Yarisaied, Cantu, Conti, Pessoa Jinian and Strub Elected as First-Year Senators

(left to right) Gianna Conti ’29, Ethan Pessoa Jinian ’29 and Emerson Strub ’29, Leticia Cantu ’29 and Avishawd Yarisaied ’29 share their goals if elected as Senators during the Associated Student Governments Meet the Candidates event. Photo by Dylan Ryu

Santa Clara University’s Associated Student Government’s Election Committee announced Thursday morning five new First-Year Senators who would serve on Senate.

According to the Election Committee, Avishawd Yarisaied ’29, Leticia Cantu ’29, Gianna Conti ’29, Ethan Pessoa Jinian ’29 and Emerson Strub ’29 have been elected as First-Year Senators for the 2025-26 academic year.

The five were elected from a field of seven candidates who spent the week campaigning. Their campaigns reflected long-standing themes in first-year elections: dining reform, mental health and building a stronger sense of community.

Yarisaied emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for students and uplifting underrepresented voices. “I think it’s really important to have a leader up front who’s willing to make voices heard and also create a safe space,” she said during the Meet the Candidates event on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Cantu focused on mental health and accessibility, calling for the return of “Wellness Wednesdays” and longer dining hours.

Conti ran on an affordability platform, proposing a “Books on a Budget” textbook-lending program to ease financial strain on students. Pessoa Jinian highlighted practical policy goals, including extending dorm-sidedoor access hours and encouraging more consistent communication between students and the student government.

Strub campaigned on dining reform, calling for expanded meal options and improved weekend access at Benson Memorial Center. “Students can’t always find affordable, varied food options,” she said.

The fall 2025 election saw 301 out of 1,644 total voters from the first-year class. When asked for voting statistics, the student government’s Election Committee declined to share the detailed results, citing concerns about student well-being.

“With the knowledge and experience I have in this role, I cannot in good conscience release the specific vote counts,” Vice President Sophia Standard said. “Doing so could unintentionally harm students, and my first priority is always their well-being.”