Last Thursday, the four nominees for the 2025-2026 Student Government Association (SGA) Presidential Election took to the stage in a highly anticipated debate. The 90 minute debate, held in the UCC TechFlex and broadcast by SITTV, was moderated by current SGA President Nicholas Smith and current Vice President of Operations (VPO) Olof Persson.
The election period began on November 17 and will conclude on November 23, with the newly elected president, vice president of operations, and their cabinet to be inaugurated on January 17. The election has been intense, and with three strong pairs still in the race, the outcome is expected to be close. Here is a summary of the debate and where the candidates stand.
Meet the Candidates
Alexander Stanczak, running with Shane Mitchell, describes his campaign as “active, fresh, and transparent.” Stanczak has served on two previous cabinets as Vice President of Student Interests (VPSI) and Vice President of Operations (VPO). His platform emphasizes encouraging student involvement through improved student-faculty interactions, both academic and social, strengthening student life, and enhancing student representation in decision-making processes. Stanczak is committed to building on the progress made by previous cabinets and continuing ongoing SGA work.
Kevin Pfundstein, running with Tanya Avadia, describes his campaign as “Pfun, unifying, and supportive.” Pfundstein brings two years of experience as Vice President of Finance (VPF) on two different cabinets. He is proud of his contributions, including increasing club funding by raising the student activity fee and working with the budget committee to bring back GBM food. His platform focuses on understanding what works for students and building on past successes. Pfundstein aims to continue the “pfun” by driving clear, intentional changes to improve the student experience, offering support for student leaders, and making their roles easier.
Angelo Naro, running with Mollie Good, describes their campaign as “student-focused, experienced, and passionate.” Naro brings valuable experience from their time in the SGA, having served on the campus wellness committee and hosted the “Out in FSL” event for LGBTQ+ in Greek Life during their first year. As the campus wellness chair in their second year, they expanded the event with more budget and greater attendance. Naro has also contributed to the Feed the Flock program and helped propose the Minor Fair. Outside of SGA, Naro participates in Greek life and club sports. Their goals focus on boosting campus culture through collaborations with Greek life and athletics, improving student-faculty interactions, and increasing attendance at campus events.
Lastly, Arthur Serra, who ran with Sebastian Sztolberg, described his campaign as “Artandsebby, pfinance, and giggles.” Serra made a memorable entrance at the debate, wearing a toga and walking in with his “secret agents.” His campaign emphasized adding more water slides and ziplines to campus and a mission to “feed the flock” by taking down signs against feeding ducks in Central Park. He emphasized that his goal was not to win, but to make the election more fun and reduce the toxicity often associated with it. He highlighted the importance of helping students, regardless of the outcome. It’s worth noting that Serra resigned his nomination at the conclusion of the debate before the election period began and endorsed Kevin Pfundstein and Tanya Avadia.
Debate Highlights
How does your platform differ from that of your fellow candidates?
Angelo Naro emphasized their fresh perspective, balancing the experience of their running mate, Mollie Good, to bring more inclusive decision-making to the table. Kevin Pfundstein, with experience as Vice President of Finance, emphasized his knowledge of student organizations and how to improve the student experience by supporting student leaders and continuing effective strategies. Alex Stanczak noted the value of their extensive SGA experience, emphasizing their ability to build on past progress, and plan to combine his seasoned leadership with the fresh ideas from Shane Mitchell, their running mate. Serra proposed installing a dictatorship.
How will you reach students who are traditionally “unreachable” or uninvolved? Pfundstein and Stanczak emphasized the importance of better marketing for SGA, such as improving visibility and introducing SGA to first-year students. Pfundstein stressed the importance of getting the SGA better integrated into the DuckLink platform to make it more accessible, while Stanczak focused on raising awareness about SGA’s role and connecting students with activities that align with their interests. Naro suggested engaging students through Greek Life and athletics, emphasizing examples of how they have gotten personal connections involved in the past.
