MSA President Nathan Willett and Vice President Payton Englert officially took office Thursday night at the presidential inauguration after winning the election with the largest voter turnout in the association’s history.

Willett/Englert were officially sworn in at full Senate the previous night. Wednesday’s ceremony featured addresses from Former Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce, Cathy Scroggs,Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and MSA Chief of Staff Leslie Parker.

Fordyce highlighted the importance of student government, and the value in youth leadership.

Scroggs congratulated former MSA President Sean Earl and his cabinet on their accomplishments. She highlighted Willett/Englert’s campaign slogan “Tigers Together” and encouraged the cabinet to listen and advocate for the student body.

In Willett’s address, he recounted with fondness the first time he visited MU as a child, when he attended a football game. He thanked his cabinet and emphasized the importance of uniting the students and student organizations on campus.

Englert said after the ceremony the first order of business will be to get a new couch. During the campaign, the campaign sat a yellow couch in Speakers Circle advertising for students to sit and talk with the slate.

“One of the first orders of business is getting a new couch so we can continue coffee talk,” Englert said. “We found that really successful in communicating with students and gaining knowledge about what they want to see changed on campus.”

Willett emphasized his goal to increase communication between student organizations, and stated his plans to begin “hosting legislators” on campus to gain “more of a perspective of students.”

At Summer Welcome this year, Willett said he will be presenting information about MSA to each group of incoming students.

“I think that’s where we really see change in the involvement at Mizzou,” Willett said. “It starts right when you walk in the doors.”

_Edited by Emily Gallion | egallion@themaneater.com_