Joshua Morgan (OBU)
One of the highlights of opening joint session this year was the election of Emmett Thompson to the office of Governor-Elect. Hailing from Broken Arrow and attending the University of Oklahoma, Governor-Elect Thompson has his eye on the prize when it comes to leading the organization as a whole. When asked about his intentions for the office he named two aims. The first of these is to help people grow both as effective delegates as well as individuals so that all who pass through these halls might become a better person as a result. The second of these aims is a desire to increase direct communication with the delegates as a whole in addition to the announcements given to delegation chairs for their delegations. Another part of this goal is to transition away from Facebook as a method of communication.
Emmett also elaborated on his philosophy when it comes to leadership as Governor. Part of his approach is influenced by his watching the rise of President Obama, an experience which sticks out in his mind vividly even though he was only in second grade. In his own words, Emmett sees his role as governor as finding the right people to delegate responsibilities to and to empower them to accomplish a goal. It is this large scale vision of the organization which makes him so qualified for the position that he was elected by acclamation by the body during opening joint.
Finally, lets look to those who know him best. Jonathan Curtis, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, is the man Emmett credits with getting him into joining OIL. When asked how he has seen Emmett grow as a person, “He has grown from being a fly on the wall, to discovering his own voice, and into the political powerhouse he is now.” Jonathan also swears that the election of Thompson is the greatest thing to happen to this organization in years and that there are only great things left to come. This is why, when I talk to Emmett, I can tell just how genuine he is when he talks about his role in the organization and what he wants to accomplish as governor. He remembers exactly where he has come from and wants to do everything in his power to raise up those who might be anxious about their place in the organization.