“It was 100% worth it,” Kelso said. “Bruno Mars is such an icon.”

Likewise, Emma Santoro, sophomore kinesiology major from Fort Worth, went to a Ty Myers concert in Abilene. She paid $30 for the concert.

“If I were Ty, I would’ve charged more because of how famous he is,” Santoro said. “But we don’t have to tell him that.”

Despite the $270 difference, both described nearly identical experiences.

“I took videos of all my favorite songs,” Santoro said. “And pictures for Instagram too.”

Kelso echoed those statements and said her experience would have been different without her phone.

“I love taking videos and pictures throughout the concert,” Kelso said. “Of me and my friends, to post and to send it to my family.”

For many ACU students, going to a concert is not just a night out. Because Abilene is not exactly on every artist’s tour schedule, attending a concert often turns into a mini vacation. Road trips, outfit planning and a quick moment of financial regret after buying the ticket.

But for many, it is worth it, and the price is part of the experience.

And whether in DFW, Abilene or elsewhere, as soon as the lights go down, the entire crowd reacts the same.

Phones go up.

Screens glow.

And suddenly, hundreds of people are watching the same concert, through their own devices.

But sometimes, the best moments happen when the screen goes dark.

Bill Horn, professor of language and literature, said he has noticed a shift over decades of attending concerts.

“People are watching the concert through the phone,” Horn said, lifting his hands in front of his face, mimicking someone holding a phone. “That’s the problem.”

Horn grew up going to concerts before smartphones existed. Back then, the audience interacted differently.

“We hold up lighters to let them know we wanted an encore,” Horn said, smiling at the memory. “The whole arena lit up with real fire.”

With lighters being replaced by phone flashlights, Horn said those moments look different now.

But some traditions remain. A few years ago, Horn took his daughters to a concert in Austin. Before they even found their seats, he passed down advice from his own concert-going experience.

“First thing you do, go straight to the T-shirt table,” Horn said. “Because if you don’t, the shirt you want might be gone.”

He laughed, describing it as a rule learned the hard way.

His merchandise strategy might not have changed, but Horn said the overall experience has.

Instead of focusing on the stage, many focus on capturing it, adjusting angles, zooming in and making sure the video turns out right.

“People are trying so hard to capture the moment that they’re actually missing the moment,” Horn said.

He said the shift is not just cultural, but economic.

“Concerts used to be $15,” Horn said. “They made their money from selling records.”

He said he saw KISS live in Abilene for that price, shaking his head slightly as if he still could not believe it.

“Now concerts are where the money is,” Horn said. “Streaming changed everything.”

As prices go up, so does the pressure to make the experience feel worth it, and for many students, that means documenting it.

Santoro followed that pattern until her phone died halfway through the concert. But instead of that ruining the night, she said, it changed it.

“It felt nice not having to hold back from singing,” Santoro said. “Just getting to enjoy whatever he was playing at the time.”

Without her phone, one moment stood out more clearly.

“[Ty Myers] played the electric guitar backwards behind his back,” Santoro said.  “This is something you can’t experience when you listen to his songs on your phone.”

For Horn, those kinds of moments used to define concerts.

“You knew it was a unique experience,” Horn said. “There was excitement before, during and after.”

And after, he added, was just as important.

“You’d be talking about it with your friends,” he said. “Reliving it. That was part of it.”

Now, the next day often looks different.

Instead of conversations, there is scrolling.

Clips fill social media feeds. The same songs, the same stage, slightly different angles.

And most of those videos are rarely watched again.

Santoro said going through them can feel strange.

“Seeing all the videos makes me sad, because it’s over,” Santoro said.” But I do get excited when pictures turn out good, so I can drop a fire post.”

The mini vacation ends.

The posts go up.

And the concert, somewhere between the stage and the screen, becomes something you experienced.

But mostly something you recorded.

