Candidate information will be shared at the end of the filing period.
Hey! My name is Mina Nguyen. I'm running for every student from an immigrant family who had to translate the college experience for themselves, every student of color who felt like they didn't quite fit, & every woman told to be a little less herself.
What I'll Fight For as President:
Who I Am:
What I've Already Done:
My name is Mina Nguyen. Let's win, together. #WinWithNguyen
Hey, it's William
I am running to be your President again because I love our students and everything that makes UCSD what it is. I have had the pleasure of serving you for the last year, and I believe that with another year, you will see a real difference in your day-to-day life.
Some of my most notable accomplishments this year include securing 24-hour access to Geisel Library, establishing a Disability Resource Hub, expanding the Contemplation Lounge, and increasing funding for Sun God Festival. I also served as a state-level student leader. In my role as UC Council of Presidents Undergrad Chair, I led all of the other UC Presidents. These accomplishments represent one of the most productive terms in our university’s history.
I remain committed to making our administration work for us.
But there's still so much more to do. I want to:
There are many more things that I want to get done that are impossible to fit into a 400-word statement. I know the formula to get things done, and I don’t plan on stopping. I will work as hard as possible to make you happy. Your best interests will always continue to be my priority.
We’ve cracked the code, now let’s make this an unforgettable year!
Hey Tritons, I am a third-year student from Warren College. As your EVP of Student Life, I believe this campus needs a leader who hears you and delivers what you ask for. I strive to be a compassionate, hardworking, honest leader for this campus, and for you!
This past year, some of my senator projects included passing the resolution to expand the contemplation lounge and securing a space in Pepper Canyon East which students can use to meditate throughout the day. I have worked with the Food Co-op to highlight the efforts of a student-run business on campus. In the Winter quarter, I worked with the transportation office to make finding carpooling partners more accessible on campus for our commuter community. I have supported the creation of the Disabilities Studies Minor Resolution, a resolution emphasizing the need for a minor for an underrepresented community.
Student life flourishes when students' needs are met equitably. As a first-generation student, my core values are rooted in strengthening the UC San Diego student community: one that takes pride in its diversity, equity, and inclusion, actively improves student life, and allows students to make mistakes and learn from them, so they may thrive in their long-term careers. As a student, I know the feeling of wanting to try new things while stepping out of your comfort zone. Living on campus for your first and second year is not just about getting housing, but also about building long-term memories and expanding your horizons. As a current commuter, I want to ensure that the commuter experience does not get overlooked, and we feel we belong here just as much as everyone else. I will advocate for all students to feel connected to this campus. As your EVP of Student Life, I am committed to creating that connection by:
I want UCSD to be a space for all students, and I will make sure that space is available and accessible to you!
As a transfer student with only one year left, I don’t have time for empty promises, and neither do you. I’m Isabella Guzman, a Mexican American political science major, a Latina woman of color, and your candidate for EVP of Student Life! From founding the Transfer Outreach Society to managing Esports and planning the Lantern Festival, I have proven that I don’t just see issues, I deliver results. I am a student worker, a sorority member, a member of several student organizations, and an advocate who understands the position because I live it every day. I know what it is like to stay up late studying, commute from far away, and still support work-life balance on Friday nights!
UC San Diego shouldn’t be a place where we sleep and study. I will advocate for “third spaces” and fun events where students can connect outside of work and academics. My focus is on making day-to-day life better through genuine connections; that is why I founded the Transfer Outreach Society, a transfer social club that has helped students make actual connections. We must bridge the gap between AS and student orgs; I’ve navigated the complex paperwork myself and will streamline the funding process so that your student organizations can thrive. You deserve to know what's happening on campus without hunting for it; transparency in what's going on at UCSD and campus construction is a necessity.
Our campus is becoming unaffordable. I will advocate against rising housing costs and work towards guest parking prices being reduced because no one should have to pay $36 for an entire day. Why is campus food more expensive than the grocery store? I am currently working to bring EBT to the UCSD Farmer’s Market because students deserve new, affordable options! I will advocate for a food pantry near apartment-style housing because right now, food resources are located far away from students who have kitchens.
