Before their interview with the Executive Committee, each candidate running for an executive position within Student Government was asked to write a summary of their platform, both for the Old Gold & Blacks endorsement decision and to inform the Old Gold & Black’s readership.
Below are the summaries written by each candidate. The Executive committee did not edit any platform summaries for brevity, clarity or grammar. Each candidate was also asked to record a 3-minute platform pitch, also linked below.
Student Body President
Amaya Williams
“First I want to thank the Old Gold and Black for providing an opportunity for all the candidates to share their platforms. I am Amaya Williams, a current Junior at Wake Forest University, and a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Major. I view the Student Government elections and campaigning as my opportunity to let the student body know everything that I have planned and am passionate about seeing happen on this campus before it is time for me to graduate.
A lot of the components of my platform are things I have thought about for a long time and now if elected I will have the opportunity to make them a reality. So what are these plans? Well they start with relationship building. First with the students. Clubs at Wake are contingent on a charter and funding for clubs falls to the authority of the student budget advisory committee (or SBAC) which our treasurer runs. Club leaders should have the authority to reach out directly to student government and receive support, both financially and logistically. I have personally connected student government through passing legislation to Project Pumpkin, Hit the Bricks, Wake and Shake, and DESK and I will not stop until every club on campus receives the same support and consideration.
One of my largest projects is increasing usage of the student government website to make sure anyone who cares can quickly and easily access every project, piece of legislation and goal their student representatives have. These efforts in the past have been stalled by the logic “The students probably wouldn’t care enough to read it anyway” but that is never going to be a valid excuse. Another benefit of increasing communication is reducing the waste that comes with redundancy. Why have two separate groups work on the same project when you can pool resources and accomplish a lot more? I want to collaborate with the faculty senate, the student trustee, and the president’s aides to ensure all projects are as efficient as possible.
Something I am so passionate about is mental health week, it’s something I’ve organized for the past two years and recently established through legislation a Health and Wellbeing Committee, responsible for that week to make sure it grows into something truly beneficial. Another goal that I think almost every student can appreciate is the long weekend project. The students have spoken and they want a holiday off. From my experience and connections from my time as a Student Advisor and as a Student President’s aid I know I would be the president who can get the administration to listen.
Another thing students want is free food trucks. I personally facilitated the free food trucks in the past but as president I want to make them a weekly school tradition. Last but not least for now is fixing the parking. ticket. epidemic. If you have not been personally victimized I know you know someone who has and it’s time to elect someone who is going to do something about it. If you’ve made it this far, I’m impressed and I know the main question you’re probably asking is, why vote for her instead of the three other candidates? All I can say is if you want someone to represent you who is qualified, always willing to listen and who has a plan in place to accomplish everything I just laid out, I will be honored to receive your vote.”
Hanna Shakarov
“STUDENT OUTREACH”
Despite being meant to represent student interests, Student Government remains an isolated island – minimally interacting with those it’s meant to serve. The polar star of Student Government events, for example, is Mental Health Week – which entertained less than 50 out of 5,500 Wake students.
Community & Communication
SG’s methodology of addressing student concerns is lengthy and inefficient, relying on students to find a senator, convey their concern – all for the chance that it might be reflected in the next senate session. As a result, constituent concerns slip under the radar, and SG fails in its mission to adequately represent student interests.
We propose: A) The installment of permanent QR codes in the Pit, Nit, ZSR, Farrell, and Freshman dorms where students can directly communicate their concerns – any time, anywhere – rather than relying on a game of telephone to have their voice heard. This will be paired with a weekly updated progress tracker, so students can see what stage of solvency their concern is in. B) The division of all campus clubs/organizations across senators, who will be responsible for a monthly reach out to their delegated institutions to gauge concerns/needs. This is modeled off of SBACs outreach model, which has been empirically effective.
Greek Life
Student Government has absolutely no interaction with Greek Life, despite Greek Life constituting approximately 50% of the student body. Given that Greek organizations, especially given recent turmoil with the administration, would benefit from the administrative support SG could offer, it is astonishing that the Student Government has been content with neglecting the needs of half its body. Greek Life shares SG’s appreciation of history, values of philanthropy, and dedication to fostering community at Wake Forest.