How would you keep SGA senators engaged and committed throughout the year? Pfundstein explained the need for a flexible approach, reducing the stress of the commitment, and allowing senators to engage in different capacities depending on their interests. Stanczak agreed but added that fostering a welcoming environment where senators feel comfortable speaking up is key and can be done through bonding activities. Naro proposed expanding on the current Assistant Vice President of Recruitment role to include retention to help build relationships and community. Serra, on the other hand, suggested a more drastic “Survivor-style” approach, incentivizing senators by eliminating one every week based on points.
What opportunities for additional partnerships do you see and what is your philosophy on working with campus partners to ensure students are seen? All candidates agreed that building proactive, meaningful relationships with other departments is crucial, whether that’s working with student affairs or faculty. Naro suggested succession planning and creating more connections between SGA and other campus organizations, including RDS and student support services. Pfundstein emphasized the need for proactive relationship-building, suggesting delegating responsibilities to committees and opening lines of communication with faculty and staff to ensure students’ needs are met when seeking support. Stanczak highlighted the importance of external partnerships, citing their experience with projects like the reusable container program with Re:Dish. He emphasized maintaining relationships with faculty and external organizations to bring fresh perspectives and collaborate more effectively.
How will you expand student-faculty interactions? Naro and Pfundstein emphasized strengthening existing programs like TYPO (Take Your Professor Out) and introducing new opportunities for students and faculty to connect in more informal settings. Naro suggested expanding it to include advisors and deans, emphasizing the need to ensure that students have opportunities to connect with faculty in both academic and social settings. Pfundstein mentioned engaging faculty through student organization events to increase visibility and build stronger connections. Stanczak cited the success of the Mechanical Engineering Department’s town halls and wants to encourage more departments to showcase faculty beyond their research to make them more approachable.
What experiences do you have working with administrators, and how will they benefit you in this role? Pfundstein emphasized his experience working with administrators like Stevens’ Chief Financial Officer and the Board of Trustees, stressing that understanding the importance of building personal relationships with administrators will help him advocate more effectively for students’ needs. Stanczak highlighted his experience working with administrators through his roles in SGA, such as with athletics and sustainability initiatives. He pointed to projects like The Pond, the composting initiative, and Rally for Ukraine as examples of how he has built relationships with key campus partners. Naro pointed to their past collaborations with offices like Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) and emphasized their continued growth as a leader and their commitment to fostering connections that will help move student-focused initiatives forward.
How will you protect and support students’ right to demonstrate? All candidates expressed support for students’ right to protest. Stanczak spoke strongly about the First Amendment and the need to protect students’ rights to free speech while doing so respectfully. Pfundstein stressed that all college students should have the right to demonstrate and emphasized working with administrators to ensure demonstrations are respectful, safe, and legally compliant. Naro supported peaceful demonstrations and praised student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) for their activism. Arthur spoke seriously about fostering discussions and finding middle ground.
What can be done to help students feel accomplished, proud, and that they belong in the community? Naro pointed out that many students struggle with mental health and specifically suggested spreading more positive messages about student accomplishments, from posters to support programs, to make sure students feel recognized. Pfundstein suggested that the First Year Experience course could play a role in introducing students to resources and fostering a sense of belonging. He also mentioned an option for group therapy for student leaders to help them manage stress and build community. Stanczak focused on recognizing students’ efforts more publicly, such as through events like Kindness Week. He also proposed improving mental health awareness and encouraging students to use campus resources by reducing the stigma around seeking help. In his last remark of the evening, Serra suggested a point system to reward students, along with a hefty scholarship.
As the debate came to a close, all candidates reaffirmed their commitment to helping the student body and enhancing the Stevens community. The candidates may have diverse visions, but they all agree on one thing: supporting the SGA’s mission to be a voice for the undergraduate student body and enhance the student experience to foster a campus environment where students feel supported, engaged, and valued.
The voting period will close on November 23 at 11:59 p.m., so be sure to cast your vote for your next SGA President and Vice President of Operations.
