Jessica Catto, of the Students First Party, was voted in as the next student vice president for academic affairs Wednesday night.

Catto, a junior communications disorders and sciences major from Belleville, defeated her opponents Joe Geocaris, who represented the Alpha Party and Nina Samii, who represented the Student Pride Party.

Catto won by a landslide, accumulating 406 total votes, while Samii received 215 and Geocaris received 72.

Wearing a thrilled expression, Catto hugged Student Senate members after winning her new position.

“I am really excited (about winning),” Catto said. “Getting down to the end (of the race) I was getting a little nervous.”

Catto said she would like to satisfy students’ interests.

“I hope to bring the Senate Search Program and the Co-Curricular Transcript Program,” she said.

The Senate Search Program would consist of adding a student’s extracurricular activities to his or her transcript to give potential employers a well-rounded look at the person while the Co-Curricular Transcript Program would create a scholarship eligibility database for students searching for financial aid, which will be more organized and efficient if implemented.

Catto said she was thankful for all the support the student body has given her throughout her campaign.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone that voted,” she said.

Catto formerly served as chair of the senate’s Academic Affairs Committee.

Although Samii said she will no longer participate in Student Government, she said she believed the student body is in good hands with the new Student Government’s vice presidents.

Geocaris was not available for comment.