The class of 2017 elected junior Jacob Thackston for their class president Tuesday.
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Hillsdale College’s class of 2017 elected rising senior Jacob Thackston as class president Wednesday.
“I’m truly grateful to my fellow classmates for their support,” Thackston said. “Hillsdale really is about the people, and I’m excited to embark on a purpose-driven year together this fall.”
More than 170 juniors voted Tuesday and Wednesday to elect their senior committee. Victoria Fassett will serve as Thackston’s vice president. The class secretary is Hannah Andrews, the treasurer is Ian Gensler, and the social chairwoman is Jada Bissett. Jessie Fox will fills the new class development officer position.
Responsible for planning all senior class events, including parties, the senior gift, and future class reunions, the committee will lead the 2017 senior class to graduation and beyond.
While the traditional responsibilities of the class president are limited to leading senior committee meetings, speaking for fellow classmates in the selection of a commencement speaker, and serving as host for certain college functions, Thackston said he hopes to have a more substantial impact.
“I feel that many of the opinions of our student body go unheard by the administration,” Thackston said. “I was elected to serve the student body, and I plan to use that position to make sure our thoughts are heard.”
Thackston, a philosophy major and politics minor, is spending the semester studying in Washington, D.C. through the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program. He also serves as president of A Few Good Men, is a George Washington fellow, and serves as the vice president of the campus philosophy honorary, Phi Sigma Tau.
As vice president, Fassett will organize senior committee meetings and assist Thackston and the rest of the committee in planning senior events.
In addition to vice president, Fassett is also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
Fox will fill the new role of development officer. Taking the place of fundraising chair from previous years, the development officer is responsible for working closely with the 1844 Society and managing plans for support of the college following graduation.
As treasurer, Gensler will be responsible for organizing the class gift; as secretary, Andrews will manage agendas for committee meetings and publicity for senior class events. Finally, as social chair, Bissett will hold responsibility for planning all senior class social events, namely the senior tailgate party at homecoming.
Each of the committee members expressed gratitude toward their fellow classmates and an excitement to lead the class of 2017 through and following its final year at Hillsdale.
“Our class has elected a great committee,” Fox said. “We look forward to having a voice with which to give back to the school, which has given so much to us.”