Grilled hamburgers met the newly-elected Student Senate officers April 14.

The pavilion was crowded with smoke and smiling faces as the new officers were sworn in.

Eric Ducommun, sophomore Spanish major, was elected Senate president. Mandy Witt, senior business education major, ran against Ducommun for the position. Witt was the Senate treasurer.

Ducommun has several ideas for his term as president.

“I’d like to get more cooperation between certain groups on campus,” Ducommun said. “[I will also] get Senate a little more visibility on campus.”

Rahila Kahn, senior physics major, was elected vice president of Senate.

Deanne Smallwood-Thomas, junior speech communications major, ran against Kahn.

Smallwood-Thomas plans to continue to be on Senate next semester.

“It’s looking good,” she said. “I anticipate it (the semester) to be everything we expected this year and more.”

Kelli Friga, junior managing and marketing major, was elected treasurer.

“I’m excited,” Friga said. “I hope I can do as good of a job as Mandy did.”

Amber Hemphill, junior secondary education major, was elected Senate secretary as a write-in candidate.

“It’s a real honor considering I did not have a campaign,” Hemphill said.

She said it was good to know that those who wrote her in consider her to be good enough for the job.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Adam Griffin, co-adviser to Senate, gave recognition plaques to the outgoing officers.

Zack Odem, outgoing Senate president, told the new officers and senators who did not win to look forward to next semester. He encouraged everyone to continue with their campaigns to be a senator.

“It was overall a good election,” Odem said. “I wish President Ducommun the best of luck.”

Odem said he believed all of the new officers were capable of doing their job.

“I hope they continue to allow Senate to be more of the voice of students on campus,” he said.