We propose: A) The establishment of monthly meetings with Greek Executive Boards, facilitating a direct line of communication between Greek Life and the Wake Forest Administration. B) The ability for Greek Organizations to fulfill service hour requirements through participation in Student Government initiatives, allowing us to expand the breadth of events while exemplifying our mutual interest in Wake’s Pro Humanitate motto.
CAREER EMPOWERMENT
Advisor Misalignment
First and second year advising is entirely random, often neglecting the goals and aspirations of students. For example, there is no need for a pre med student to have an English professor as their advisor – just as a theater major wouldn’t benefit from biology advice.
We Propose A) A matching system where students can reflect ambitions, interests, majors, and even if they want a hands on or laid back advisor. This will subsequently be matched with a form sent out to advisors, ensuring ideal matches between students and mentors.
B – School
With B School applications skyrocketing, the admission process becoming subjective, and the amount of available seats remaining the same, almost 50% of applicants find themselves unable to pursue their desired major after paying over $100,000 in tuition. Even admitted students join the B School in the midst of recruiting cycles, which they are left to navigate alone unless they are in the 1% of students in Pre Wall. As a result, students are blocked off from their desired careers by an institution meant to facilitate them
We Propose A) The implementation of pre career programs (pre consulting, pre accounting, pre investment banking, etc) that begin freshman year. These programs enhance equal access to resources and will ensure that regardless of their B School decision, students are never alone in the internship hunt.”
Salvatore Cascio
“My platform is grounded in experience and realism. After three years in Student Government, I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and where the disconnect lies between students and the decisions being made on their behalf. As both a long-time SG member and someone involved in an IFC organization, I bring a unique perspective — not to make this campaign about Greek life, but to represent communities that are often present in campus culture but missing from conversations that impact them which is exactly why I stayed in SG.
My campaign is not about extravagant promises rather it’s about practical, student-oriented solutions, and doing so in a way that actively engages the Student body. From advocating for clearer registration policies and financial fairness to increasing transparency around the SG budget and elevating campus wide SG initiatives, everything I’m proposing is built on what I know is achievable.
Above all, I believe the role of Student Body President isn’t to be the loudest voice in the room — it’s to be the most effective listener and bring student voices to the decision making table. My goal is to make Student Government more visible, more accessible, and more representative of the students it serves.”
Blake Shore
“I’m Blake Shore, and I’m running to be your next Student Body President not because I’ve spent years inside student government but because I haven’t. And that’s exactly why I’m running. For too long, campus leadership has echoed the same voices, the same circles, and the same agendas. Real change comes from inviting new perspectives into the conversation. That’s what I’m here to do. I’m running to make student government actually work for you—not just during election season but in the everyday decisions that shape your experience at Wake. My campaign is grounded in Trust, Transparency, and Tenacity because you deserve leadership that listens, speaks honestly, and never backs down from doing what’s right for students. I am here to reimagine it with your voice at the center of every decision. It’s time for leadership that reflects the student body that it represents.”
Speaker of the House
Kat Dobrosky
“Hi, I’m Kat Dobrosky, and I’m running to be your next Speaker of the House. I’m a freshman, but I’m not new to leadership or to getting things done. Since arriving at Wake, I’ve worked on legislation to create mandated mental health days, helped design sustainability training for RAs, contributed to the campus e-waste drive, pushed for syllabi access during course registration, and led the creation of the Mental Health Week video that was screened at both a women’s and men’s basketball game.
I believe leadership isn’t about speaking the loudest — it’s about actually listening. A mentor once told me, “You’re not really listening if you’re already thinking about your response,” and that stuck with me. If elected Speaker, I’ll work to make the House more transparent by publishing Speaker Summaries, livestreaming major meetings, and creating better systems for student feedback. I also want to advocate for stronger academic advising tools, better mental health support, and leadership workshops to help more students get involved in government.