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The open letter, by a group called The Salt & Light Resistance, was started by Collin Packer, the director of strategic development of Let’s Talk Race Ministries in Allen, who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ACU; Jerry Taylor, retired associate professor of Bible, missions and ministry; and Dr. Mark Hamilton, professor of biblical studies.

Among those who have signed the document are Dr. Cliff Barbarick, chair of the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry; Josh Ross, one of the newest university board members; and Dr. Barry Packer, a former chair of the Board of Trustees. The signers also include more than 1,000 people associated with Churches of Christ across the U.S.

The letter warns against Christian nationalism and highlights the mistreatment of people of color in the U.S.

“This movement confuses the gospel with a political agenda and makes us susceptible to the death-dealing designs of corrupting leaders. It disguises venomous hatred with pious words. It uses the precious name of our Savior, the saving symbol of the cross, and the music by which we celebrate our redemption to mask the great harm done to large groups of our fellow human beings,” the letter said.

Collin Packer said the letter is specifically for Church of Christ members because they had seen responses from many other denominations and wanted there to be a way for the Church of Christ, which has no governing body, to be on record.

He said that although he believes the issue of Christian Nationalism is not directly correlated with one administration, recent policies regarding immigration have raised concerns for him and the other supporters.

“We see Christian nationalism as a blending of our Christian identities and  our American identities,” Packer said. “[Christian nationalism] expects that if you are going to be American, that you are a particular kind of Christian that advocates for Christian perspectives, laws and ways that are not inclusive as our democracy.”

He said that when the Christian faith is tied to nationalism, then it does not properly reflect the teachings of Jesus or the goals of Christianity.

Packer said that he hopes the letter causes people to speak out against injustice.

“I would agree that partisanship is not helpful in church,” said Packer. “But what it means to love our neighbor and to do that publicly is to seek justice.”

Hamilton said that for a long time, the idea that the church and state should be connected was a marginal idea; in the last several months, he has seen it become much more mainstream.

The idea that “Christians are supposed to be in charge of everything. Christians make all the decisions … It’s not a few odd people out somewhere. It’s a view that’s elected people to high office,” Hamilton said.

He said that on the surface, the idea that the goals of the Church and the goals of the state aligning may sound nice, but in practice, it results in the state taking over the church and political agendas are confused with the gospel.

Hamilton said he’s seen these Christian nationalist views appear in a variety of different ways, such as, when Pete Hegseth read a prayer from the movie “Pulp Fiction” last month. He said ge’s heard from people who want the current war in Iran to continue because they believe it will hasten Jesus’ return. He’s also seen others supporting the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools.

“We construct this narrative that somehow, before some in some date, sometime in the ‘50s or ‘60s, we were a Christian country, and then suddenly we weren’t,” Hamilton said. “ I think that the date, the facts, just don’t support that claim at all.”

Hamilton said that before the letter was signed, he and many of the others who signed felt like they were the only ones who believed what was happening was wrong, but he’s been encouraged by all the support the letter has gotten.

“I thought I was alone, I thought I was going crazy,” he said. “Now I see I’m not alone. I may be going crazy, but I’m not doing it alone.”

Beyond the letter, the Salt and Light Resistance also has classes and articles where people can read more about their beliefs, and Packer said he hopes they will also have in-person classes in the future where people can learn more.

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The campaign, which now runs for two days, encourages members of the ACU community to contribute to areas of campus that have impacted them.

Donations collected during the event helped fund a variety of initiatives across the university, including academic departments, student organizations, athletics and emergency support funds.

Samantha Adkins, executive director of donor relations and annual giving, said the campaign began in 2017 as a single 24-hour giving day with just three designated funds.

Over time, it has grown significantly in both length and participation.

“It started in 2017 with three funds that you could give to for the day, and it really was just a 24-hour period,” Adkins said.

Today, the campaign has expanded to nearly 40 highlighted funds while still allowing donors to contribute to any area of the university.

