Isaiah Lucas, a current junior from Newport News, is Old Dominion University's new Student Government Association president.

Lucas, who is a political science major with a minor in public service and affairs, said the SGA will undergo a transformation in the upcoming academic year.

"We will really reinvent what it means to advocate for the student body," he said. "We plan to align all of our initiatives with the platform #CultivateTheCrown."

Lucas will be joined by incoming Vice President Juwan Jacobs, a sophomore interdisciplinary studies major from Chester, Va.; Secretary Jamilah Wesley, a junior political science major from Sandston, Va.; Treasurer Mohamed Fidail, a senior working on a double major in finance and economics from Springfield, Va.; and Speaker of the Senate Tarik Terry, a junior political science major from Sterling, Va.

Fidail, who has been involved with the SGA since 2014 and serves as its current treasurer, said more engagement and interaction is expected from the student body in the coming year.

"We have been in heavy recruitment this past session, trying to increase our quantity and quality from both our executive and legislative branch," he said.

Among the SGA's initiatives, Fidail noted that student leaders have been working on adding spirit flags around campus and new study spaces in the Perry Library. He added that it is expected that renovations in the Webb University Center will make it the center of student life and activity as more office and student space is made available to accommodate campus organizations.

"I personally want to connect, inform and empower our student organizations so that they can gain the skills and support necessary to go on and make ODU proud through their exceptional work via community service, competitions and conferences," he said.

Terry said, by getting back to fundamentals of service and representation, he hopes the SGA can make real progress.

"Generally, I want to find ways to create the services/programs that ODU students desire and/or promote the current services/programs so that more students can use them," he said.