2026-2027 ASCMC Elections Candidate Statements

With the current ASCMC term ending at Spring Break, the time has come again to elect a new executive board for the 2026-2027 academic year. The CMC student body will elect a new Student Body President, Executive Vice President (EVP), Vice President of Student Activities (VPSA), Dormitory Affairs Chair (DAC), and Senior/Junior/Sophomore Class President on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026.

Join with fellow students on Monday, March 2nd, at 10:30 pm for Collins Late Night Snack and watch your candidates as they present their platform proposals. Voting will then open at midnight and will be open for 20 hours, closing the following evening at 8:00 pm, March 3rd. 

ASCMC uses an instant run-off system. Voters are asked to rank candidates. If no candidate has a majority, the least popular candidate is eliminated and ballots for that candidate have their next highest choice counted instead. This process is repeated until one candidate holds a majority, for each position. 

These are your candidates for this year’s election in alphabetical order by position:

Student Body President: Eliot Advani, Amrit Dhaliwal, Katie Hodge, Violet Ramanathan

Executive Vice President: Leah Gaidos, Dhamar Ramirez Gomez

Vice President of Student Activities: Candidate to be announced shortly, following their collection of the requisite number of signatures.

Dormitory Affairs Chair: No candidates at present.

Senior Class President: Tanveer Grewal, Reid Jones

Junior Class President: Ibukun Owolabi

Sophomore Class President: Zoey Marzo and an additional candidate, to be announced following their collection of the requisite number of signatures.

Read below to learn more about each candidate: their aspirations for ASCMC and the CMC community as a whole.

Student Body President Candidates

Eliot Advani

Hello! My name is Eliot Advani, and I am incredibly excited to run for Student Body President. With President Dudley joining CMC next year, there is potential for major positive change in the student experience. I am eager to be your voice as CMC goes through this transformation, and I intend to revitalize dorm culture, help clubs access more funding, and champion new campus events.

Before I share my platform and ideas, here are some things you should know about me. I grew up in Massachusetts, though I am a proud resident of Appleby Hall these days. I love sports, especially soccer, and am a huge fan of the intramurals at CMC. I am majoring in PPE, and I am in the RDS program. I compete on CMC’s Model UN team, give campus tours for admissions, and am currently in a heated battle to find employment.

The question remains - Why am I running? I love CMC most for our community, and I feel that we need someone who is unafraid to push new, creative ideas to the leadership of the college. Having helped lead a club, played on club sports teams, and worked with admissions/deans, I know where there is room for improvement in the CMC experience. Here are my plans for new initiatives that I would start:

Work with RA’s and Dorm Presidents to create inter-dorm events and competitions (think vintage CMC North Quad baseball tournaments).

Increase outreach to connect alumni with clubs, teams, newspapers, etc. to secure funding for new events and travel opportunities.

Establish office hours with President Dudley, where clubs/groups can sign up for times to discuss their goals, budget, and place at CMC.

Create new recurring events on campus, including big-screen outdoor movie nights on Parents Field, a Student Flea/Thrift market, and team trivia at Late Night Snack.

Establish connections with Claremont restaurants and businesses for student discounts.

Abuse my power to get an intramural t-shirt

The goal of my platform is primarily to have more students voices be heard. I want all student groups to feel that they have an equal chance at creating unique opportunities for their members, and I will ensure that dorm culture is as communal as possible. I will be a fierce advocate for your interests with the deans, board, and the president. I hope to be a part of our new era of leadership.

Amrit Dhaliwal

Hi everyone, my name is Amrit Dhaliwal and I am running for Student Body President! Over the past two years, ASCMC has been one of the most meaningful parts of my CMC experience. As Sophomore Class President and now Student Body Vice President, I’ve had the privilege of working with and for this community in ways both big and small. I’ve gotten to plan different events like class pregames and 4 Corners, as well as run Senate each week this term and work directly with students to address their concerns. 

My focus in ASCMC has always been community! As Class President, that meant building connections through events that brought our class together, and as Vice President, it has meant listening to what you all need and following through. Some projects I have been working on this term are getting outdoor heaters outside the Hub installed over the summer, water bottle fillers in North Quad lounges, and bringing back lost CMC traditions like Hub Royalty and 4 Corners. Running Senate has given me the amazing opportunity to hear directly from students who care deeply about improving our campus, and I have loved every minute of that work! 

As President, I want to take that one step further. My goal is to make ASCMC more accessible, more visible, and more responsive to every student on this campus. Working in ASCMC has shown me that a lot of students have important things to say, but often feel like they can’t. Every student should feel comfortable bringing ideas and concerns, even small quality-of-life issues, to ASCMC, knowing that they will be heard.