Whether it's the commute or campus mobility, I hear you. I will advocate for more student parking, better planned construction timelines, and transfer advisors in the new student center! Drawing on my experience as an International Affairs intern helping immigrants navigate complex systems, I will support our documented and undocumented students. My goal is to make the campus a safe and transparent space where resources like free printing are known to all! Don’t wait for a better campus experience; make it happen now!
Hi! I’m Rehya Arora, a first-year political science major and organizer with the Students’ Civil Liberties Union at UCSD. During my time organizing on campus, I’ve been involved in efforts to establish the Disability Resource Hub, challenge harmful surveillance policies, and build sanctuary spaces from ICE across San Diego, including here at UCSD.
I’m running for Executive Vice President of Essential Needs because decisions made by campus administration and the broader political climate show up in students’ rent, safety, and sense of belonging. I see this role as an avenue to advocate for student demands and push for decisive, meaningful change.
As EVP, I have four main goals I plan to accomplish:
1. Make UCSD affordable to live in.
Too many students are working multiple jobs or commuting long distances just to stay enrolled. The cost of living around UCSD keeps rising while institutional responses lag behind. I will advocate for expanded affordable housing options and ensure the university treats student housing and living costs as core budget priorities. I will also fight for reduced-cost or free student parking and an end to parking enforcement quotas that disproportionately burden commuting students.
2. Ensure students can actually access basic needs resources.
Programs like the Basic Needs Hub and emergency housing exist because students need them, but they must be consistently funded and accessible. I will secure stable funding for these programs and challenge the overpricing of HDH food so students can afford meals on campus.
3. Make UCSD a real sanctuary campus.
Students should never have to worry that the institution meant to educate them could expose them to immigration enforcement, surveillance, or data-sharing. I will advance stronger sanctuary protections and demand transparency around how the university cooperates with outside agencies so students can pursue their education without fear.
4. Transform Associated Students into a nonprofit.
Associated Students should have the power and resources to support student initiatives and respond to urgent needs. I will transition Associated Students into a nonprofit structure so it can access outside funding, support student-led programs, and operate with greater independence in advancing student priorities.
I am running at a time when affordability, safety, and democratic accountability all feel increasingly fragile. In moments like this, campuses cannot be neutral.
Student government should advocate and fight for students, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.
For more information: @rehya4essentialneeds
Hi Tritons! My name is Camila Gutierrez, and I am currently a third-year transfer student running to be your Executive Vice President of Essential Needs. Essential needs are more than just food and housing, they mean ensuring every student has access to the resources necessary to succeed academically and personally.
Food insecurity and food waste are issues I do not take lightly. At my community college, I conducted student research on how institutions, specifically the UC system, can better address and reduce food insecurity. That work ultimately brought me to UC San Diego, where I now serve as a Bonnie Reiss Sustainable Agriculture and Food Fellow. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to work with the Food Recovery Network, collaborate with professional staff at The Hub Basic Needs Center, and plan a campus-wide engagement project. These experiences have helped me better understand both the challenges students face and the institutional processes required to improve access to essential resources.
In addition to my work on food insecurity, I also have a strong understanding of UC San Diego’s Associated Students. This past year I have served as President Simpson’s Executive Assistant, where I have coordinated events, communicated with campus administration, supported budgeting efforts, and collaborated with the President on initiatives completed this year.
As someone who understands how different institutions operate and how UC San Diego’s administration implements change alongside student leaders, I am equipped to navigate these systems and engage in productive conversations that uphold and amplify students’ voices within higher education.
If elected, I will advocate for:
• Extended gym hours to support student health
• A more accessible and transparent parking permit process
• Customizable HDH dining options
• More affordable market pricing and dining hall options
• Better housing pricing and options for transfer students
• Greater support and visibility for The Hub Basic Needs Center, including EBT access, pantry points, and staff support
My goal is to ensure that essential needs truly reflect the needs of all students at UC San Diego. When basic needs are met, human rights are upheld.
