First-year College students Sahasra Molleti and Hayden Matay were elected the Class of 2028’s president and vice president, respectively, in a runoff election conducted by the University Board of Elections. The duo defeated their respective opponents by a combined 815 votes. With roughly 43% of the Class of 2028 voting, this year’s New Student Election had the highest voter turnout since 2017.
The UBE, the organization that supervises all student elections, at first issued an errant ballot that used the wrong voting system for the first year president and vice president roles — using a first past the post system where voters select only their favorite candidate instead of the required ranked choice format.
To remedy the mistake, the UBE held a runoff election with the two presidential and vice presidential candidates holding the most votes that ran from Oct. 10 until Oct. 18.
The class president and vice president play a crucial role in representing the student voice, advocating for the needs of their class and planning events for their class. As the leaders of their class council, the president and vice president have the power to set the agenda and priorities for the organization. They serve as the primary liaison between the student body and the University administration, ensuring their class's concerns and perspectives are heard.
Jackson Sleadd, Second-Year Council president and College student, said he organized a host of events as last year’s First-Year Council president that brought the Class of 2027 together, including a petting zoo and a formal, which he said garnered a record-breaking attendance of 1750 attendees. Sleadd also advocated to the administration on behalf of his constituents, translating to, for example, the University repairing broken blue lights, which connect students on Grounds with emergency services.
“You need a president, vice president and council members who care about the work you're doing because that's the way you're successful in engaging students and improving somebody's time on grounds,” Sleadd said. “I'm really excited to get to work with [Molleti and Matay] throughout the year.”
Molleti and Matay said they hope to foster more cohesion within the Class of 2028 through the organization of more classwide events and community engagement, including a blood drive that would team up with the University Hospital, a “Battle of the Bands” event with student bands and a first-year formal. Molleti and Matay also hope to expose their class to upperclassmen through a peer mentor program that matches first-years with upperclassmen mentors.
“I just want to make this a community that people are going to love being a part of and for them to be proud to be from U.Va,” Molleti said, adding, “I love that this position is all about social connection because that's what I value most in my life.”
Throughout their campaign, the duo called themselves “M&M,” spreading the slogan “Molleti and Mataty for a better U.Va.” at campaign events. According to Molleti, this branding influenced voters’ decision-making because of its memorability and familiarity, given that the logo resembles that of the popular candy.
Molleti cited an interaction she had with a voter where the student told Molleti that she voted for her and Matay because she recalled seeing the team’s logo, an M&M, around Grounds and immediately associated it with the two candidates on the ballot with an “M” in their last names.
“I think what made us such a great team is that we are both very social people, able to interact, but also super hardworking and willing to fight for [the presidency and vice presidency],” Molleti said.
Molleti got involved in student leadership almost immediately after arriving on Grounds, and said that she chose to run because of the joy she found while working on the First-Year Council as a representative for the Balz-Dobie dorm earlier in the semester. She cited her excitement to bring first-years together through event planning as a driving factor in her decision to run for the class presidency.
While Molleti was not directly involved in student government at her high school, she had plenty of leadership experience before entering the University, having been involved with event planning and community service efforts. She said she organized school dances as a member of the homecoming and prom committees and service events through the National Honor Society.
Saying that they share similar, community-driven values, Molleti came across her running-mate during an interview for the University Judicial Committee, ultimately choosing to form a ticket with Matay for his tenacity and “extroverted” personality.
Matay, too, has a background in community building, using music as a conduit for connecting with others. Matay is deeply involved in music, being a member of two bands on Grounds and having played the piano for almost 13 years. As Vice President, Matay said he hopes to spread his zeal for fostering community through music with the rest of his class through events that highlight the University’s music groups, including a “Battle of the Bands” event.
Matay also said he plans on expanding the First-Year Council’s outreach efforts when it comes to event planning, emphasizing his desire to maximize the student turnout at these events. He cites his love for the University and its community as a driving force in these efforts.
“U.Va. as a university is incredibly special because we do have a unique degree of pride and connection within our community as one of the first universities in the United States, and as one of the best,” Matay said.
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