Student Government executives graduating this semester briefly look back on their careers at Eastern and come to the realization learned by most politicians, that every term must come to an end.

Student Body President Hugh O’Hara has been involved in Student Government since the fall of 2000 when O’Hara talked to a friend who needed non-senate members for the senate Tuition and Fee Review Committee.

O’Hara eventually ran for student senate that year with Katie Cox’s Students First Party. His involvement in the senate eventually led to him becoming Student Body President.

One of O’Hara’s most memorable achievements has been working with the Residence Hall Association this year, he said.

“I think (my greatest achievement) is working with the changes to the tuition and fee system and with the housing rates,” O’Hara said.

The RHA used to be solely responsible for voting on housing rates, which are the expenses for living in residence halls.

The student government wanted to take control of the vote on housing rates, O’Hara said, which caused tension between the RHA and Student Government.

After many discussions with Director of Housing Mark Hudson, the Student Government decided that changes to the housing rate system and tuition and fees should be equally represented between RHA and Student Government.

O’Hara and the Student Government, along with the RHA, restructured the Housing Bond Revenue Committee.

The Student Government is designed to be the voice of the students, roughly 35 percent of which live in residence halls. For that reason, O’Hara said he and the Student Government wanted to make certain that the new system gave all students a voice, rather than just those in RHA.

O’Hara is finishing his master’s degree and will leave Eastern for the last time. He is keeping his options open.

“Part of me wants to give politics a try, but there’s another part of me that would want to try teaching at a junior college,” O’Hara said. “I’m going to miss the people that I’ve meet here the most, especially the people I’ve had the pleasure to work with this year.”

Yve Williams, student vice president for student affairs, is ending her sixth semester in Student Government and plans to go to graduate school at DePaul University in Chicago for a master’s degree in multicultural communication.

Williams quickly named her achievements in Student Government at Eastern.

“I was the one who got the name changed from ‘Minority Affairs’ to ‘Diversity Affairs’ and I restructured the committee,” Williams said.

Williams said much of the diversity programming on campus was initiated by that committee.

Two of the mainstays in Diversity Affairs’ programs have been “Putting the Pieces Together,” a panel discussion for students to voice concerns over diversity issues on campus, and “Spoken Word,” an event in the spring which showcases diverse entertainment.

Williams said both programs have been running for three years.

Williams first became involved in student government when she ran with Liz Halbert’s A-team for a Student Senate position beginning in the fall of ’99.

Williams had an internship last summer with Eastern’s Office of Civil Rights and Diversity and plans to eventually work in a similar office, but for a government agency.

Daryl Jones, student vice president for public affairs, said his biggest contribution to the campus has been his involvement with the Eastern presidential search committee, but that his real achievements tend to be things that are hidden.

“Getting a student put on the Economic Development Committee for the Charleston (Area) Chamber of Commerce” was one achievement Jones listed.

Jones said the committee decides which businesses will come to Charleston, and having a student on the committee increases the chance of students getting a business they want here.

Jones was also able to get non-senate members on the Student Action Team, something that was previously not allowed.

Jones described his first involvement with Student Government as somewhat of a fluke.

“I was going to the cafeteria and I saw Yve Williams passing out flyers for Student Government,” Jones said.

Jones’ initial ambition was to serve on a committee or any non-senate position , but instead he became a senate member.

Jones will rest in the month of May and then plans to work on a gubernatorial campaign or work with his neighborhood alderman who is a city council representative in Chicago.

Jones has served in the United States Marines Corps as an embassy security guard and said his life ambition is to be a United States ambassador.

Speaker of the Senate Joe Robbins will return to Eastern next fall and enroll in the graduate program to pursue a master’s degree in political science.

Robbins said his political career at Eastern has basically come to a close.

“I may be involved in a few student organizations, but not as much as I’m involved right now,” Robbins said. “I would probably say my greatest achievements are being elected Speaker of the Senate and being awarded Senator of the Year for (2000-2001),” Robbins said.

Robbins will miss dealing with students everyday.

After he attains a master’s degree, Robbins will consider a number of options.

“I’m looking into a number of degree programs, maybe earn my doctorate in public administration,” Robbins said.

The common theme among all four Student Government executives graduating this spring was that they all plan to continue on the path of politics and will miss their interaction with people at Eastern.