Camila Gutierrez – Ready to Serve YOU
Choose Action. Choose Passion.
Hello! My name is Arya Patel, and I am running to be your first EVP of Essential Needs. I have a long track record of supporting students across campus, and I am confident in my ability to take on this role. Here are just some of the things that I have done that have helped me develop strong leadership, communication, and project management skills:
So, Why Should You Vote For Me?
I am passionate, committed, and ready to take on the new set of responsibilities that come with this role. I have worked in these spaces before and have collaborated with HDH, the Basic Needs Hub, SSC, the Triton Food Pantry, and the Food Co-Op to bring my ideas to life. I know how to take action and create the change you want to see on-campus. From bringing in healthier food options to alleviating gas prices for commuter students to fighting for better housing off-campus, I can lead the change.
Tldr;
Vote Arya Patel for EVP of Essential Needs if you want someone with experience working in essential/basic needs spaces, has taken action to support students facing food and housing insecurity, and can advocate for what you want to see change on-campus.
Choose Action. Choose Passion. Vote Arya Patel.
Hello I’m Ricardo Miranda
As Executive Vice President of External Affairs, I am determined to:
As the current Vice President of External Affairs, I have worked to engage our student body in lobby trips to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. I have mobilized students to speak to the UC Board of Regents and President Milliken. I have expanded our relationship with SPACES and our Core Orgs. I have ensured that our laborers and our unions are cemented in student organizing because their jobs allow our school to run.
I have the experience to take on this position and I have learned how to work to ensure our students are always put first.
Its time to Re-elect Ricardo!
Its time to Fund your Horizon!
I am Kaleb Truchan and I am running to be your external vice president position to make sure the government and the school knows that we don’t work for them, they work for us. During my term as VP I want to bring ambition but most importantly, I want to bring community and save our student service centers. Across campus the administration is gutting programs and aren’t servicing ones that already exist. I plan on keeping our school accountable in its pursuits to be ‘students first’.
I have worked in government and advocacy since I was 15. I currently work for the immigrant rights justice movement, manage a congressional campaign, and plan to dedicate my life to serve as a representative. This job demands grassroots organizing skills and a loud voice, and students if you know me I have both so I am well qualified for this position. I have a vast network of connections I want to use to bring back to the students.
As a senator I accomplished getting 24 hour Geisel back, implementing a large food insecurity campaign to educate students and have already started working on more projects. These projects consist of getting a 24 hour market, finding long term funding for both Geisel and the makerspace, and most importantly getting more funding from the top levels of government and giving them to student orgs and student service centers.
When you elect me to be the vice president, I don’t plan on stopping with these projects. I want to make AS a nonprofit organization, allowing us more leeway with how we can operate. Using my prior connections to the state and federal government, I want to advocate for more protections against gutting education across California. Under my administration I will help catapult UCSD further up the rankings, we are the third best public school and if you work with me, I believe we can pave the way to make us number one. UCSD students deserve a school that's here for them no matter what, weekday or weekend, day or night.
Thank you for your vote!
I’m Aydın, a third-year Political Science transfer running for EVP of External Affairs to end the model of academia that treats students as customers rather than citizens and education as a commodity rather than a right. I will nourish and channel our aspirational voice into actionable public policy.
As I gathered endorsements for ballot access, I spoke with 300+ of you about your vision. I heard excellent ideas: free parking, 24-hour restaurants and markets, expanded housing options, pedagogy training for professors, bikes for intracampus mobility, specialized disability accommodations, and more.
The truth is simple: UC has more than enough money for this, they just allocate it incorrectly. We have $1.4 billion invested in Blackstone, the world’s largest commercial landlord that exploits the scarcity of housing. Yet, we can pay $1,300/month here and still get stuck in a triple.
We must divest from practices threatening our future and invest in affordability. End parking enforcement quotas, expand free or discounted student parking, and expand funding for Rapid Rehousing.
Unelected Regents are insulated from us. As a mandate on accountability, I’ll establish the UC Students’ Assembly: an annual summit where a lottery-selected sample of students deliberate on critical issues directly with administration. Plus, the Student’s Initiative, allowing those who gather enough signatures to directly propose policy on the ballot, while prohibiting paid petition circulation.
Our professors are great researchers, not always great teachers. Mandate pedagogy training for all professors. UCSD expands class sizes and reduces TA appointments, limiting their ability to support students. I’ll continue to work with UAW 4811, building solidarity and ensuring optimal outcomes for students.
I’m ingrained in Bay Area, SD, and state politics, working on electoral and campaign finance reform, climate change mitigation, tenant protections, school transit policy, and divestment.
I’m a lobbyist with California Clean Money Campaign and helped get the Fair Elections Act on the 2026 ballot. Plus, a former leader in Students for Justice in Palestine, awarded Best Cultural Impact. I already consistently collaborate with public officials, community organizations, and constituents.
EVP of External Affairs is the external advocate for undergrads, representing us through the UC Student Association, US Student Association, and through advocacy in government and civic society, while also internally within the AS Senate.
Nothing motivates me more than building a world that affords everyone the dignified opportunity to reach our full potential. Let’s build together. Vote AYE on Aydın!
Hello! My name is Jay Gima, and I am a Political Science transfer student at Muir College. I currently serve as Vice President of Tribe of Muir Transfers, supporting transfer students in building community and event programming. Before transferring to UC San Diego, I founded and served as President of the South Asian Student Alliance at Diablo Valley College (DVC), creating a space for students from a community that previously had no voice on campus. I also served as a Senator at ASDVC, including on the College-Wide Budget Committee and six additional committees, and led the creation of the Vice President of San Ramon Affairs role to provide representation for DVC’s San Ramon Campus. Additionally, as Commissioner of Internal Accords in the Inter-Club Council, I oversaw operations for over 70 clubs, gaining experience in conflict mediation and student leadership. These experiences taught me how to advocate for students, create opportunities, and build communities for those who might otherwise be underrepresented.
As your Transfer Senator, I would focus on strengthening both the social and academic experience for transfers. Many arrive at UC San Diego with only two years to make connections, join organizations, and fully engage with campus life. I want to work with transfer organizations and campus partners to expand opportunities for transfers to meet each other, participate in programs, and feel connected. I also aim to improve the transition for incoming transfers by providing peer guidance and mentorship, helping new students adjust, start strong, and feel supported throughout their time at UC San Diego. I would be honored to represent and advocate for transfer students as your Transfer Senator.
Hello, my name is Giuseppe "Joey" Novello. I am a second-year Hispanic first-gen college student majoring in business economics. I am running for off-campus senator because I will be living off campus. Over the last two years, I have heard the grievances of those who live off campus. Next year, I will be living off campus and want to be the advocating voice for our students off campus.
Since coming to campus, I have been employed under HDH at Sixth Market. This job has allowed me to see the students' workers' perspective. Students depend on campus jobs to afford tuition, pay their rent, and cover everyday expenses. Students need clearer scheduling and communication between managers and a stronger representation for student workers to be able to raise concerns without the fear of being ignored or half resolved.
Second, the dining halls need improvements, not just space renovations. Dining halls are key to central student life, especially for those who live on campus, but also for those who live off campus. Many off-campus students do not buy a meal plan because of the price and lack of flexibility. Smaller, transparent, commuter-friendly dining would help combat this issue if students were able to have a plan for the days they are on campus and hungry.
Finally, transparency and accountability are the most important. I will share with our students weekly updates on what's happening on campus and how these problems are being addressed. I want to make sure Associated Students does not feel distant from the student body but accessible, and I want to be someone everyone can approach.