c/o Wesleyan Student Assembly

Eight first-year students—Eric Cao ’28, Katie Williams ’28, Elana Hartley ’28, Eric He ’28, Natalie Kim ’28, Brendan Barry ’28, Asper Cisse ’28, and Layde ’28—were elected to the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) as senators for the 2024–25 school year. Voting ran from 12 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 9 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, and the results were announced in an all-campus email from WSA Chief of Staff Molly Connolly-Ungar ’25. 

The results came in after a week of heavy campaigning by the candidates.

“The morning after the mandatory candidates meeting, one of my fellow senators introduced herself and shared her slogan, pointing to a poster she had just finished hanging,” Hartley said. “It was the beginning of an exciting and engaging week of campaigning and getting to know the needs and wants of the freshman class.”

This year, the campaign for the limited seats was particularly animated due to the high number of candidates running. 

“Hanging from doors, walls, and even bathroom stalls, our campus [has] been covered with campaign posters all week,” Barry said. “The WSA elections were especially competitive in the freshman class this year, with over 20 candidates fighting over just eight spots.”

The newly elected senators attended their first WSA General Assembly meeting at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15 in Boger Hall. Internal elections for specific committees took place at this meeting. The committees include Academic Affairs, Community, Equity and Inclusion, Student Budget, and Student Life. The responsibilities of the committees were weighed by the new senators as they chose what to run for.

“I ran for SBC [Student Budget Committee] because representation is essential in big decisions involving money,” Cao wrote in a message to The Argus. “Let’s face it. Money comes with power. In my campaign for WSA senator, I promised that I would [be a] voice for those who are traditionally underrepresented. And that I would vote for their interests on where our money goes.”

Elections for the sophomore, junior, and senior members of the WSA took place on May 5, 2024, during the Spring 2024 semester. Jonghwa Kim ’25 was elected president of the assembly, succeeding Orly Meyer ’24. The WSA is looking forward to working with the new senators to advance their plans.

“The passion and active engagement of WSA senators is what makes the work we do possible,” Kim wrote in a message to The Argus. “The class of 2028 election, one of the most competitive in recent memory, continues the trend of increasing engagement from the incoming class. I’m excited to see all of the diverse perspectives and unique initiatives that our new senators will bring to further invigorate the WSA’s work.”

Several seats remain open on the WSA. Four appointments for the Student Life Committee will be filled within the next week; those interested are encouraged to apply through a Google Form circulated in an all-campus email. The application deadline is Friday, Sept. 20 at 10 p.m.

Spencer Landers can be reached at sklanders@wesleyan.edu

Anabel Goode can be reached at agoode@wesleyan.edu

Miles Craven contributed to reporting and can be reached at mcraven@wesleyan.edu.