After being the Student Senate secretary Christine Anderson, was announced Wednesday as the new student executive vice president.

Anderson was elected by a total of 320 votes out of the 865 ballots cast online.

The fall senate elections had a total of 313 votes cast.

“I’m really excited to get started on drafting the Student Action Team application,” said Anderson, a senior communication and disorders major.

She will succeed the former executive vice president, Aaron Weissing.

“She’s awesome,” Student Body President Michelle Murphy said of Anderson. “She knows a lot of people that we haven’t tapped into yet.”

Anderson said she is ready to look for a chair of the Student Action Team.

The Student Action Team represents Eastern to the state on both social and educational views and the only requirements are that the senate approves them, Anderson said.

“I think she will do great,” said Eric Wilber, a former senate member. “The (executive vice president) definitely has to be a great manager.”

Wilber, a former student executive vice president, lobbied for MAP Grant funding and said Anderson will probably have to lobby for higher education funding.

Wilber now resides in Springfield.

“We need to get it running and get it running now,” she said.

Blake Pierce, one of the four senate members to run for the executive position, said he was supportive of Anderson newly acquired position and was glad the candidates didn’t have any drama.

“Christine’s a good candidate,” said Pierce, a senior finance major.

Zach Samples, a freshman history major, was the runner-up with 255 votes cast between Monday and Tuesday.

“I have full confidence in Christine and I think she will do a fantastic job,” Samples said.

Anderson said as the executive vice president she plans on creating a better relationship better Charleston and Eastern.

“The community to be frank enjoys it when we are gone,” Anderson said.

Anderson said, Charleston could use the support of Eastern student and Eastern could definitely use Charleston’s.

The new student Chief Justice J.D. Brandmeyer, a senior political science major, was asked by Murphy to write a letter explaining why he would make a good Chief Justice instead of filling out a regular resume.

“I think he’ll do great things with the court,” Murphy said.

The senate also approved Steve Joebgen as associate justice of the student supreme court.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-2812 or ovogunbodede@eiu.edu