ASCMC is a student organization run by students, for students, and at its best, it strengthens our community and improves everyday life at CMC. No issue is too small if it affects student life. Whether it’s improving campus spaces, supporting new traditions, or solving everyday problems, ASCMC should be the place students turn to first. CMC’s community is its greatest strength. As President, I will work to protect and grow it, and ensure ASCMC remains rooted in what matters most: all of you.

I would be honored to continue serving this campus as your Student Body President!

As I have famously said: 

“”The ballot is stronger than the bullet." 

           - Abraham Lincoln”  

                     - Amrit Dhaliwal

Katie Hodge

Hi everyone! I'm Katie Hodge, and I'm so hyped to be running for ASCMC president this year. I'm in my third year in ASCMC, currently serving as the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. I’m also an Ath Fellow and the president of 5C Triathlon Club! 

I'm running for president because I love and enjoy all the freedoms that we have as students (using DOS Vans, so much funding, events, etc.). These freedoms depend on the student’s relationships with staff, DOS, the board of trustees, faculty and so many others. I want to represent students well, using everything I’ve learned about responsible leadership in the past three years at CMC, to keep up those relationships and ensure we continue to empower students.

A lot of these freedoms are in the hands of ASCMC, where we have control over club funding, student life, events, and academics. I want to use the power ASCMC has to improve our community: bringing back events like the charity dodgeball tournament, enriching campus traditions, and improving dorm culture. While I don’t have exact solutions for some of the issues on campus — like improving dorm culture and campus traditions and lowering the stress of club and job application season — I want to have conversations about them. In order to have those conversations I want to make sure all students have a voice in ASCMC. By having more curated exec and senate information, you’ll get the information, and participate in the conversations you care about without having to sort through information you don't. 

In summary, I will ensure that everyone can contribute to conversations about issues on campus. I will help solve those issues using the power we have as students. I will make sure students continue to be empowered through relationships with DOS, Admin, the Board, and faculty. I hope that encourages you to vote for me but more importantly, I hope you vote — period. Ballots are open from midnight - 8pm on March 3rd!

Violet Ramanathan

Hi everyone! My name is Violet Ramanathan, and I’m running to be your Student Body President. I am a junior majoring in PPE with a Gender & Sexuality sequence. On campus, I have served our community as an Ath Fellow, a student journalist, and a FYG (twice!).

As Student Body President, I want to focus on two main things. The first is accessibility. ASCMC should feel approachable: everyone should know what our student government does, and everyone should feel like they can be a part of it. ASCMC should work for the students, not the other way around. It should be easier for clubs and affinity groups to get funding, and it should be easier for students to host events — whether those are parties or smaller events like movie nights. As president, I will also be approachable. I am so honored to know so many of you, and I love meeting new people. I want to listen to you, learn from you, and work with you to turn your ideas into reality.

The second thing I want to focus on is guiding our new college president when he comes to CMC in the fall. President Dudley will be spending the upcoming year learning what CMC is about and figuring out his leadership style, and he will be looking to the ASCMC President for guidance. I want to use this opportunity to make sure that our college administration values student voices in their decision making process. I will push President Dudley to spend time on campus and be visible to students, and I want to organize monthly forums where he talks with us about important policy decisions. Students should have a say in the design of our campus, the structure of our curriculum, and the policies that guide how we live.

In my time at CMC, I’ve noticed a trend: every year, something unexpected happens that ASCMC needs to respond to. This means that it’s important for us to have people in ASCMC that we trust to respond to situations with integrity and composure while confidently standing up for our community. Throughout my many roles on campus, I always carry myself with courage and focus on what is best for our community.

Please reach out if you have any thoughts, questions, or just want to talk! I would love to hear from you.

Email: vramanathan87@cmc.edu

Campaign IG: @Vi4Prez

Executive Vice President Candidates

Leah Gaidos

I’m excited to be running for Executive Vice President! As your current Dormitory Affairs Chair, I’ve spent this year working directly within ASCMC, collaborating with RAs, fellow executive members, participating in Senate, and navigating the behind the scenes logistics that keep fun dorm activities happening. Because of that experience, I understand how ASCMC operates from the inside and can step into the EVP role ready to immediately focus on strengthening Senate and supporting our committee chairs.

If elected, I want to make Senate more engaging and connected to students’ everyday experiences. When we don’t have club budget requests, I’ll use that time intentionally, spotlighting committee initiatives, fostering collaboration, and creating space for meaningful dialogue. By better integrating the work of our committee chairs, Senate can feel less siloed and more unified, operating as one cohesive team.

And yes, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I’ll be bringing back the weekly Senate snacks.

Beyond ASCMC, I’m also on the CMS Women’s Golf team. EVP is a role that requires organization, reliability, and the ability to support others, qualities I practice every day as I balance academics, athletics and my current ASCMC responsibilities.

