Flashback Feature: historic SBPs of the century

The NC State student body president serves and represents a diverse population with more than 34,000 students. The newest student body president, Paul Nolan, was sworn into office on Monday. Here’s a look back at some of NC State’s most memorable student body presidents. 

Averette Gaston Floyd served as the university’s first SBP from 1921–22. Floyd enrolled at NC State in 1917, but was soon drafted to serve in the military during World War I. With the help of the Student Council, Floyd established a stable Student Government and ratified the first Code of Student Conduct. Floyd, assisted by a professor, worked to promote awareness of the negative effects cheating would have on NC State and its students. 

William Purvis Albright served as president during one of the most turbulent years in Student Government history. While Albright was in office from 1928–29, the senior class voted that Student Government be entirely abolished because it was no longer functioning adequately. Albright also dealt with fierce opposition from members of the Student Council who wanted to bring back the gauntlet as a viable form of punishment. Albright successfully defeated both of these propositions and helped Student Government survive until the next election. 

William Brantley Aycock, cousin of former North Carolina Governor Charles Brantley Aycock, was elected the 15th SBP for the 1935–36 school year. During his term, Aycock actively sought to combat the hazing of underclassmen. Aycock graduated from NC State in 1936 and went on to complete his master’s degree in history at UNC-Chapel Hill. Aycock served in the Army during World War II and received a Bronze Star, Silver Star and the Legion of Merit.  After completing his military service, Aycock went on to receive a degree in law from UNC-CH, where he eventually became the Kenan Professor of Law. Following in the footsteps of his cousin Charles Brantley Aycock, who became known as “The Education Governor” for his support of the public school system during his time as governor of North Carolina, Aycock served as the Chancellor of the UNC System from 1957 until 1964. Aycock died June 20, 2015, four months before his 100th birthday.

Hugh Crocker Murrill was elected president in fall 1943 because the original elected president, O. Max Gardner, was drafted to serve during the peak of World War II. As president, Murrill took steps to better organize and streamline the structure of student body governance. Student Government established that each college should have representation from each class in the Student Senate. Murrill also helped to establish the student-operated bookstore. 

James Baxter Hunt, Jr., known as Jim Hunt, served two consecutive terms as SBP from 1957 until 1959. Hunt was the second non-senior to hold the office, and the second to hold the office for two terms. As president, Hunt ensured that all students were able to park their cars on campus. He also tried to promote a good relationship between local Raleigh media and the university. Hunt graduated with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural education in 1959 and with a master’s degree in agricultural economics in 1962. He went on to obtain a law degree from UNC-CH in 1964, and later began a career in politics. Hunt served as the lieutenant governor of North Carolina from 1973 until 1977 and as governor from 1977 until 1985. Hunt was the first North Carolina governor to be elected for four terms, serving as governor again from 1993 until 2001. As a politician, Hunt left a legacy of supporting education and equality and is the namesake of Hunt Library on Centennial Campus. 

 Cathy Sterling was the first female elected SBP, a position she held during the 1970–71 school year after completing a successful write-in campaign. Her platform included increasing the administration’s recognition of students’ rights, investigating the administration’s use of student fees and improving relations within the student body. During her time in office, Sterling received negative feedback from students, but she took this as a sign of increased interest in Student Government. Sterling’s term took place during the end of the Vietnam War, and she addressed a student protest after the United States carried out air strikes against the North Vietnamese. Sterling graduated from NC State in 1977 with a degree in vocation industrial education. 

Kevin Dwan Howell was elected as the first African-American SBP for the 1987–88 school year. Howell tried to promote student involvement on campus and was active in many student organizations himself. Howell also sought to reduce racial discrimination on campus. He encouraged the administration to seek solutions for the low graduation rates of minorities and strongly opposed discriminatory discipline that occurred within the athletic department. Howell also help organize a successful book donation program with the University of the Philippines. Howell now serves as the assistant to the chancellor for external affairs.  

Nolan, NC State’s newest student body president, ran on a platform of diversity and cultural competency, promising to begin a faculty-student mentorship program and begin training student body officers on diversity. He has helped to modernize the SG webpage and will also seek to create an all-encompassing NC State app.