The event is now called “1906 Minutes for ACU,” referencing the university’s founding year and spanning two days.

“We just thought it would be a fun way to increase the time, but also tie into ACU’s history,” Adkins said.

The funds include initiatives across academic colleges, athletics, and scholarships, such as the Exceptional Scholarship Fund, which raised over $250,000 for undergraduate students.

Some of the funds supported during ACU Gives also focus on service opportunities for students.

Zane McGee, director of the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service, said donations through the campaign help prepare and send students to serve communities around the world.

The program raised $20,125 this year, beating its goal of $20,000, according to the ACU Gives website.

“ACU Gives allows our center to recruit, equip and send students to work alongside their global neighbors for the betterment of their communities,” McGee said. “We believe that when students engage in Christ-like service, it not only draws people closer to God, but also produces tangible good for those whom we encounter.”

McGee said the goal this year is to raise more than $20,000 to support student mission opportunities, supported in part by two donor families who offered a $10,000 matching gift.

“These funds from ACU Gives improve the equipping of students for well-formed service in the image of Christ,” McGee said.

Anthony Egbo, former football player and director of the Wildcat Annual Fund, said the success of this year’s campaign, including the men’s basketball fund nearly doubling its goal from $130,000 to almost $256,000, reflects growing confidence in ACU athletics during a time of change.

“I think what it says is that people believe in what we’re doing in athletics,” Egbo said. “College athletics has changed a lot over the last couple of years, and for us to stay relevant while still doing things our way, it requires increased support.”

Egbo said the donors are recognizing the shifting landscape of college sports, including the rise of NIL, conference realignment and new financial models, and are choosing to invest in ACU’s mission-driven approach.

“The community is really getting behind that vision,” he said.

Funds raised through ACU Gives will have a direct impact on student-athletes, supporting both their athletic performance and personal development. Egbo said donations help provide opportunities such as mission trips, faculty upgrades and expanded resources for teams.

Egbo said programs are already seeing tangible improvements, including a new weight room for multiple sports and planned upgrades to the track and football facilities. Other investments include enhanced gear, marketing efforts and increased programming focused on life skills and spiritual formation.

“It’s mission trips, developing life skills, it’s jerseys, it’s facilities, it’s nutrition,” Egbo said. “A lot of it you’ll see visibly, but a lot of it is internal work that we do with our athletes.”

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At these events, the graduating seniors heard from speakers, worshipped, and were given awards nominated by faculty and students.

Student Government Association awarded the Mr. ACU and Miss ACU awards to James Bradshaw, theatre major from Sachse, and Maddie Grace Fridge, child and family services major from Sugar Land.

PJ Martinez handed out the other awards, Honor Man, Honor Woman, B. Sherrod Scholarship, the Trustees award, the Dean Adams Achievement Award and the V.W. and Loreta Kelley scholarship.

“Each year, the faculty student life committee accept nominations to honor some of the graduating seniors,” Martinez said. “The committee reviews these nominations and then votes to select winners.”

This year’s award winners are listed below.

Honor Man and Honor Woman:

• Honor man: Canaan Fairley, political science major from San Antonio.
• Honor woman: Tamil Adele, criminal justice major from Midland.

Trustees Award:

• Kelsey Wilson, biology major from Wichita Falls.
• Kyla Flanagan, mechanical engineering major from Abilene.
• Zeke Whisenhunt, engineering major from Greenbriar, Arkansas.
• Makeda Marquardt, accounting major from Abilene.

B Sherrod Scholarship:

• Emmery Kovalcik, physics major from Bossier City, Louisiana
• Avrie Paxson, mathematics major from Littleton, Colorado.
• Jacqueline Garcia Torres, marketing major from Abilene.
• Lillian Ross, accounting major from Beaumont.

Dean Adams achievement award:

• Ana Rodriguez, biology major from Manor.
• Erick Rivera-Miller, political science major from Cherokee.
• Kelson Agbenu, management major from Aledo.
• Kaylin Graves, advertising and public relations major from Arlington.

