Devastated.

That is the word Student Body President Michelle Murphy used to describe her leaving her position on the student government and her life at Eastern.

Murphy, a senior communication studies major, sat in the office that she said has become her home in the two years that she held the student government executive position, and now she said she is not ready to leave.

“This job is my life- it’s how I made all of my friends,” Murphy said.

Murphy said she did not like Eastern during her freshman year, because she did not know where she fit in.

“(I) hated it-I really struggled to make friends,” Murphy said. “But it gradually got better.”

Murphy said she first got interested in becoming the student body president after being appointed to the Student Senate by Isaac Sandidge.

“I thought I could do that job, and I could probably do it better,” Murphy said.

She said the first three meetings were not what she expected.

“I asked a question at a meeting, and it was something that had already been said and one of the senators put out their placards and said ‘point of order. We aren’t going to spend all night here cause Murphy doesn’t listen’,” Murphy said.

She said the overall feel of the student government has changed.

“People on senate are kittens compared to the tigers that they used to be,” she said. “You didn’t speak unless you were willing to back up everything.”

Now people just love to hear themselves talk, she said.

In her junior year, Murphy founded Panther Nation, the registered student organization with highest number of members, with Otis Seawood, DeMarlon Brown and Jarrod Scherle to replace Eastern’s former cheering section the Blue Crew.

“I come from a very Varsity Blues background so for me it was a huge let down to go to a collegiate football game and have double the amount of students at my high school games,” she said.

She is from Tuscola.

Murphy said being student body president is her life.

She said when she first got elected to her position that she wanted to make her physical office as school-spirit orientated as possible.

The student government elections are the best part of being a part of the organization, Murphy said.

“I love the chase and the thrill of an election- campaigning is what I do really, really well,” Murphy said. “It’s a rush.”

Eastern should have more locations where they can just interacted with each other in a more relaxed atmosphere, she said.

“That would be the one thing I would change,” Murphy said. “Other than that we have it pretty good here.”

Murphy said she does not plan on leaving Charleston any time soon.

“I would do anything to stay here,” Murphy said. “I’m just addicted to this place.”

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

Michelle Murphy is the first student to be elected for two consecutive terms as student body president. Murphy was elected in her sophomore year and took office her junior year. (Audrey Sawyer

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