Taylor Stribbling and Drew Mattocks took the 2015-2016 Student Government Association presidential election with 53.9 percent of the vote.

“I am so grateful. I literally cannot say anything else other than, God has been so glorified from the moment we started. Just to be able to know that we get to serve in this position to make the kingdom of God better here in this place is incredible. I am so honored and privileged to get to be the first SGA president,” said Taylor Stribbling, SGA president-elect and junior sociology major.

Stribbling first female president in five years

Stribbling will serve as the first elected female president since Lizzie Neely won the Associated Students presidential race for the 2010-2011 year. Prior to the Feb. 17 debate, Stribbling discussed running for SGA president as a female on a campus that has historically elected more male presidents.

“I take it in strides, I don’t really see it as it should be a bias, but I definitely do see it as being one. I think It can either be for me or against me in this challenge. I think that I’ve been prepared and equipped and empowered to do exactly whatever someone else would be empowered and equipped to do. I care just as much as anyone else, so I’m just going for it,” Stribbling said.

While waiting outside of the Thompson Hall offices to receive the election results, supporters discussed how the running team has coped during the campaign process.

“I feel like one would describe them as very gracious people. They’ve been so nice the whole time and even when it’s been really stressful they were so calm,” said Houston Osburn, sophomore communications disorders major.

Stribbling and Mattocks expressed respect towards their opponents,  junior accounting major Matthew Porter and junior communications major Catherine Dinius, and the role they played throughout the campaign process.

“I would just say thank you guys for leading. Thank you for doing an amazing job. Matt and Cat are seriously so amazing, they’re great people and this doesn’t change anything about them. I’m so excited to see where they lead Biola next year, how they will love the Biola community because that’s so evident in their lives,” Mattocks said, who is a junior public relations major.

Porter/Dinius campaign comes to a close

The campaign team for Porter and Dinius gathered in Crowell business building room 202 to hear the election result announcement. Porter and Dinius expressed their appreciation for the work their team employed during the campaign process.

“It was a good race. It was a fun race, but you can’t win everything, you know,” Porter said. “I’m just glad I can sleep easy now I know that I don’t have to worry about anything anymore.”

Students from the campaign team listened to music and talked with one another prior to hearing the announcement with cookies and several bottles of Martinelli’s waiting nearby.

Junior film major Emily Browning supported Porter and Dinius throughout their campaign endeavors. Browning said she was impressed by the duo’s professionalism in running for next year’s presidential positions.

“I have been friends with Matt and Cat for awhile now and just being able to hear them in their element has been so eye-opening. Just to see students being able to talk business and politics about a school that I have come to love so much has been really, really awesome, Browning said.

A total of 1,285 students voted in this year’s SGA presidential election; 692 voted for Stribbling and Mattocks, giving them a win by 99 votes.

Lee wins unopposed

Brady Lee, a junior Christian ministries major and the sole candidate for the 2015-2016 Student Missionary Union presidency, celebrated with his supporters in Myers 102 with poppers and confetti. Lee exclaimed his thanks to his supporters and gathered them into a large group hug.

“This campaign week was so enjoyable for me and I was so encouraged by people coming up to me and saying how they were inspired by my vision statement,” Lee said.

Lee gave a brief speech after he received his call and shared donuts around during a worship session.

“I feel blessed out of my mind. It’s been the best days I’ve had at Biola and I’m just so thankful that God has called me to this position,” Lee said.

Lee said his next step of action would be to hire staff for SMU.

“My next step of action is to really be in prayer because I’m going to be hiring staff and I need wisdom,” Lee said.

Prior to the call, Lee gave demonstrations of magic and played games with his supporters. Jong Yoon, Lee’s campaign manager and senior Christian ministries major said the main focus was to work hard.

“He’s the best human I’ve ever met,” Yoon said.

Melissa Michaels, junior elementary education major said that the focus of the campaign wasn’t putting Lee’s name out there but about putting SMU on a platform.

“Brady’s vision was not for his name to be out there but for SMU and for people to feel known and heard. It was an honor. He’s one of my best friends so it was really cool to be able to share his vision with our campus,” Michaels said.

Lee received 1,266 student ballots, which, of course, was 100 percent of the ballots cast for SMU president.