Associated Student Elections for 2026-2027

Fall 2026 Election Schedule

Applications for Intention to Run - September 2-10, 2026 (Visit the AS Table at the Involvement Fair for more info!)

Campaigning - September 10-15, 2026

Elections - September 16-18, 2026 

Fall elections are for the First Year (Class of 2030) Senators, 1 Sophomore Senator & 1 Junior Senator

Class of 2030 (First-Year Student) Candidate Info

Class Chair Candidates (alpha order, 4 candidates)

Rosa Alvarez 

Why are you interested in joining AS? As a student who deeply regrets not running for their leadership team in high school I want a chance to redeem myself and share my voice wanting and always wanting an honest voice to represent students. I believe that I am a very influential person and my goal is to share connections which I think can make a environment much more like a community which Saint Mary's already has, however, I believe that connection can come a lot stronger for first year students at a much quicker pace especially in class, discussion, dorm life, and other activities too.    

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? Something that I feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address is supporting and making that bridge/ gap between AS and the rest of the student body. Making sure students do feel heard and actions are  being taken for the concern or situation, as we all have different experiences and backgrounds; and sometimes it can feel like there isn't a clear space to share them or may be to intimidating. I do think that AS has an opportunity to have a stronger connection between students and the college by creating a safe space for students to share their voices, communicating more openly, and following through with their concerns.  

Sameer Gill-Raza

Why are you interested in joining AS? I've always found interest in the political process, and wish to play an important role in working with the Class of 2030.    

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address?  Our residence halls deserve much better. Our fellow students have the right to live on a safe, clean, and comfortable campus. However, despite our current track on achieving this goal, our residence halls still tackle with poor sanitation, broken and uncomfortable infrastructure, as well as unsafe furniture. Even if a few of our dormmates deal with these problems, their voices still deserve to be heard. By addressing these issues, we can ensure the students of Saint Mary’s that their housing experience truly matters.

Lorenzo Lorca

Why are you interested in joining AS? I am interested in joining AS because I want to become more involved in the campus community and help improve the student experience.    

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address?  An issue that I think AS needs to address is making on campus opportunities and resources easier for students to find and take advantage of. I believe that there are so many jobs, clubs, events, academic resources, and other opporunites available, however, I don't think they are always know to students. I think AS help improve communication between students so more students can feel connected and involved in campus life.

Anna Reyes

Why are you interested in joining AS? I am interested in AS because I want to be more involved and I also want to ensure the class of 2030 feels heard. Id love to propose new ideas as well as ensure that Saint Mary's is a fun environment to be in and welcoming for my fellow classmates. I would feel honored to be someone they can reach out to with their ideas or even concerns. I also see this as an opportunity to continue to grow as a leader and make a positive impact during my first year here at Saint Mary's.     

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? I believe something that feels like it's an important issue that the AS needs to address is student voices. 

Class Vice-Chair Candidates (alpha order, 4 candidates)

Rosa Alvarez (see above for candidate info)

Healani Donager

Why are you interested in joining AS? I am interested in joining AS because I have a passion for helping others and being their voice to make positive change happen. I also have previous leadership and advocating experience from serving on the boarding student council at my high school, and I want to continue to serve my new community and help better their college experience.     

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? I feel an important issue to address is communication and the lack of it happening in a timely manner when it comes to important and mandatory events/meetings for students. I also feel that another important issue to address is an unfair distribution of funds and the need to advocate for them to be distributed fairly across all programs here at Saint Mary's.

Sameer Gill-Raza (see above for candidate info)

Lorenzo Lorca (see above for candidate info)

Class Senator Candidates (alpha order, 4 candidates)

Zoe Batzdorff

Why are you interested in joining AS? I am interested in gaining leadership experience and making sure that students in my class feel their voices are heard and that their opinions matter.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? The role of student government isn't something I've heard or seen much about on campus so one thing I think is important is to improve communication between students and student government. This could be done through putting up posters around schools about AS implementations, social media announcements. 

Healani Donager (see above for candidate info)

Sameer Gill-Raza (see above for candidate info)

Lorenzo Lorca (see above for candidate info)

Class of 2029 (Sophomore) Candidate Info

Class Senator Candidates (alpha order, 6 candidates)

Michael Andrews

Why are you interested in joining AS? I want to help people on campus to build our community through certain events.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? I feel like an important issue on campus is that there is not much activities to enjoy and I think providing more activities to get more people engaged would help a lot.

