The Campanile Room was filled with incoming and outgoing members of the Government of the Student Body, friends, family, faculty and administrators and even Ames Mayor Ann Campbell on Wednesday night to usher in the new members of GSB.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Marc Harding, director of enrollment services.

“It is just a privilege to be here with you,” he said.

Harding highlighted the importance of people and emotional intelligence in society today. He said knowledge and relationships are the “currency in this society.”

“You are the future,” he said.

Ian Guffy, GSB vice president and senior in computer science, introduced the incoming senate before they were sworn in by Eric Lindstrom, GSB chief justice and senior in political science. After being part of senate training last week, Guffy said he was excited about the new senate.

“I’m really encouraged by the potential of this group of people,” he said.

Emily Jensen, former president and senior in political science, and Sara Faber, former vice president and senior in public service and administration in agriculture, gave a joint farewell speech with advice for the incoming executives.

Jensen encouraged the new executives to work with advisers and faculty and ask them for help. Faber joked about the outgoing finance director.

“Jason Carroll can be your best friend or your worst enemy,” Faber said, sparking laughter from the audience.

After Jensen and Faber thanked friends, family and the people they worked with during their term, Jensen wished luck to everyone.

“It has been an honor to serve students over the last year,” she said.

After the swearing in of Guffy and Brian Phillips, GSB president and junior in political science, and handing over the office keys from Jensen and Faber, both spoke to the audience for the first time as president and vice president.

Phillips thanked his friends and family and highlighted the goals for his upcoming term.

“It’s the people on the student government that makes it what it is,” he said.

Phillips also said tuition, communication and Campustown were all goals for the newly elected executives.

“Quality education should be available to anyone who wants to work for it,” he said.

After thanking a number of people, Guffy said the two had no intention of changing the GSB Web site, which he said was a trend in years past.

“We have the ideas for what needs to be done,” he said.

The evening ended with Jensen giving a farewell message.