elijah. It really hit me that I’m going to be representing the student body.”
Griffin said he learned the news as he arrived at the student center.
“I was opening the door when I got the email,” he said. “I just started hugging whoever was on the way”.
For Griffin, the win “shows there’s still honest politicians,” he said.
As they prepare to take office, both said their first priority is rebuilding trust in SGA.
“Restoring trust is big for us,” Griffin said. “We want to put SGA in a better position moving forward.”
Harris pointed to student wellness, especially mental health, as a key focus.
“We want students to know that mental health is real,” she said. “There are more options than just therapy, and we want to make those resources more available.”
“We want to create more opportunities and work with organizations”, she added, emphasizing the need to increase the collaboration across campus. “We want it to happen in a more direct way, not just through emails and forms,” Harris said.
“No vote was the wrong vote,” Griffin said, stressing how essential unity will be after such a competitive election. “We want to bring people together and fix any relationships that may have been damaged.”
Harris echoed that message, saying that “Everyone is entitled to their vote. No matter who you supported, we’re still here to advocate for you.”
Griffin and Harris will take office as leaders of the 79th session with a focus on collaboration, leadership and transparency, making student voices heard across campus.