After extending the elections through Monday evening because of a tie for one of the positions, Director of Employer Relations John Quint announced the officers for the Class of 2019 on Tuesday.
Although Quint announced the elected officers in a campus-wide email on Tuesday, he has not told the position in which the tie occurred. Director of Career Services Joanna Wiseley said she has not seen a tie occur in class officer elections in recent years.
The rising senior class elected Ryan Kelly Murphy as president. Murphy, who currently is in Washington, D.C., for the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program, is a George Washington fellow and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She also volunteers as a children’s ministry teacher at Pine Ridge Bible Church in Quincy.
“I have always marveled at the position of president,” Murphy said. “I have really respected the people who have taken on that role, people who serve their classmates. I wondered, could God have that opportunity for me to serve in that way?”
Vice President-elect Marcus Koperski serves as Alpha Tau Omega’s new member educator, where he teaches new members and manages the active members in his chapter. He also works for the Kendall Contact Center and plays cello in the school orchestra. Koperski said he looks forward to working with Murphy and the other officers.
“I want to be reliable and help Ryan do what she needs to get done,” Koperski said. “Whatever bumps in the road, I know these officers will be able to handle it.”
Kathleen Russo, who was elected secretary, serves as Students for Life president and recruitment chair for Chi Omega.
She also is a member of the Federalist Society and the cheer team.
Russo smiled as she recalled meeting most of the other members at freshman orientation.
She said she hopes to bring back to the senior class the charm they fell in love with that day.
“By the time you get to your last year, a lot of times you forget the charm of Hillsdale,” Russo. “I want to give that back to the seniors, especially through the commencement speaker we choose.”
Class of 2019 Treasurer Andres Torres is a resident assistant in Simpson Residence. He served on Student Federation for two years, first as freshman class representative and then as president last year.
Torres’ goal for the next year is to make the most of their budget. He also said he looks forward to working with Koperski on selecting the class gift.
The rising seniors elected Faith Witkowski as social chair. Witkowski serves on Pi Beta Phi’s leadership and nomination committee, which selects members for other positions within the house. She is a biology major who would works in the conservation genetics lab, and she also works at A.J.’s Café.
“Everybody probably knows me because I gave them chicken tenders at one time,” Witkowski said.
Newly-elected Fundraising Chair Rachel Umaña is also a member of Pi Beta Phi and currently works as a graphic designer for alumni affairs. As the the acting president of College Republicans, Umaña coordinated fundraising efforts for the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference.
“I know the importance of starting fundraising initiatives early and executing them consistently,” Umaña said.
All officers expressed excitement for the selection of the commencement speaker and the senior class gift, two of the officers’ biggest responsibilities.
“These will be the last parting words for the senior class, the last time the seniors are together on campus, Murphy said. “We should strive to choose someone who captures the values that Hillsdale stands for.”