V.W. and Loreta Kelley scholarship:

• Brooklyn Arreola, interdisciplinary studies, Lovington, New Mexico.
• Sophie Lopez, advertising and public relations major from San Salvador, El Salvador.

Fridge said she was surprised to receive the Miss ACU award.

“It’s been such a treat to celebrate with my friends,” Fridge said. “Honestly, I have no idea how to feel [about graduating]. I’ve been really excited about this milestone for a really long time, and there’s a lot of bittersweet things that come with it, but mostly I’m feeling excited.”

From there, the class made its way to Beauchamp Amphitheater for the annual candlelight devotional, led by Dr. John Boyles, associate professor of Bible, missions and ministry, for a moment to pray, worship and reflect on their time on campus.

On Saturday, 670 undergraduate students will walk the stage, earning degrees from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Biblical Studies, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Learning and Development and the Onstead College of Science and Engineering will graduate at 10 a.m. 

Students graduating from the College of Business Administration, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences or the College of Leadership and Professional Studies will graduate at 2 p.m., with Dr.  Phil Schubert, president of the university, leading both commencements.

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Four hundred seventy Students, alumni, faculty and community members signed up to race on Saturday in Galaxy’s 2026 annual Kirk Goodwin Run, which raised $38,000 to support the professional development and internship director in COBA, Jasmine McCabe-Gosset. Gosset was diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in November of 2024, and all of the proceeds of this year’s race are towards her medical bills.

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Dr. Aaron Robison, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, led the Faculty Senate sub-committee that selected this year’s recipients. 

“This goes beyond being a very good student or being very involved with [the] university,” Robison said. “It’s really looking for scholarship, which means different things for different majors and departments.”

To begin the process, the chairs of each department on campus nominate students for the award. As part of their nomination, the department chairs write a 300-word summary of why they nominated each student, as well as a 50-word summary of the student’s research or scholarship. Additionally, each department chair is able to select a “Designated Awardee” from their department who is automatically selected to receive the award. 

From there, the Faculty Senate sub-committee reviews the nominations and selects the top 50 students to receive the award. Robison, who received the University Scholar award as a student, said the sub-committee relies heavily on the descriptions for their decisions. 

Jeremiah Polk, senior biochemistry major from Melissa, is one of the students receiving this honor. Polk began to do undergraduate research as a freshman in the chemistry department. In the summer of 2024, Polk participated in a research internship program through the department. After that, in the summer of 2025, Polk completed a research internship at the University of Kansas. 

Along with the work he has done within his department, Polk has also been involved in ResLife, working as an RA for two years, and he directed the senior class act during Sing Song. 

“For me, it was never really something where it was, ‘Oh I’m gonna shoot for that’,” Polk said regarding the award. “It was just, I’m gonna sit down and just do the best of my ability, always give my best and try to pursue excellence.”

After he graduates this May, Polk plans to join the NEXT Lab to work as a chemist. From there, he is hoping to pursue a master’s degree in divinity and hopes to become a professor.  

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His new book, The Book of Love: A Better Way to Read The Bible, challenges readers to rethink how they engage with scripture, emphasizing healing over harm. 

The idea for the book began with a conversation connected to ACU’s Saunders Center for Joy and Human Flourishing, where Beck serves as a senior fellow. In one of his last conversations with Landon Saunders, he was expressing concerns with how the Bible had been read for generations, and Saunders said somebody needs to write a book about the church on how to read the Bible in a more generous way.

“I just thought maybe I could write the book,” Beck said. And I opened up my notebook, and I wrote at the top, The Book of Love, and that became the title of the book.”

Beck’s background in psychology plays a central role in the approach. Drawing on attachment theory research, he argues that a person’s relationship with God, whether secure or anxious, shapes how they interpret scripture. 