Mason Bushard

Why are you interested in joining AS? I enjoy politics and collaborative settings that seek to improve everyday life      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? AS needs to address whats missing or scarce in student life at SMC 

Daniella Caparroso

Why are you interested in joining AS? I hope to uplift student voices and amplify those that often go unheard. As a senator, I will advocate for resolutions that protect and strengthen free speech on campus. I am also committed to improving both the quality of campus housing and the overall dining experience for students.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? My Mission is to organize and host more on-campus events over the weekend to foster a sense of community by offering a wider range of inclusive, engaging, and accessible activities. I want to create spaces where students can relax, meet new people, and feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Lucas Masar

Why are you interested in joining AS? I hope to contribute to school events and make the campus more lively and engaging.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? Work with campus maintenance to improve dorm life and respond quicker to student concerns.

Angelica Borlongan Nucup

Why are you interested in joining AS? I’m joining AS because I want to be more involved in advocating for the student body and creating a campus community where people feel represented, heard, and most importantly understood.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? I want to help St. Mary’s to better address racial issues that are often overlooked and brushed over, while also advocating for students who might feel unheard or underrepresented.

Trigo Salgado 

Why are you interested in joining AS? My interest in joining the Associate Student Body lies in my passion to make genuinely positive change in my community. I believe I will offer a needed perspective in this student body.   .     

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? One issue that I believe needs to be addressed more is the campus response to sexual assult reports and title 9 cases. Another would be how the campus can better acknowledge the land we stand on and better support the Native community in our area.  

Class of 2028 (Junior) Candidate Info

Class Senator Candidates (alpha order, 2 candidates)

Pilar Gonzalez

Why are you interested in joining AS?  am interested in joining Associated Students as a Junior Senator because I want to be more involved in my college community and have a voice in making positive changes for students. I think it is important for students to feel heard and represented, and I would love the opportunity to listen to my peers, understand their concerns, and bring their ideas forward. I also see this position as a great opportunity to grow my leadership and communication skills while working with others to make our campus a more welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.     

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? One area I would like to focus on is increasing student involvement and making sure students feel that their voices are heard. I think it is important for students to have opportunities to share their concerns and ideas and to feel like those opinions can lead to meaningful changes on campus. I would also like to see more comfortable and accessible study areas for students, especially during busy times of the semester considering we don't have a library at the moment. Another issue I think is important is having more food options on campus, since food is something that affects students every day. As a Junior Senator, I would like to listen to students, understand what they need, and work toward making campus a place where students feel supported, included, and represented.

Mychaela Parker

Why are you interested in joining AS? I want to help create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where students from all walks of life feel comfortable coming to us with their ideas, concerns, and suggestions for improving campus. I also want to help turn those ideas into meaningful actions to create positive, lasting change that benefits everyone on campus, including both the current and future students.      

What is something that you feel is an important issue that the AS needs to address? I feel there is a need for more LGBTQ+ spaces and events on campus where everyone feels safe, welcomed, and included. I want to work with the IC and the DOC clubs to create fun and meaningful events that bring students together. I also want to improve the communication between Gael Dining and the students so we are informed and our concerns are heard before changes that affect us are made.

ELECTION RESULTS for 2026-2027 (Spring 2026)                          CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE ELECTED!

Associated Students President

Kiana Paredes (86%) Elected

Write-In Candidates (1%)

No Vote (13%)
 

Associated Students Vice President for Administration

Hannah Parkinson (84%) Elected

No Vote (14%)

Associated Students Vice President for Finance

Rose Velasquez (41%) Elected

Kelly Nelson (28%)

Yasmine Cruz (17%)

Avery Britton (13%)

Write-In Candidates (1%)

Associated Students Vice President for Student Organizations

Oliver Halstead (35%) Elected

Yasmine Cruz (28%)

Avery Britton (25%)

Daniella Caparroso (8%)

Write-In Candidates (4%)

Senior Class of 2027

Chair

Aidan Silva (91%) Elected

Write-In's (9%)
 

Vice Chair

Isabelle Palmer (95%) Elected

Write-In's (5%)
 

Senators (3)

Natalie Alberto Elected

Yasmine Cruz Elected

Saif Haddad Elected

Junior Class of 2028

Chair

Shasta Gates (53%) Elected

Avery Britton (38%)

Write-In's (9%)
 

Vice Chair

Ethan Farrell (69%) Elected

Avery Britton (17%)
Brendan Terry (14%)

Senators (3)

Avery Britton Elected

Kelly Nelson Elected

Brendan Terry Elected

Sophomore Class of 2029

Chair

Tyra Fleming (70%) Elected

John Koch (29%)

Write-In's (1%)
 

Vice Chair

Marc Thomas Valdez (75%) Elected

John Koch (24%)

Write-In's (1%)

Senators (3)

Jess Ramirez (33%) Elected

Aaria Mitra (22%) Elected

Veronika Fisina (20%) Elected

Daniella Caparroso (13%)

John Koch (11%)

Write-In's (1%)

The following are the executive team positions: