Dean Alberto Gonzales inaugurates SGA

Gonzales administered the oath and swore in President Jonathan Rankin and Vice President Jade Cooper again as well as the six cabinet and 40 congress members.

 Speaking from his experience in power as the 80th attorney general of the United States from 2005 to 2007, Gonzales gave some advice to the congress about the responsibility that comes with leadership.

“The more responsibility and power that you accumulate, the tougher it gets,” Gonzales said. “You shouldn’t be discouraged, but you should know that when you assume positions of power, go in with your eyes open and your armor on, because it can be tough at times. But the rewards are extraordinary.”

This is the second inauguration for Rankin and Cooper, who also participated in a small, filmed ceremony last semester.

Associate Provost and Dean of Students Dr. Jeffery Burgin also shared perspective with congress in his opening statement and invocation and asked everyone attending to celebrate the new beginning that comes with the inauguration while still continuing the university’s 125 years of legacy.

“Make sure that you utilize the past in moving forward, taking from the past some of those positive things that have been done, enhancing those things and taking the gifts that God has given you ultimately in being successful this year in some of the new initiative that you have,” he said.

Rankin closed the inauguration with a short story about the importance of making an impact in even one person’s life, and he emphasized the main goals of congress.

“As leaders of the student body at Belmont, we have to always remember that every student matters,” Rankin said. “Second, we should remember that no perspective is worth more than any other perspective. It is our job to make sure that everyone is heard. We serve the students because we love the community, and we love because He first loved us.”

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