Hear from the 2022-2023 USG candidates in our recording of the Candidates' Forum, which took place on Wednesday, April 27, at 1:00 pm.
Learn the candidates before you vote! To quickly locate a specific candidate or position, use the search functions below.
| POSITION | CANDIDATE NAME and SLATE | BIO & STATEMENT |
|---|---|---|
| President | Ariana Ahmed A Hunter United  | Ariana Ahmed is a rising senior majoring in Political Science with minors in Asian American studies and Public Policy. As a Rogowsky Women's Public Service Scholar, she works with NY City Council to address CUNY-wide issues. She serves as the President of Mock Trial Society, the Co-President of Queer Student Union, and on the Hunter Student Senate; in these roles, she has pushed for policies and created opportunities that enrich the lives of Hunter students. Due to her demonstrated leadership experience, having been a junior senator already, Ariana is well-equipped to meet Hunter students’ needs as the next USG President. |
| President | Onyeka Onaga Independent  | Freedom, Fairness, Future. Running to give you the truest college experience. Running to make college fun for students. Running to give students freedom to do anything they want. |
| President | Ikbolhon Shukhratova Independent  | I am Ikbolhon Shukhratova. I immigrated from Uzbekistan and sophomore at Hunter College-CUNY. Currently majoring in Biochemistry. I am running for student body President. As a future USG President, I will ensure to elevate student voices within Hunter College, improve our community wellness by fighting for resources and recognition for all students and expand the college's definition of community in order to protect the interests of campus service workers and the local community. I will expand and better our social environment, where students will feel included and can participate in shaping our school experience to be what we want. |
| Vice President | Yostina Girgis A Hunter United  | Yostina Girgis is a junior, majoring in Biology and minoring in Human Rights, while on the pre-med track. She is a Thomas Hunter and McNulty Scholar, as well as a former Grove Fellow. As the previous Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation and current Student Welfare Commissioner, she has explored different facets of USG — from planning and hosting successful events, such as Thanksgiving Dinner, to student advocacy and expanding of available student resources. Her varied experience makes her well fit for the role of Vice President, where she will continue to uplift student voices and experiences, while cultivating a tight knit Hunter community. |
| Cultural Affairs/Student Activities Commissioner | Asia Akperov A Hunter United  | Asia Akperov is an Athena and Grove Scholar in her Sophomore year, majoring in Human Biology, looking to pursue an MPH/MD. She first got introduced to USG when she became an ambassador and was involved with programming for student welfare. She currently serves as the Inclusion Fellow at the Hillel club on campus. As cultural affairs commissioner, she aims to act as a bridge between the students and USG to ensure that every voice is heard. She is excited to work with students to create events that truly represent Hunter’s beautifully diverse campus |
| Evening Affairs Commissioner | Sofia Rosario A Hunter United  | Sofia Rosario is a junior majoring in Political Science with an emphasis in Pre-Law. She was born and raised in Las Vegas, but is currently enjoying the New York City life. She has a background in community service and has worked with non-profit organizations for over six years. During her free time, she enjoys discovering who has the best coffee in New York City. With years of experience in student government and as a current Student Ambassador, she aims to connect the student body through the events she hopes to organize as the Evening Affairs Commissioner. |
| External Affairs/Public Relations Commissioner | Sara Macwan A Hunter United  | Sara Macwan is a junior studying Political Science and Women & Gender Studies. As Mock Trial Society’s secretary, she uses her communication skills, dependability, and aptitude at outreach to keep in close contact with students. In her current role as Sophomore Senator, she has gained extensive knowledge about the workings of Hunter’s Undergraduate Student Government and feels confident about taking on the position of External Affairs Commissioner. If elected, Sara aims to increase communication between USG and the Hunter student body to provide students with vital information and to allow them to voice their concerns in a safe space |
| Finance Commissioner | Riya Patel A Hunter United  | Riya Patel is a Roosevelt Scholar, JFEW Eleanor Roosevelt Scholar, and Eva Kastan Grove Scholar, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Public Policy. Riya’s mission is to uplift her Hunter community. Her journey with USG began as a College Association. In the past, she has been involved with Hunter Has Heart and the Purple Apron Food Pantry. Currently, she is on the Advisory Council for the Roosevelt Scholars Community and USG College Association. As Finance Commissioner of USG, Riya strives to be an engine of transparency and expediency regarding matters concerning the finances of USG and clubs. |