“If you’re securely attached to God, you’re pre-convinced that God is reliable and consistently loving,” Beck said. “But if you’re anxiously attached to God, then you’re going to be worried that God might get upset with you, might reject you.”

That ability to connect complex ideas to everyday life is what makes Beck stand out in the classroom, said Dr. Cherisse FLanagan, chair of the Department of Psychology.

“He is half psychologist, half theologian, half stand-up comedian,” Flanagan said, “and I know that equals 150, but he’s dynamic and intentional and one of the most engaging speakers I’ve ever seen.”

Flanagan said Beck’s impact on students extends far beyond the classroom.

“I would say he has a lifelong impact,” Flanagan said, “students will remember him fondly for his passion and for his care of them.”

Beck’s goal was always to help readers and students see scripture differently.

“The Bible probably isn’t what you think it is,” Beck said, “There’s a lot more out there that you can learn and be surprised by, and so I wrote my book to be that kind of surprise.” 

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The university will launch its first Ph.D. degree in nuclear science and engineering in the Onstead College of Science and Engineering this fall or when prospective students apply and are admitted.

The process to get this new program approved by the university began with Dr. Mark DeHart, who worked at the Idaho National Laboratory for 15 years and at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for 17 years, adding to his expertise in nuclear science.

DeHart proposed a master of science and a master of engineering, followed by a Ph.D. He also submitted a program description that includes all the classes that will be offered within the program.

“The Ph.D. program description was a little rough compared to the two master’s when I submitted them,” DeHart said. “We just pushed the masters through, and we delayed the Ph.D. It has gone through now.”

The program went through the faculty senate vote last week and is now being reviewed by Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, who must sign off on it to make it official, said DeHart.

“It has been a learning experience for me, I see the reason for everything that ACU does,” DeHart said. “It’s a very deliberate process, and I get lots of feedback; it’s all positive and very supportive.”

The last step for the program’s approval is to go through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the organization that accredits the quality of the university’s degrees, including Ph.D.s, for graduate schools.

Once all of that is approved, the university will have its first Ph.D. program.

The Master of Science and the Master of Engineering have been approved by SACS with classes starting in August, but the Ph.D. classes won’t start until January of 2028, said DeHart.

“Say you wanted to start the Ph.D. and you wanted to start in August, you would still have to take all of the Master’s level classes, which is three semesters worth of classes,” DeHart said.

By getting the Ph.D. approved this early, the university will be able to receive recognition if a student expresses interest in pursuing the Ph.D.

“We’ll have it in place and ready to go for as soon as we get a student that’s ready to go,” DeHart said. “The first Ph.D. that gets enrolled will be the first Ph.D. graduate for ACU.”

The application portal will be updated so that students who are interested and already have their master’s in either science or engineering can apply. Those selected will go through an interview process with DeHart.

“I want to see passion, I want to see more than grades,” DeHart said. “I want to see their interests, and I want to see why they’re doing this and where they want to go with this.”

The Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing lab, which aims to design and build the first university-based molten salt research reactor, will play an important role in this program.

“We’re building on what ACU does well in teaching,” DeHart said. “To fund something like this, we have to have external dollars to pay for the research, so we write the proposals.”

The proposals are work that can be done relative to the NEXT lab. The facility will be the experimental base for the students, who, for their dissertation, can lean into any aspect that interests them. Some students will begin creating simulations of the molten salt reactor, which will later be compared to the actual reactor once it’s built.

DeHart believes that the NEXT lab’s reactor was the leading factor in the university’s decision to offer a Ph.D. in nuclear science.

“I think the president took that as a sign,” DeHart said. “‘Here’s a place where we can start building STEM education,’ so I really see myself as the tip of the spear.”

Dr. Jim Drachenberg, nuclear science and engineering graduate program coordinator, helped DeHart with building the Ph.D. program.

“It’s been really good fun,” Drachenberg said. “I’m kind of on the curriculum side of it. I helped participate in the discussion on what we could offer and what might be core versus elective and that sort of thing.”