At the end of the day, I’m running because I believe in showing up, listening intently, and following through. I’m proud of what I’ve already helped build at Wake, and I’m ready to keep building something even stronger with you.”
Sophia Sanders
“My campaign is built on a commitment to increasing engagement with the broader Winston-Salem community, improving the academic experience, and streamlining communication methods between students, organizations, and Student Government. Vital to this policy outline is the importance of increasing Wake Forest’s engagement with the community that exists just beyond our campus. For example, establishing lasting relationships with local law firms, business enterprises, community organizations, and other businesses will both create job opportunities for Wake Forest students and establish our university as inextricably linked to the broader community. Additionally, we can enhance our engagement with this population through an increased quantity of restaurant partnerships throughout Reynolda and downtown Winston-Salem. Underscoring cross-community engagement and realizing this component of our Pro Humanitate motto is central to my policy platform.
Additionally, I look forward to improving the academic experience. For example, I aim to help implement a Faculty Lunch program–modeled after those of other private institutions–in which students would be given the opportunity to dine with between one and three faculty members per semester free of charge. This would allow students to formulate relationships with professors that have the potential to fundamentally alter their personal and professional trajectory.
Additionally, I will advocate for the transition away from exclusively exam-based courses which create enormous pressure and involve a rigid evaluation style that neglects the importance of providing students with numerous methods for demonstrating gained knowledge. These initiatives, along with those proposed by my constituents and members of Student Government, will help create a Wake Forest where every student can thrive.
Finally, as Speaker I will commit myself to streamlining our methods of communication between students, organization leaders, and Student Government. Whether it is through permanent QR codes placed across campus or bi-weekly meetings with members of organization executive teams, we can create a climate where the population feels empowered to communicate their grievances. I aim to act as a bridge between these various facets of the campus community in order to ensure that no voice goes unheard and no concern falls through the cracks.”
Treasurer
Cole Bray
Hello Wake Forest! My name is Cole Bray and I’m running to be your Student Body Treasurer! My platform focuses on making SBAC a clear and accessible resource for all student organizations at Wake Forest. I want to simplify the funding process so students fully understand how to access financial support for their clubs. Transparency is key, and I will push for a public ledger of major funding decisions to ensure accountability. Additionally, I plan to engage with students directly to hear their funding needs and explore new, equitable ways to distribute resources to underfunded organizations. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that SBAC remains fair, bias-free, and beneficial to all students. If I am elected treasurer, I will work for each individual student to ensure that their voices are heard and recognized by SBAC. I want every student to know that they have the ability to request money on behalf of their clubs and organizations. SBAC is a friendly face, not a behind-closed-doors mysterious entity. I am to make that a reality. Count on Cole to count for you!
Juan Londoño
“Hi, my name is Juan Londoño, and I’ve been a club treasurer, founder, vice president, and president, as well as the outreach and oversight committee Co Chair and a voting member of SBAC for two years. Because of my experiences within the budget cycle system, and seeing its shortcomings firsthand, I’m running to be your student body treasurer.
My campaign policies should seem like common sense, and like things that are already in place – yet they aren’t. It centers around three words: transparency, accountability, and responsibility.
I believe that every student deserves the right to know where their tuition, making up the treasurer’s annual $600,000 budget, should be going at all times – so I’m proposing to start a monthly publication of spending reports from SBAC. On a similar thought of empowering students, I plan to start the Budgetary Concerns Council, a council that would intake and vote on files for review submitted by clubs that believe that there is unfairness in their annual budget. It wouldn’t be granting clubs all the money they want, because that’s obviously not realistic, rather it would be empowering clubs to stand up for themselves. I also believe that small and starting clubs deserve the right to get off the ground in their first year, which is why I want to start the starter club stipend, a stipend that would allow these clubs to focus on building community instead of focusing on making ends meet. SBAC, the treasurer’s body that votes on club budgets, should be made up of people just like everyone at WFU. Right now, it’s made up largely of business majors. As treasurer, I will work with department chairs to promote SBAC openings and applications, to have a more diverse SBAC that thinks just like all of WFU. Lastly, sustainability matters. And it matters to me. As treasurer, I plan to work with the office of sustainability – an office that I’ve interned with for a year – to ensure that there is environmental consciousness in every investment that we make. I will use the power of the purse at Wake Forest to ensure a greener campus culture.