I care deeply about making student government effective, transparent, and engaging. I would be honored to serve as your EVP.

Dhamar Ramirez Gomez

Hello! My name is Dhamar Ramirez Gomez, and I’m excited to be running to serve as your next Executive Vice President!

As an ASCMC Senator since my freshman year, I’ve learned a lot about the inner workings of ASCMC and what students want from their representatives. It would be an honor to bring that experience into the EVP role to ensure that Senate meetings are as accessible, productive, and engaging as possible for the student body. 

During my term, I plan to strengthen relationships with CMC clubs and organizations by making communication and expectations more transparent, continue school-wide traditions like Four Corners, and introduce student-serving initiatives that last beyond my time in office. I won’t drone on about institutional reform, so I’ll keep it simple: I want more students to feel comfortable voicing concerns and suggesting campus improvements, and I’m committed to turning that feedback into changes the entire student body wants. ASCMC is meant to serve you, not just be emails that you skim while waiting for a caprese chicken sandwich.

If you have questions or ideas, please reach out. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Yours truly,

Dhamar

Vice President of Student Activities Candidate

Candidate to be announced shortly, following their collection of the requisite number of signatures.

Dormitory Affairs Chair Candidate

No candidates at present.

Senior Class President

Tanveer Grewal

Hi! My name is Tanveer Grewal - or tan - and I am running for senior class president. From being a first year guide to wrestling on fight night, I love and admire every aspect of CMC.

Whether it's wristbanding and attending Pirate Party or sitting at the hub laughing with an unpredictable group of 5, I think we have an amazing grade and will have a memorable senior year. As I reflect on my time at Claremont, I am most grateful for the moments that seem small and subtle, like dinner with my dorm or hammocking on Appleby lawn. I extend this gratitude to the community we have formed as a grade. 

Now that we step into our final year, I want our class to come together with a shared commitment to making memories. By hosting consistent events to attend- grounded in the pillars of inclusivity, unity, and organized action- I hope to bring our class closer. From scheduled class pregames to a camping night at Baldy resembling the WOA trip we didn’t have, I want every weekend to offer the opportunity to create memories. My favorite thing about campus is our connection to each other, which is unparalleled to any other school. My experience with the Event Committee and being a FYG gives me insight into how to create spaces for collaboration and fun, unifying events.

Although senior year tends to naturally be full of changes, another change we are preparing for is our shift to a new CMC President after President Chodosh retires. This change requires a President able to facilitate dialogue, not just between him and myself, but between anyone who has a need or change they want addressed. As a member of the DOS Advisory Board, I understand what these conversations have to look like and how essential it is to uplift others to voice their needs. My plan to connect students and our administration aligns with my passion for inclusivity. 

As much as I love meeting new people and smiling at the people I see on main street, I want to see more opportunities for everyone in our grade to be together. I understand that this requires keeping students at the forefront of my presidency– this means doing polls, holding conversations, reigniting the class instagram, and inviting everyone to the table to make sure this happens. 

Vote Tan!

Reid Jones

As you may know, I’m running again for Senior Class President. I’m honestly really excited for the opportunity to represent our class one more time.

Senior year is going to be special, and I want to make sure we make the most of it. From 200 Days to 100 Days to everything in between and after! I’m ready to plan events that bring us together and make this last year unforgettable.

I hope this past year has shown you that I genuinely care about our class, that I listen to feedback, and that I try to be someone you can always come talk to. I want to keep building that community going into our final year.

I’d really appreciate your vote. Let’s make senior year the best one yet.

Junior Class President

Ibukun Owolabi

I think I did a good job this past year and I'd love if you guys vote for me again.

Sophomore Class President

Zoey Marzo

Hi everyone! I'm Zoey Marzo and I'm running to be your Sophomore Class President. I'm from Whitefish, Montana, love skiing, baking, and pickleball, and I've been your First Year Class President this year. Getting to know you all has honestly been one of the best parts of freshman year, and I really enjoyed planning events like Freshman Frat and spending time with you guys.

My term as First Year President ends next week, but I'm not ready to stop serving our class! As Sophomore President, I want to finish out this semester strong with events like Freshman Throwback Day (writing letters to our future selves, making slime, playing with Legos, and eating good food) and a class pre-game for Wedding Party in the coming weeks. Through this year, I've learned how to navigate the whole ASCMC system and, more importantly, what events you all actually want to attend (not dating games). I know I can do better with gathering your input and feedback. This past year I tried emails and GroupMe but I want to test out new tactics to make sure everyone's voice is heard. If you have ideas on how to improve, I'm all ears! I've loved being your president this year and would be honored to continue building our class culture into sophomore year. Vote Zoey for Sophomore Class President!

Additional candidate to be announced shortly, following their collection of the requisite number of signatures.