When Campus Alliance's Frank Hood received the deciding phone call from Election Board Chairman Kyle Johnson, he threw his clinched left fist in the air declaring victory Friday.
The rest of the crowded Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house's living room understood the newly-elected Student Government Association president's response and erupted in cheer.
Hood's other slate members joined his side as the slate was bombarded with hugs and handshakes.
"I have been trying to think how I was going to react if we won for three weeks, but I couldn't speak," Hood said. "When the entire last three weeks comes down to a single moment, you don't really think, so I just acted."
However, when the polls closed at 6:45 p.m. the slate was not so confident. As the room was waiting for Hood's cell phone to ring, Campus Alliance Secretary Ebony Strong said her heart was racing because the election result is one of the defining moments in her Ball State life.
She caught up with Vice President Carrie Cozad, Treasurer Moses Jones and Hood as the phone call relieved the slate of their common nervous feeling.
Afterward, Strong said she felt more confident in the win.
"I think we had it all," she said as she started crying. "From experience to a fresh perspective, it just seemed like everyone believed in us."
Hood said electing his slate means the student body will receive experience and an easy transition into the new administration.
"It's going to mean getting things done because we have the rapport with administrators, we have that experience, we know the people in Senate so we don't have to learn the names and make the friendships." Hood said. "It is already a tight-knit group, and we know that people want to feed us ideas. It's going to be a smooth transition and continue to be a successful SGA."
Current President Betsy Mills congratulated Campus Alliance for its victory and said she started planning the transition about a month ago. Mills said all the executive board members will meet with their predecessors and show the new members their elected positions.
Hood will be working with Mills in the upcoming weeks to get in contact with administrators and receive help on Campus Alliance's platform items.
The SGA President said she supports the new slate and thinks they will get a lot accomplished in their time at SGA.
"They are all really intelligent people who are all really fired up right now," Mills said. "I think Frank [Hood] will be a great president. It's a trial-by-fire thing, and I don't think anyone can ever be truly ready for it, but he's going to be great."
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