| Student Welfare/Academic Affairs Commissioner | Shuhashini Khan A Hunter United  | Shuhashini Khan is a junior Thomas Hunter Honors scholar, majoring in Biology and minoring in Theatre. She serves as a member of the College Association. As the Student Welfare Commissioner, Khan hopes to maintain existing student resources and initiate new projects to better support students at Hunter. Being someone who moved from Bangladesh to New York to pursue her undergraduate degree, she understands the challenges that international students are faced with. One of Shuhashini’s many aims is to help all kinds of students who are facing difficulties adapting to college, especially due to transitioning from doing classes online to offline. |
| Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation | Daniel Cronin A Hunter United  | Daniel Cronin (‘25) is a Macaulay Honors Scholar majoring in History and Political Science. An active member of the Hunter community, he understands the needs and concerns of students and has experience in using his voice to create change. As an AEC member, Daniel hopes to utilize the fullest extent of Hunter's financial resources to make the campus a better environment for all and better represent student opinion. Daniel strives to be a transparent and accessible representative and is committed to representing the interests of Hunter's student body as fervently as possible. |
| Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation | Laila Gad A Hunter United  | Laila Gad is a Macaulay Honors Scholar and a Grove Fellow in her sophomore year. She is majoring in Journalism, with a minor in environmental studies. Currently, she is serving as the Hunter campus Macaulay Scholars Council Representative, Vice President for the Macaulay Peace Action Club, and treasurer for the CMMBxHunter club. Through the Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation, she hopes to help manage contracts and services required to help foster student life here on campus. When she's not working on school stuff, you can find her running her book account, and playing with her kitten. |
| Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation | Ariadna Gonzalez-Amador A Hunter United  | Ariadna Gonzalez is a sophomore majoring in Greek & Latin and Political Science. She hopes to make campus more accessible and diverse. Her goal is to create a bond between USG and the rest of the student body by hearing their experiences on campus and shaping a campus that is safe and comfortable for all. As a candidate for Auxiliary Enterprise Corporation, she hopes to work in tandem with the committees within student government to ensure that Hunter students and their rights are being advocated for, every step of the way. |
| College Association | Rania Darwish A Hunter United  | Rania Darwish is a Macaulay Honors sophomore majoring in Human Biology on the pre-Med track. She has been involved in multiple clubs such as Project HOPE and United For Youth. Taking part in the College Association, she is excited to contribute to the proper allocation of the Student Activity Fee to ensure the making of events that shape Hunter as a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all. In USG, she is committed to helping Hunter students make the most of their undergraduate experience by addressing their concerns and hopes for the future, and with this, cultivating a supportive relationship. |
| College Association | Daniel Foulen A Hunter United  | Daniel Foulen is a Media Studies major focusing on Emerging Media. A tutor, a writer, an artist, a tinkerer, and a brother, Daniel is many things, but above all else, is passionate about being able to help people in any way he can and see them happy. During his free time, you can find him with friends, sketching, or wondering about food combinations like Pepsi and milk. As a member of the College Association, Daniel is committed to supporting a wide range of cultural events monetarily to ensure a sense of belonging at Hunter. |
| College Association | Vasuki Gaba A Hunter United  | Vasuki is a Thomas Hunter Scholar in her sophomore year, majoring in Biochemistry and Economics and minoring in Computer Science. She serves as the Vice President of Hindu Student Association and is a Grove and Cooperman Fellow. She also volunteers for Womankind and serves as a mentor for students at Futures and Options. During her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring new places, baking, and watching sunsets. If elected to the College Association, she aims to ensure that Hunter clubs get the funding they need and that they are using their allocated funding as wisely as possible. |
| College Association | Uska Naveed A Hunter United  | Uska Naveed is a sophomore majoring in Biology and minoring in English. She currently serves as a Student Ambassador and is part of the Cultural Affairs and Student Welfare Committees for USG. During her free time, she works as a research student in the Bargonetti Lab, Student Ambassador at Weill Cornell Medicine for Cancer prevention, and a social director for the Heart at Hunter program. If elected as a College Association officer, she will create a communication link between the student body and administration to actively address the needs of the student body, especially regarding the Student Activity Fee. |
| Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee | Avi Mikhaylov A Hunter United  | Avi is a current sophomore majoring in Anthropology with minors in Classics and Chemistry on the pre-med track. He is currently involved in Hunter Unmasked, Humans of Macaulay, and Macaulay Peer Mentors. He hopes to support more mental health programs and esources for students, and to foster a closer community in Hunter College. In his spare time, he loves to read, bake, and learn about different cultures. As a member of the FSDC, Avi hopes to uphold the integrity of Hunter while also giving every student a fair hearing. |
| Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee | Zara Nadeem A Hunter United  | Zara Nadeem is a junior majoring in Biology and minoring in Political Science, as well as a Yalow Honors scholar. She volunteers at hospitals and mentors pre-health students. Zara was a part of Hunter’s USG in her freshman and sophomore years, first as an ambassador, then as a member of the Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee (FSDC), facilitating decisions related to academic dishonesty. She has worked with the Student Welfare and Cultural Affairs committees to increase student engagement. As an FSDC member, Zara aims to assist during these unprecedented times, where academic dishonesty is high, and students may be falsely accused. |
| Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee | Afsana Rahman A Hunter United  | Afsana recognizes that now more than ever, FSDC plays an important role for students at Hunter. She is re-running for FSDC, having been part of USG for three years in a variety of roles such as senator and ambassador. Afsana hopes to use the diverse skills she gained from interacting directly with faculty about policy issues, to ensure students get an equitable trial if they face something stressful like disciplinary action. Beyond FSDC, she strives to collaborate in USG to bring students the best undergraduate journey possible. She is a junior and has interests in public policy, bioethics, and technology. |
| Faculty Student Disciplinary Committee | Tania Rodgers A Hunter United  | Tania Rodgers is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. As a scholar student-athlete, she understands that many students feel their concerns are often dismissed. She hopes to be the person marginalized students will entrust to advocate on their behalf and ensure they are awarded due process. As a member of FSDC, she will serve as a nonpartisan entity and attend hearings to decide what disciplinary action a student deserves, if any, when being accused of academic dishonesty. As a member of USG, she wants to improve sociability within the student body and promote inclusivity and diversity |
| Senior Senator | Kimone Cox A Hunter United  | Kimone Cox is a Hunter College student in her senior year, majoring in Biochemistry. She is currently a USG ambassador, volunteers at New York Cares and the Hunter College chapter of the American Red Cross. During her free time, you can find her studying doctors that live in her area and in soup kitchens, handing out groceries. As a senior senator, she aims to help the senior student body by understanding and addressing their complaints |
| Senior Senator | Fernando Rodriguez A Hunter United  | Fernando Rodriguez is a current Hunter College student in his third year, majoring in Creative Writing and Political Science and minoring in Film and Journalism. He has been a USG Ambassador since Fall 2021. During his free time, he can be found drawing and writing his many passion projects. He has been working as a Direct Support Professional with kids with mental disabilities since Spring 2019. As a Senior Senator, Fernando will represent his class and build connections with his student body, acting as a medium between the bureaucracy of Student Government and the activism of the Student Body. |
| Senior Senator | Kimberly Sosa A Hunter United  | Kimberly Sosa is a Leon G. Cooperman Business Fellow, majoring in Political Science and completing Hunter’s Business Studies Certificate. She has served as the Secretary for Hunter College’s Black Student Union. During her free time, you can often find her babysitting and tutoring elementary school students, helping shape society’s next generation of leaders. As a Senior Senator, she aims to create a more united Senior student body, fostering an open and safe community where all suggestions and concerns can be confidently addressed. |
| Junior Senator | Malika Alamova A Hunter United  | Malika Alamova is a sophomore majoring in Biochemistry, on the pre-med track. She aspires to become a physician and conduct clinical research. She serves as the President of United for Youth and a senator at the Hunter Student Senate. Malika is also a mentor at the Pre-Health Mentoring Initiative where she supports Pre-Health students. At Hunter’s Chemistry Department, she is involved in radiochemistry research and in her free time, she volunteers at Hospital for Special Surgery. As a Junior Senator, she aims to promote student activism, advocate for students and address their issues, and create a unified Junior student body |
| Junior Senator | Malik Atadzhanov A Hunter United  | Malik Atadzhanov is an endorsed Goldwater and Udall scholar in his junior year, majoring in environmental studies and Russian translation. He transferred from Kingsborough CC where he served as a student senator and the president of the Honors Department. You can find him on the Hunter campus advocating to protect New Yorkers from environmental pollution as part of the NYPIRG organization. As a Junior Senator, his primary goal is to ensure that junior student body needs are met, their voices are heard and that results are achieved within effective time. |