While I am currently abroad in Barcelona, I’m working hard to be tapped into the demands of the Wake Forest student body and working through ideas that’ll meet these needs if I were to be elected treasurer. It’s extra hard to connect with students and gain their votes from halfway across the world and in a different time zone, but it’s work that I’m gladly doing because I care and because I know I can make a difference with.
Wake Forest, I’m running to be your student body treasurer, because I know the budget system, I’ve worked within it, and I’m ready to transform it—starting day one.”
Secretary
Tille Gavitt
“I’m Tille Gavitt, and I’m running for Student Government Secretary because leadership, and more importantly people, have always been at the center of what I do. I’m passionate about building relationships, creating impact, and ensuring every student feels valued, heard, and represented. I’m beyond excited about this campaign because I’m ready to drive transformative change that gets people excited about student government again—what it can achieve, who it represents, and how it serves our campus. My platform centers on accessibility, communication, and connection. These are the tools that will turn student government into a body that not only represents students, but actively reflects their needs and drives meaningful change across campus. At the heart of my platform is a push to make SG more visible and relevant through a stronger, more strategic social media presence. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and even our website should be tools to inform, include, and promote. We can’t expect students to engage if they don’t know what’s happening.
As secretary, I’m excited to energize and revamp SG communication platforms that reach and connect with the student body. Additionally, I plan to increase SG’s presence at student events and actively collaborate with student organizations across campus to ensure we’re engaging with every corner of our campus, not just a select few. Internally, I plan to streamline our operations with tools like Flare to make SG more focused and responsive. From strengthening communication to re-energizing our senate, my goal is to make student government more accessible, more active, and more in touch with the students it serves. This is my first year involved in leadership at Wake, but leadership itself is far from new to me. I had the honor of serving as class president for four years, along with leading several community and service organizations—experiences that allowed me to grow alongside the incredible people I was privileged to represent. Leading with purpose is what I’m passionate about—it’s what I’m good at, and it’s how I know I can make a difference here. I am a passionate leader, communicator, and most importantly, a teammate. I’m excited to work alongside fellow SG members and our student body to build a community more connected and empowered than ever.”
Samantha Servin
“I want to thank the Old Gold & Black for giving me the space to share more about myself. My name is Samantha Servín, and I’m a junior majoring in Business and Enterprise Management, with minors in Politics & International Affairs and Latin American Studies. On campus, I’m involved in Alpha Phi Omega, Model United Nations, the Catholic Community, and Campus Kitchen.
For the past three years, I’ve served in Student Government, first as a Senator, and currently as the DEI Co-Chair on Cabinet. I’ve worked hard to amplify student voices by working on the Menstrual Access Project, leading a listening tour with affinity organizations, organizing DEI Center Appreciation Day, and consistently bringing student concerns to administration.
I’m passionate about fostering an inclusive environment and creating accessible, engaging ways for students to connect with Student Government’s work. I see the role of Secretary as a natural extension of my current work—a connector, collaborator, and organizer.
My vision for this term is student-centered and grounded in the belief that Student Government should be accessible and representative of all students. If elected, I will focus on three key areas: Awareness & Communication, Student Engagement & Representation, and Organization & Efficiency.
First, I’ll make our work visible and accessible. This includes launching SG at a Glance monthly newsletters, keeping students informed through consistent social media updates, and ensuring easy access to meeting minutes and legislation through the SG website.
Second, I believe Student Government should reflect everyone on this campus. I’ll create space by inviting a different student organization to Senate each week to build relationships and foster collaboration.
Lastly, real change requires effective planning. I’ll improve how we track progress and gather feedback, and I’ll streamline internal processes so committees can focus on impact rather than logistics. I’ll ensure every meeting, every document, and every plan is clear and purposeful.
I’m confident that my experience, passion, and dedication make me the ideal candidate for this Secretary.”
