Student Body Elects Twelfth SGA Senate
Image courtesy of Griffin Cappiello/The Tower.
By Sully Moles
After weeks of loud, vibrant campaigns around campus and on social media, the results are in! The Catholic University student body voted for the Student Government Association Senate for the 2026-2027 school year. Voting occurred from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, September 21, in the Pryzbyla Center, as well as on the Nest. As the results were announced at 10 p.m. in the Pryz, students gathered to hear the vote and to celebrate the success of their newly elected senators. Student Body Vice President Brinkley Colquitt announced the results as Student Body President Jack Hermès filmed the event to record its significance.
Voters had the choice between 22 candidates, including positions representing each class, as well as each academic school. The largest number of votes cast totaled 693 for the freshman class senate seats, accounting for around 86% of the entire freshman class. The ballots indicated decent voter participation among all schools and classes, displaying the active political environment within the University community.
Winning the Senate seats for the class of 2030 were freshman politics major Matthew Moomjy and freshman business major Michael Hagerty. In a heavily contested election between 10 candidates in that race alone, Hagerty and Moomjy slid to victory, with Moomjy only 12 votes away from losing his post.
In a short interview, Moomjy conveyed his excitement for his new job as Senator. He described his desire to learn the mechanics and inner workings of the Senate, while eagerly collaborating with his fellow Senators on things they can get done. He stressed that focusing on feasible projects with realistic outcomes is something he looks forward to working on when he takes office.
Hagerty recognized the tense competition between him and the other candidates. He recounted the stress of the day, saying he was “on his keister” for every moment of the day due to the expected close race. Hagerty recalled the effects of the rain on Monday, especially at a crucial point of the election during the day. He described his desire to go inside, away from the rain, but saw the effort of his fellow candidates and chose to tough it out.
The newly elected Senators from the Class of 2029 were sophomore politics majors Jonathan Colebourn and Jacob Topakbashian.
From the Class of 2028, sophomore philosophy major Justin Karcher and junior politics major Gunnar Hoffman emerged victorious. Despite a particularly low voter turnout of 85 voters, the two candidates expressed their excitement for the upcoming year. Karcher, in particular, voiced his plans to fix all of the soda machines across all dining halls because, he says, they’re “broken” and “useless.” Additionally, Karcher expressed his desire to employ more “armed” Department of Public Safety officers on campus, reflecting his current view of campus safety and what needs to be done.
Senior politics majors Owen Lee and Jamie Handwerger became newly elected Senators for the class of 2027 tonight as well.
For the College of Arts and Sciences, freshman acting major Christopher Albert and sophomore biology pre-med major Luke Jackson emerged as the victors of this year’s race. While describing his agenda, his main goals include installing ice machines in dorm halls, ensuring the Pryz Market is open later, as well as fostering a collaborative environment among his fellow senators to enact policy. Jackson described his gratitude for winning the race and his desire to improve the advising department in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the school in general.
Newly elected Senators from the Busch School of Business, sophomore Matthew Lye and freshman Emily Kulinski, voiced their intent to apply their unique perspectives to the Senate. Lye, in particular, proposed improved advising programs, as well as improved living conditions, citing mold and other potentially hazardous conditions.
Freshman Leo Giampietro and junior Luc Vanraes, Senators from the School of Architecture and Allied Arts, seemed ready and willing to make various improvements throughout the school year. Giampietro even proposed installing a statue of Saint Hyacinth, the patron saint of bodybuilding, in front of the Kane Fitness Center, falling in line with Giampietro’s desire to “Make Catholic Catholic Again.” Vanraes returns for his third consecutive year representing the School of Architecture and Allied Arts.
For the College of Engineering, Physics, and Computing, the candidates elected were sophomore Dave Mattes and senior Isabella Reyes. Mattes said he’s excited to “grow the College forward” with his ideas for legislation in the future and how he wants to see the school within the next year.
The senators for the Conway School of Nursing were sophomore Payton Saunders and senior Lauren Keast.
For the School of Philosophy, the recently elected senators were senior Chibuikem Nwogu and Alexander Sohm, a write-in candidate. Nwogu was surprised at his victory, but described his desire to represent the entire School of Philosophy, and feels he’s a great choice due to his years of experience at Catholic University. Sohm, a seminarian, was written in by his fellow seminarians at the Theological College and the John Paul II Seminary, as is tradition.
In the School of Theology and Religious Studies, the victors were freshman Seamus Cunnane and senior Joshua Ortiz, who will represent the School for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. Ortiz joins Senator Vanraes as the only other incumbent senator to win reelection, returning for his third consecutive year representing the School of Theology and Religious Studies.
Vice President Colquitt, who serves as the President of the Senate, was optimistic about the coming year. “This elected group has a lot of potential, and we are very excited to be able to work together as a team,” he said in an interview. “I’m looking forward to a great year.”
All students are welcome to attend SGA meetings. The schedule for meetings is expected to be released in the coming days.
