In August of 1999 a freshman female attended a Black Student Association meeting. All the freshmen in attendance were asked to introduce themselves. While most gave their name, hometown and major, one student added one sentence that set her apart.
"I'm going to make a difference."
Some students laughed at the assertion, while others applauded. Four years later there was no laughter after former SGA president Tolu Olowomeye gave her farewell address, just applause.
Team Tolu -- Olowomeye, Megan Pickens, Joe Flores and Irving Washington -- passed the leadership torch to the Manship Slate at Wednesday's SGA meeting, and the acheivements of the former were highlighted.
Olowomeye took pride in the fact that SGA reached out to the student population under her administrative guidance. In her farewell address, Olowomeye mentioned the four forums SGA sponsored giving students a chance to ask administrators about different issues; the "Back To You Tour" that took the executive board to different student organizations, and the distribution of food and clothing at different campus events.
Senate President Pro-tempore Nick Zuniga listed the 12 pieces of legislation passed by the Student Senate under Team Tolu's watch. He also boasted the fact that SGA distributed $11,000 to different student organizations for co-sponsorship activities.
Former vice president Megan Pickens said that when she first decided to run alongside Olowomeye she made her intentions clear.
"I said, 'If we do it,'" Pickens explained, "'I want to go all the way. I guess we have."
Olowomeye said the diversity of her team is one thing it will be remembered for. Olowomeye was the first black women president in Ball State SGA histroy.
"I've shown Ball State and the Muncie community that leaders come in different shapes, sizes and colors," Olowomeye said. "I've learned not to use race and gender as a crutch."
Washington, who is also black, said the team was immediately identified as the minority slate when they first began to run. Olowomeye called her executive board the "rainbow coalition."
Pickens said the executive board did not carry the Tolu administration alone. She also gave credit to the student senators.
"Senators, you are the heart of this organization," she said. "Without you, we fail."
Senate awards were also handed out Wednesday. Sen. Derek Brewington won the Rookie of the Year award. Lanette Sims won Director of the Year. Jeremy Kalvaitis was named Committee Chair of the Year. Ben Tietz won Caucus Chair of the Year, and Katie Wiese was given the Senator of the Year award.
Kalvaitis said he will not return to the Senate for his senior year.
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