Today the polls officially opened for the 2021 SGA elections to decide candidates for the 2021-2022 term, and the results were announced Thursday night. 

At the top of the ballot, SGA president, were three candidates, Nandini Fonseca, Helena Cooper, and Justice Hill, vying for the opportunity to take over from current SGA president Joseph Reznikov. All three presidential candidates had extensive SGA experience.

Students chose Nandini Fonseca, a junior studying International Business, as the 2021-2022 SGA President. Fonseca has previous experience in the Diversity Leadership Cabinet, the Finance Committee, and the Assembly for Sexual Assault Prevention Committee.  

Fonseca writes that: “As President of SGA, I hope to advocate for our minority students and groups to ensure they feel important and cared for through my actions. I want to serve with and for you to provide a community where we can all be proud to be Billikens.” 

Other parts of Fonseca’s platform include increasing transparency between SLU students and SGA by providing “easy and accessible resources for information…through frequently updated social media outreach” and further strengthening community bonds: “Students should be supported and encouraged to engage with our community. As President of SGA, I will advocate for stronger community awareness, student discounts with campus partners, and more transportation options to promote a greater sense of shared community.”

Vice-President of Academic Affairs was next on the ballot, with two candidates, Sophia Izar and Vanessa Sarmiento, putting their names forward. The position takes on an especially  heightened importance in the coming months as SLU looks to implement the university-wide common core curriculum beginning in Fall 2022 and concludes a full scale academic portfolio review, which could potentially result in elimination of programs and faculty positions. 

The winner, Sophia Izar, currently serves as the current VP of Academic Affairs and pointed to her prior experience in the role as a major point in her favor. As VP of Academic Affairs, she has “served as a liaison between students and administration in capacities ranging from the Provost Search Committee to UUCC meetings.” She also has experience serving as a Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences and has served on multiple college-wide committees. 

Junior Dan O’Connell, a psychology major, ran unopposed for Vice-President of Finance. He is set to take over for the current VP of Finance, Armina Osmanovic. O’Connell served on the SGA finance committee for three years as well as the funding directives equity task force. 

Junior Elizabeth Potterf ran for and won the position of Vice-President for Student Organizations. She has previously served three years as a representative on the Committee for Student Organization, and as such understands the “wants and needs of all different types of student organizations across campus.” She hopes to be “a voice and a resource for all student organizations by encouraging inclusivity and building a better network of resources for our student leaders.” 

Sophomore Joshua Parney was elected unopposed for the Vice-President of Communications and Internal Affairs position. With two years of SGA experience, Parney hopes to use his position as VP of Communications and Internal Affairs to “Make SGA more transparent and accessible to the SLU community as a whole, as well as ensuring that SGA always prioritizes the needs of the student body and is listening to their feedback.”

Karen Hoshino, a junior, also ran unopposed for Vice-President of International Affairs

Hoshino will represent the diverse international student body at SLU. She hails originally from Japan but grew up in Brazil, and writes that she is “passionate about learning about different countries, cultures, and people.” With her election, she will begin to work towards her campaign promise to “ensure the voices of international students are heard and appreciated at SLU.” 

Another critical position up for election was the Vice-President of Diversity and Inclusion. Aric Wallace Hamilton, a sophomore political science student, was selected for this position. As VP of Diversity and Inclusion, Hamilton will transition from his current SGA role as a senator from the School of Education. His campaign goals included “pursuing alignment with the demands made by students in response to the defacement of the Breonna Taylor Memorial at the Clocktower in September” as well as working towards “the success of students of oppressed, marginalized, and disenfranchised backgrounds.” He will take over the role from current VP of Diversity and Inclusion, Eshu Senthil. 

The SGA elections also decided on Senate candidates that represent each school, along with representatives for commuter students and the College of Philosophy and Letters. The 2021-2022 elected senators are listed below.

College of Arts & Sciences

College for Public Health & Social Justice

Aastha Garg

One vacancy

Doisy College of Health Sciences

Paige Allen

Jake Fennell*

Krista Waldron*

Parks College of Engineering

Brooke Kenworthy

Riley Tovornik*

Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business 

Darren Manion

Joseph Pollnow*

School of Education

Katherine Llanes-Smith*

Katie Wiseman*

School of Professional Studies

No winner, two vacancies

Senator for Commuter Students

Ben Varghese*

Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing

Katie Jones

Emily Junker