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OBU—Oklahoma Baptist University

SGA Hosts Annual Hyde Park Day

April 9, 2010

Candidates for Oklahoma Baptist University's elected student leadership had the chance to offer their stump speeches during OBU's annual Hyde Park Day chapel service, Wednesday, April 7.

This year's candidates for SGA president were, Brandon Dickinson, a rising senior from Enid, Okla., and Meranda Mills, a rising senior from Shawnee. Other candidates included:for SGA vice president, Chuck Porter, a sophomore from Owasso, Okla., and Kate Scottow, a sophomore from Plano, Texas; for senior class president and vice president, junior Kathryn Barrett from Neodesha, Kan., and junior Caitlin Dacus from Plano, Texas, respectively; for junior class president and vice president, rising sophomores Lexi Faught from Oklahoma City, and Timothy O'Gwynn from Shawnee, respectively. Freshmen Andrew Barker from Louisburg, Kan. and Colin Tresch from Tulsa, Okla., faced fellow freshmen Weston Potts from Grove, Okla. and Cody Vaughan from Antlers, Okla. in the race for sophomore class president and vice president.

"This year's set of candidates is promising," said Ryan Womack, current SGA president. "For the next year, I hope SGA will work deeply with the student body and the Shawnee community to better this university. There are some good opportunities to work with the current administration, as well as the city's leaders, who have shown strong deference to the student body leaders. These candidates should do well in this next year."

After the presentation of speeches, students were encouraged to vote for their preferred candidates at designated polling stations in the Geiger Center. The election polls closed at 3 p.m. on Hyde Park Day and following, results were posted at the SGA offices in the lower Geiger Center.

The winners of the 2010 SGA election were: Brandon Dickinson, SGA president; Chuck Porter, SGA vice president; Kathryn Barrett and Caitlin Dacus, senior class president and vice president; Lexi Faught and Timothy O'Gwynn, junior class president and vice president; and Andrew Barker and Colin Tresch, sophomore class president and vice president.

Freshmen class elections for president and vice president will be in the fall semester after the incoming students are able to familiarize themselves with the campus community.

Hyde Park Day was instituted at the university in 1958 after OBU President John W. Raley visited Hyde Park in London, England. At "Speakers' Corner" in Hyde Park anyone may set up a soap box and lecture all those in earshot on any topic. Spectators then are allowed to question the speaker. When the event started at OBU, based on the idea of free oratory, SGA candidates would gather in the Quadrangle on campus, set up "political booths" and vie for students' votes.