Casey Nelson was sworn in as SGA president on Tuesday morning using the same Oath of Office and on the same Bible as the rest of this year’s administration, but that’s where the similarities ended. 

Nelson took the oath one month into the spring semester after former President Jared Hunter resigned. Instead of at the Gorgas House, the ceremony took place within the SGA office.

“These certainly weren’t circumstances that anybody could’ve predicted, but we’re going to get through it as an SGA,” Nelson said.

Nelson is assuming the office of president after former President Jared Hunter resigned after receiving a DUI. 

The 10-minute ceremony, while missing the usual pomp and circumstance, didn’t lack for emotional charge. Nelson shook while taking the oath while her mother stood beside her holding the Bible. After a teary-eyed moment over flowers the Program Assistant to the SGA Stephanie Shamblin brought her, Nelson seemed ready for work.

“Here goes nothing,” she said.

SGA members, including executive, nonexecutive, representatives from the administration, the office of fraternity and sorority life and National Panhellenic Council were in attendance alongside Nelson’s mother, Patty, a family friend who videotaped the ceremony on her phone, and her boyfriend.