By Brianna Wallen
News Editor
Presidential candidates Jonathan De Los Santos and Will Moroz with current SGA President, Riyanna Singleton, in the Adanti Student Center on April 28.
Students cast their votes on Monday in the Student Government Association election, to select the next student body president and shape the direction of campus leadership for the upcoming year.
The candidates Will Moroz and SGA’s Vice President of student experience, Jonathan De Los Santos, both delivered compelling speeches outlining their visions for the future while students exercised their right to vote.
“I would like to focus on sending SGA members to professional development opportunities that allow us to strengthen our knowledge and skill sets so that we can spend this year being the most powerful student voices that the faculty and administration have seen in decades,” Moroz said.
Each candidate had five minutes to speak, using the time to share their goals, values and plans for addressing student concerns.
“I also want to take full advantage of the SGA budget and ensure that every single line item is being utilized to benefit students as well as the university,” Moroz said.
Moroz also targeted improving visibility of SGA among faculty and staff.
“As president, I plan to begin building those bridges and fostering better communication so that important decisions are always made with student opinion and collaboration in mind,” Moroz said. “To do this, we must be in the right places at the right time. This past year, there has been an absence of student voices within important committees.”
Candidate De Los Santos centered his speech on his upbringing in the South Bronx, where overcrowded classrooms and limited resources left him feeling unheard.
He used his background to emphasize the importance of amplifying student voices, drawing a connection between his personal experiences and his commitment to inclusive, responsive leadership on campus.
“While I didn’t really feel heard or seen, I made it my mission that no one else should have the view the same way that I felt,” De Los Santos said.
De Los Santos also highlighted efforts he has identified through hearing perspectives from the campus community.
“I took action and created a foundational guide that clearly laid out our goals this semester and for the previous account,” De Los Santos said. “But it didn’t stop there. I reached out to students, faculty and staff, listening closely to their needs and together, we redefined our goals and based on real input.”
In the end, Moroz won the election, securing the student body’s confidence with his focus on professional development and empowering student voices across campus.
As the newly elected president steps into the role, he follows a strong legacy set by President Riyanna Singleton, who has been a leading voice in student advocacy and campus initiatives.
She is set to graduate next semester, leaving behind a legacy of service and community engagement.
