Student Government executive alliance candidates debate for 2025-26 election

Daniela Capistran and Vivien Ayers

February 24, 2025

The University of Texas Main Building on March 2, 2024.

The Student Government executive alliance candidates for the 2025-26 academic year are debating now on the first floor of the William C. Powers Student Activity Center. Moderated by the opinion department of the Daily Texan, the debate will ask the candidates various questions ranging from their goals if elected to their platform standpoints.

The six alliances running — Grayson Oliver and Elizabeth Tomoloju, JD Romero and Erin McCormick, Amy DonJuan and Chris Zapata, Hudson Thomas and Thierry Chu, Michael Mashhoon and Ava Hosseini, and Jonathan Wilson and Morgan Hernandez — will continue debating until the event ends at 8 p.m.

Follow here for live updates, or watch the live stream on The Daily Texan’s Instagram.

Check for Updates

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:56 pm

Vivien Ayers

The executive alliance Student Government debate for the 2025-26 academic year is now over. Elections will happen on March 3-4, with results released March 10.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:55 pm

Daniela Capistran

“Your voice is our mission,” said presidential pair Amy DonJuan and Christopher Zapata. The pair said they are tired of false promises and believe every student deserves to be seen in the debate.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:45 pm

Candidate pair Hudson Thomas and Thierry Chu said they plan to incentivize a dedicated mental health week that plans to bring awareness to different mental health issues with resources such as modules.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:35 pm

Daniela Capistran

Presidential candidate pair Jonathan Wilson and Morgan Marie Hernandez said they plan on hearing student voices through consistent meetings with organized stakeholders.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:23 pm

Daniela Capistran

Presidential candidate Hudson Thomas said he plans to emphasize mental health week and a “campus-wide wellness passport” that would incentive people to eat healthy.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:18 pm

Daniela Capistran

When asked what his executive alliance pair will do to improve mental health resources on campus, Grayson Oliver said he plans to expand therapy access for all UT students. “You are people, and we want to make sure you feel like that and that you get the resources that you need,” Oliver said.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 7:09 pm

Daniela Capistran

When asked what their executive alliance pair will do to combat food insecurity, Michael “Amin” Mashhoon and Ava Hosseini said they plan to follow Austin’s current food plan and pair with the West Campus Collective, the MicroFarm and the UT Farm Stand.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 6:57 pm

Daniela Capistran

Candidate Michael “Amin” Mashhoon said it’s critical to have more outreach from Student Government outside of social media. “A government that isn’t known by the people that are governed by it cannot be democratic,” Mashhoon said.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 6:56 pm

Daniela Capistran

Candidate Amy DonJuan said she plans to prioritize the student body and local community by having more frequent, recurring town hall meetings.

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 6:46 pm

Daniela Capistran

Candidate pair Grayson Oliver and Elizabeth Tomoloju said one of their priorities is supporting and setting aside funding for “big student advocacy groups.” They did not clarify what defines a “big student advocacy group.”

Updated

Feb 24, 2025, 6:44 pm

Daniela Capistran

Presidential candidate Amy DonJuan, who previously worked for The Daily Texan, said that candidates should reach out to students to elevate campus voices.

About the Contributor

Vivien Ayers, Associate News Editor

Vivien is a journalism and sustainability studies junior from Denton, Texas, and is currently an associate news editor. She previously served as a news desk editor and as a senior news reporter covering campus breaking news, the city metro and politics. When not working in the basement, she loves to go axe throwing and read fantasy novels.