DeHart brainstorms ideas for courses to offer and makes the final call, but getting this program up and running was a team effort. Drachenberg worked on packets for specific classes to get them approved and later presented them to councils.

“I kinda fell back on my experience with the undergraduate curriculum committees and what all needs to be in there– learning outcomes, and assessments and those kinds of things,” Drachenberg said. 

Within the program, the students can go in different directions with their dissertations, leading to many different outcomes once the program is completed.

“A Ph.D. is kind of a level where you are the leader, so the knowledge on how to do that and the techniques on how to do that, capacity for leadership in the community, leadership positions in the nuclear industry – I certainly hope that they get that to take away from,” Drachenberg said. 

With the university’s goal of fostering a Christ-centered community, the students involved will have the opportunity to pursue intellectual growth while engaging with God’s creation.

“I also hope that while they’re here at Abilene Christian University, they get a deeper perspective on how inquiry into the world brings us into a closer relationship with the creator,” Drachenberg said. “I hope they get a better sense of awe of who God is, and how amazing the world that He created is.”

Aside from acquiring scientific knowledge, Drachenberg hopes that those involved with the program walk away better than they were when they arrived.

“I hope they gain a perspective on how they can use the knowledge that they gain, not just to lift themselves up and advance in their careers but how to make the world better, and how to bless people with the things they’ve been given,” Drachenberg said. 

Drachenberg credits this new program to the NEXT Lab while also acknowledging that the work they will be doing is independent from the lab, and it just happens to benefit from it.

“[The program] takes advantage of that capability that we’ve built up,” Drachenberg said. “Hopefully it’s also a benefit to NEXT Lab and also other programs that might spin off from this.”

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The STAR fund operates through the business class, Fin 439, where students manage a portion of the university’s endowment.

The fund began with an initial investment of $25,000 in the 1980s and later became part of the endowment in 1999. Since then, students have continued to build the portfolio by researching companies, making trades and passing down holdings from one class to the next. 

Each semester, students enroll in the course and select a fund manager from within the class. That student leads discussions, assigns research and helps guide the decision-making process, while all members contribute to researching current and potential investments. 

Students begin by reviewing existing holdings, which include stocks accumulated over decades. From there, they analyze performance, study market conditions and determine whether to buy, sell or hold positions.

Paul Roswell, junior finance major from Hurst, serves as the current fund manager and discussed the importance of the work being done in the STAR fund class.

“We’re essentially money managers, for a very small part of the endowment, which is like $900 million or something,” Roswell said. “So we’re now 5 million of that, which is awesome.”

Since the fund is part of the endowment, students are working with real institutional funds rather than simulated investments. While they have flexibility in managing the portfolio, certain trades require additional approval depending on size and scope. 

Tibby Brown, junior finance major from West Monroe, Louisiana, serves as the fund’s chief financial officer. In that role, Brown documents each transaction and compiles written reports explaining the reasoning behind trades.

“Every time we make a trade or sell something, I write up a one to two-page paper using all of the investment reasons,” Brown said.

The class also works toward long-term performance goals tied to overall market benchmarks. After meeting a three-year goal of outperforming the market, $500,000 was injected into the fund to invest from the endowment, increasing the amount students manage, compared to previous semesters.

“We really hit the ground running, as compared to a lot of other classes potentially in the past,” Brown said. “Because we had so much money that if we sat on it, it could very easily depreciate over the next few months, so we had to get that investment as fast as possible.”

Investment decisions are made through a structured process that includes research, presentations and class votes. Students develop pitches for potential investments, outlining financial data, market trends and projected outcomes before the class determines whether to move forward.

For certain proposals, especially those that fall outside typical investment parameters, students must complete additional research before executing trades.

One current project involves evaluating a newer company focused on AI data centers and energy infrastructure. Because the company is not in the S&P 500, students have expanded their research process to include more detailed analysis and modeling.

