Cal State Fullerton’s Associated Students Inc. certified the winners of its 2025-26 student election for ASI president, vice president and college board of directors.
“This is the work of many years of students who have dedicated their time to serving the university and their peers to make sure that students of tomorrow have a better experience,” said Rebecca Hesgard, ASI student government director.
The 2025-26 leadership will be headed by Haneefah Syed, ASI president, and Juan Salguero, ASI vice president. Syed is a third-year English student, and Salguero is a third-year political science student.
“This was a long and competitive election process, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I want to extend my gratefulness to the other candidates for being respectful for this whole process,” Syed said. “One of the first things I want to do is talk about student wellness more on a personable level with our student body.”
Salguero reflected on the success of student engagement in the election and the importance of maintaining that momentum. Together, they aim to foster a campus environment where students feel both supported and involved in the broader ASI community.
“I think that it’s evident that our efforts paid off,” Salguero said. “I’m glad that collectively students united to vote and that student engagement was high this year. As a commuter on campus, I want to make sure students are participating in ASI events, campus resources and student opportunities.”
Additionally, the students elected to the board of directors are:
- College of the Arts: Sarah Komiya and Joshua Lopez
- College of Business and Economics: Shay Quock and Pinar Okan
- College of Communications: Jenny Guzman and Luca Romero
- College of Education: Mahak Ahmad
- College of Engineering and Computer Science: Armando Salazar and Yashwanth Reddy Mallareddygari
- College of Health and Human Development: Deniz Suzer and Luisa Camarillo
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Joe Morales and Edwin Valdez
- College of Natural Science and Mathematics: Liam Ryals and Ahmed Mohamed
A total of 2,208 Titans cast their votes this election, a 38% increase over last year.
“I feel very honored,” Ryals said. “One thing I want to focus on in my role is increasing diversity in my college and diversification of research.”
Elected student leaders drive positive change by representing students and collaborating with campus leaders to enhance student life. Through ASI, they gain leadership skills and governance experience, preparing them for future civic engagement.
ASI oversees key campus resources, including the Titan Student Union, a hub for student activities and services; the Student Recreation Center, which promotes health and wellness; and the Children’s Center, providing child care for student parents, faculty and staff.
“The candidacy competition this year has been impactful as there were so many great students vying for various forms of student advocacy, all to make CSUF a better campus,” said DJ Giacchino, ASI elections director and CSUF senior. “I think this election was a rather important one.”
While participating in the campaigning process was familiar to incumbents on the board of directors, it was a completely new experience for newcomers.
“As a first-year student, I’m very surprised at my win, but honored that so many people already know me,” Komiya said. “I know it’s a huge problem that art students are graduating within five to six years, so I want to help advocate and propose solutions so students can graduate within four years.”
To learn more about the newly elected officials, visit the student government page of the ASI website.
By Isabel Martinez and Gigi Perez