As the anticipated 7:30 p.m. release of the election results approached, the energy in the room heightened.

Harrison Adams found his seat on the bench at a table in the Sigma Nu house, surrounded on all sides by his campaign team and looking out to a crowd of his friends and family. Adams’ eyes flickered between the screen of the laptop placed in front of him and all the eyes in the room that were glued to him.

7:30 arrived bearing no results. Everyone around Adams took turns refreshing the page, waiting for the news that would determine the outcome of the countless hours they had put into that moment.

After nearly 10 minutes, the facial expressions of Adams changed and the room fell silent.

“President, Harrison Adams.”

The room erupted. Everyone seated at the table flew from their chairs, rushing to hug the first person they could reach. The nerves on Adams’ face fell away, replaced by a grin that didn’t leave for the rest of the night.

Darious Davis and Lauren Forrest, two of Adams’ campaign managers, sat on either side of him as the results rolled in.

“It’s amazing to see, as SGA members too, that we’re leaving it in good hands as we graduate,” Forrest said. “But it’s also good to see one of our dear friends who’s worked so hard for this position ending up getting it. Harrison, as a person, wants to make sure that he’s doing what the students want and need. I could not be more proud.”

Davis said the announcement of the results was surreal.

“His ideas are very tangible and very realistic and will be impactful to this campus,” Davis sad. “I hate that I can’t be here next year to see what he does, but I’m so proud of him and want him to know that I’ll always be here for him.”

Adams moved from members of his campaign team to his fraternity brothers to his family. In the midst of the congratulations being thrown his way, he took a moment to slip to a side hallway and process the events of the night.

Adams reflected on his opportunity to meet thousands of his peers throughout the election process, describing the experience as one of the best of his life.

“I just want to thank the people who voted for me for believing in me,” Adams said. “It means so much to me to have the University’s support. For the people who didn’t vote for me, give me a chance. I’m excited to get to work to make a difference in every student’s life and make sure UA feels like home to them. I want to make sure their experience here is the best it can be.”

As the reality of the outcome began to settle, Adams expressed nothing but excitement about his future as SGA president.

“This was the first step,” Adams said. “Now it’s time to get to work, and I’m so excited.”