“I’m extremely excited and overwhelmed,” Perot said. “It’s going to be an awesome year.”

Perot served as the communications coordinator this year and said she is looking forward to leading RHA .

She will have some big shoes to fill. Outgoing president Mark Dobson has served since November 2006 and has left his stamp on RHA.

One of the longest RHA elections in recent memory replaced one of its longest-serving presidents, Dobson said.

“(Perot) is a talented student leader that is, above all else, passionate about RHA,” he said.

Perot will shadow Dobson until she is sworn-in April 8.

“I look forward to transitioning with her over the next couple weeks, and even beyond that until she’s happy with where she is with the position,” Dobson said.

Perot said she finds the shadowing necessary to smooth the transition.

“I’ll start training with Mark to make sure that when he is done, I’m ready to step into his place,” she said.

Although Dobson is on his way out, he said he is looking forward to helping Perot.

“I still call up the former presidents and former officers and ask their opinion on things,” he said. “It’ll be really funny to be on the receiving end of that.”

Many former presidents and officers were present at the election Wednesday. It is RHA tradition for the president to invite alumni.

“We come back to not only support the current group, but to support the new leadership and help provide networking and act as a connection to RHA’s history,” Kevin Newman said.

Newman was RHA president during the 2005-06 school year and has come back for every RHA election since he graduated.

After most of the general assembly had cleared out, only Dobson, Perot and RHA alumni remained and reminisced about old memories. All past presidents who come to the election posed for a picture with the current president and president-elect.

“Election is such a heavy tradition to this organization,” Dobson said. “What that picture represents is a system of support.”