MSG Spring Kickoff welcomes Students back with Q&A featuring President Dr. Murray

McMurry Student Government kicked off the spring semester strong, welcoming students, staff, and faculty back with over a dozen boxes of both donuts and kolaches in the Garrison Campus Center from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. on January 30 after the sudden three-day freeze at “Breakfast with MSG”. The MSG executive board welcomed everyone back to class, and spread the word about the first MSG meeting back on Monday February 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the President’s Board Room upstairs in the campus center.

The first meeting back was an eventful one, with pizza, prizes, cake, drinks, and a Q&A with Dr. Lynne Murray, the recently inaugurated President of McMurry University. Throughout the meeting over $500 in prizes were given away with MSG giving three Whataburger gift cards, three Taco Bell gift cards, a new pair of Airpod 4’s, a JBL speaker, and a hydroflask cooler bag to students who attended. McMurry Greek life also awarded two $150 prizes to TIP Sorority and KIVA Fraternity for their attendance at the meeting.

The meeting began with a welcome and thanks from MSG Student Body President, Garrison Shin, before launching into the announcement of the recently inducted MSG sponsor, Rev. Ricky Harrison, as the new Dean of Students. He will continue his role as University Chaplin while Rev. Dr. Russel Miller has been named Director of Religious and Spiritual Life and Associate University Chaplain.

The meeting was then handed off to Dr. Murray who took direct student questions. She addressed the damage to campus center stairs and amphitheater area as well as other student concerns raised.

After Dr. Murray’s Q&A, Vice President Isabella Trevino gave an explanation of MSG’s purpose and what exactly they do for all of the new people joining for the first time during the kick off. Namely: Homecoming, Spring Thing, Deck the Quad, hosting events and volunteer opportunities, building connections, following up on student concerns, facilitating and strengthening communication between groups at McMurry.

Following was the budget report from MSG Treasurer, Aiden McKinney, who reported on budgets for student organization funding requests. The chamber also voted to pass a motion to re-allocate all funds leftover from homecoming and some from the campus improvements budget towards Spring Thing 2026, increasing the originally budgeted amount by over 50 percent. An open forum for suggestions on how to best support students with MSG funds was also held.

Lastly came MSG Traditions Chair, Hannah Hutchinson, announcing that the theme for Spring Thing 2026 would be Vegas themed, name pending. She gathered student feedback on what students wanted to see for homecoming, like new MSG merchandise for the student body, in addition to yearly staples like the HIM Showcase and Spring Sunrise. The formal meeting ended with a motion to close from Garrison at 7:19 p.m. as the attendees congregated in and around the President’s Board Room to enjoy their complementary slices of cake, mingle, and discuss.

If you’d like to keep up or have input to MSG’s future projects, make sure to attend meetings at 6:30 p.m. in the President’s Board Room upstairs in the campus center and follow McMurry Student Government on Instagram: @McMurrySG.