Dr. Jody Jones, associate professor of finance and faculty adviser, said students maintain primary responsibility for managing the fund.

“Our fund is completely student-run,” Jones said. “I usually sit in the back, and the fund manager runs class.”

Jones said students base decisions on research and long-term expectations rather than short-term market movement.

“We trade based on information and expectations, not based on noise,” Jones said.

As the fund surpasses $5 million, students continue to evaluate current holdings and develop new investment proposals, contributing to the portfolio’s ongoing growth.

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The ceremony on Wednesday gave senators and the executive cabinet a chance to reflect on the 2025–26 year and to recognize the transition of leadership to president-elect Josh Hamm, junior biomedical major from Double Oak, and vice president-elect Luke Talley, sophomore government major from Salida, Colorado. The event featured the passing down of symbolic items, including the President’s Bible and Senate mallet, underscoring SGA’s commitment to service and faith.

Incoming executive cabinet members were also inaugurated during the ceremony.

• Paxson Wecker, junior information systems major from Sherman, will serve as treasurer and is the only current executive member returning next year.
  

  The past executive officer team stands with the new officer team at the changing of the guard. (Photo by Yeeun Goh)

• Themba Mlondiwa, sophomore accounting major from Abilene, will take on the role of chief finance officer.
• Pheben Abebe, sophomore biology major from Abilene, will serve as press secretary.
• Tatum Lamberth, junior biology major from Fort Worth, will serve as chief of staff.
• Kami Evanchak, junior occupational therapy major from Reno, Nevada, will serve as marketing director.
• Eric Terrones, sophomore music major from Waxahachie, was named director of student engagement.

Outgoing president Tamil Adele, senior criminal justice major from Midland, said the year was one of growth and impact.

“This past year has been one of the most formative years of my life,” Adele said. “There were a lot of things we set out to do, and I can say with confidence we achieved most of them. The things we didn’t just led us to pivot toward what would better serve the student body.”

Adele credited the executive team and Senate for the administration’s success, noting strong engagement and increased collaboration with university administration.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without the people around us,” Adele said. “The Senate was involved, the executive team was strong, and collaboration with administration made a real difference.”

She also encouraged students to stay involved and support the incoming administration.

“The reason they’re in this position is because they want to serve,” she said. “Use them. Talk to them. That’s how they can serve you best.”

Outgoing vice president Zeke Whisenhunt, senior engineering major from Greenbrier, Arkansas, highlighted the Senate’s productivity, noting 69 pieces of legislation were introduced this year.

“It felt like everyone was really engaged across all class levels,” Whisenhunt said.

Whisenhunt said he is confident in the next administration’s ability to build on that momentum.

“Josh and Luke are going to do a great job,” he said. “There’s a lot of fresh ideas coming in, and that newness is exciting for SGA.”

For Hamm and Talley, the ceremony marked more than a transition; it was the realization of months of preparation and a shared vision for the future.

The president’s Bible, the Senate mallet and folders for the new 2026-27 officer team. (Photo by Makayla Clayton)

“I’m super excited,” Hamm said. “It’s really cool that we have traditions like this that emphasize both service and our focus on Christ. It makes stepping into this role even more meaningful.”

Hamm said he is eager to begin working with the newly selected executive team and to represent the student body well.

“There’s a lot I want to get done and a lot of people I want to serve,” he said. “This is an opportunity I don’t take lightly.”

Talley described the moment as both rewarding and motivating.

“After months of hard work, it’s really sweet to finally step into this role,” Talley said. “We’re ready to work over the summer and next year to make this a better place for all students.”

He also reflected on the significance of SGA traditions, including the passing down of ceremonial items that connect each administration to those before it.

“It’s a legacy,” Talley said. “To be part of that and have it come full circle is really special.”

The ceremony concluded with both reflection and anticipation as leadership officially passed to the new administration.

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