Lindsay Richardson beamed as she looked out into the crowd at Rutledge Chapel.
Just after she was sworn in as student body president Wednesday afternoon, Richardson took to the podium to deliver thank-you’s and address her constituents for the first time as Student Government’s top officer.
“I am thankful to God that I did not trip or fall because I’m notoriously accident-prone,” she said to laughs.
But soon after the laughter died down, Richardson’s eyes began to well with tears as she thanked her friends, family, staff and voters for supporting her during her campaign, during which she said she did a great deal of reflection.
“This experience has taught me that time is really precious,” Richardson said. “Not every day is guaranteed.”
And after thanking a long list of people, it was her last thank you that Richardson said was the most special.
“Thank you to all those who came before me,” she said. “You paved the way for another African-American woman to become student body president at this university.”
Richardson was sworn in alongside newly elected Student Body Vice President Donnie Iorio, Student Body Treasurer Ryan Harman and 41 of the 42 senators of the 106th student senate.
As vice president, Iorio will serve as president of the senate. Iorio said he was ready for the jump from SG’s judicial branch, where he was chief justice, to the legislative side of things.
“Without the senate, Student Government could not function in the capacity that it currently does,” Iorio said.
Richardson, Iorio and Harman all said they were looking forward to working with each other and the new senators.
Harman noted that the inauguration was the first time all of the newly elected officers were in the same room at the same time, a moment he called “magical” and “literally electric.”
“We saw Chase and Ryan and Haley running down the line (of senators), giving everyone high fives, and I can’t wait to spend this year working together and conclude with our running down and giving high fives,” he said.
Harman said he was ready to surpass everyone’s expectation of this term’s SG officers, which he said would happen as they work together over the course of the next year.
Each officer also touched on continuing the initiatives their predecessors began, including Walk Home Cocky, Gamecock Pantry and Carolina Convoy, all saying they were looking forward to continuing old legacy and beginning another.
Richardson ended her first speech as president with her campaign slogan — “let’s reach” — which prompted a standing ovation from the crowd.
After the speeches and oaths, Richardson said she had been anticipating a wave of emotions at some point in the day but wasn’t expecting it to happen during her inaugural address.
“It was so weird,” she said, laughing. “I was waiting for the hit, to realize that it was finally happening. And it came at the most awkward moment.”