| Junior Senator | Colleen Denmon A Hunter United  | Colleen Denmon is a sophomore majoring in History, Sociology, and Classical Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. She is a Roosevelt Scholar, a Bluhm Scholar, and a Thomas Hunter Honors student. In her spare time, she serves as the secretary of Circle K, a Student Admissions Leader, and an Oral History Intern at the 9/11 Museum. She is also active around campus in the Pre-Law Society and at the Brookdale Residence Hall. As Junior Senator, she hopes to continue creating a welcoming environment for students, and to serve as a voice for student comments, complaints, and concerns. |
| Junior Senator | Jonathan Gao A Hunter United  | Jonathan Gao is a Yalow Honors Scholar in his sophomore year; he is majoring in Chemistry (Biochemistry) and double minoring in Music and English. He currently presides as a Sophomore Senator on the Hunter Student Senate, and serves on both the Student Welfare and Cultural Affairs Committee. Outside of Hunter, he is the co-founder of Makers for Change, an organization mentoring teams of students on how to participate in community engagement and impact through 3D Printing. As a Junior Senator, Jonathan strives to become a supportive and driven advocate for the needs and concerns of the general student body. |
| Sophomore Senator | Ilanith Nizard A Hunter United  | Ilanith Nizard is an Athena, Thomas Hunter, and Grove Scholar at Hunter. She is majoring in Economics and minoring in International Relations and Philosophy. She is very involved on the campus community serving as a Student Admissions Leader, Scholars Peer Leader, as well as committee member on the Academic Senate. She first got involved with USG by joining the Ambassador Program to give back to Hunter’s community and find ways to get involved. As Sophomore Senator she is committed to bettering the experiences of Hunter Students by serving as a voice and liaison for the undergraduate student body. |
| Sophomore Senator | Ariadna Pavlidis-Sanchez A Hunter United  | Ariadna is a Roosevelt Scholar in her freshman year intending to major in Public Health with a certificate in Public Policy. She hopes to pursue a career in public service working in the fields of education equity and gender-based human rights. She is a Unibuddy ambassador at Hunter and currently interns in the NYC mayor’s office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence. As sophomore senator, she aspires to foster an open line of communication to address concerns and advocate for the undergraduate student body. She is committed to creating an inclusive community where students are comfortable sharing their ideas. |
| Sophomore Senator | Colin Pratasevich Independent  | Ever since I stepped into the sea of unfamiliar faces on my first day, I have wished that Hunter was better connected with its students. While I soon got to know many like-minded students during my time here, the student government has seemed largely absent throughout that process. That’s why as Sophomore Senator, I will expand the student government’s direct engagement with students, both online as well as in person. |
| Sophomore Senator | Daniil Tagaev A Hunter United  | Daniil Tagaev is a sophomore majoring in biology. He is dedicated to helping everyone in his community. During COVID-19, he supported the distribution of over 10,000 crates of food for people across NYC and was given the NYS Senate recognition for Youth Leadership. As a senator, Daniil will focus on improving access to academic success for all members of the Hunter undergraduate community. That includes the increase of helpful resources for students, continued advocacy for students’ rights, the fight for more affordable education, and other means of supporting students. Daniil will ensure the voice of every student is heard. |
| Sophomore Senator | Anastasia Villarreal A Hunter United  | Anastasia Villarreal is a Roosevelt Scholar in her freshman year, majoring in Political Science and Philosophy while minoring in music. She serves as Cohort Representative of the Roosevelt Advisory Council. She is also an intern at State Senator Gounardes’ office and a tutor at the Dolciani Math Center. In her free time, she plays instruments and spends time with her family. As a Sophomore Senator, she will work to get students more involved in campus and USG activities. She envisions a student body that feels comfortable when interacting with their representatives and confident that their concerns are being addressed |
| Freshman Senator | Nancy Abdelaziz A Hunter United  | Nancy Abdelaziz is a Community Scholar in her freshman year, majoring in Human Biology, and hoping to pursue a career in the pediatric field of medicine. During her free time, you can find her volunteering at soup kitchens and baking goods from scratch. After spending her first semester in the pandemic, she is excited to be back on campus. As a Freshman Senator, Nancy will look to address the needs and concerns of her fellow freshmen class to establish a more welcoming and friendly environment on campus, as well as create a safe learning space for students of all backgrounds. |
| Freshman Senator | Yeju Kim A Hunter United | No Statement |