The 2025 Tempe Undergraduate Student Government elections are set to take place on April 1-2, with five different executive tickets battling for the roles of president, vice president of services, and vice president of policy.
The 2025 USG-T tickets as represented by their presidential candidates are Rishik Chaudhary, Brandon Ngo, Nathan Edlebeck, Hayden Nguyen and Cayla Kirschbaum.
Rishik Chaudhary Ticket
Chaudhary is running for president. Martin Hammond is running for vice president of services and Hillary Garcia is running for vice president of policy.
Chaudhary is a junior studying supply chain management and business. Hammond is a junior studying mechanical engineering. Garcia is a senior studying political science and global studies.
The ticket focused its campaign heavily on community and connection between USG-T and students at the University.
"I really want USG as a whole to adopt that sense of community-forward leadership and connection-forward leadership," Hammond said.
Chaudhary described this goal as "approachability, inclusion, as well as collaboration" at the USG-T Executive Ticket Debate on March 25.
With this emphasis on connection with the undergraduate student community, the Chaudhary ticket also keyed in on inclusivity for all groups on campus, as well as ensuring it continues within USG-T if elected.
"We want students who feel marginalized on campus to feel comfortable coming to the USG office and being able to talk to us one-on-one," Garcia said during the March 25 debate. "My ticket really prioritizes inclusivity."
Chaudhary is currently a senator for the W.P. Carey School of Business. Hammond is the director of sustainability for USG-T. Garcia is the student government director of internal operations.
"All three of us have been in USG the entirety of our time here at ASU," Hammond said. "We've gotten to see USG in several different forms, and we've gotten to see a lot of what works within USG, and some things that have come short within USG."
The ticket also agreed that funding is another component of USG-T they're confident in operating with their skillsets.
Read more about their platform here.
Brandon Ngo Ticket
Ngo is running for president, Gracie Smith is running for vice president of services and Olivia Braymiller is running for vice president of policy.
Ngo is a junior studying finance, Smith is a sophomore studying biological sciences and Braymiller is a junior studying biological sciences.
The ticket presented its goals in office through three pillars — advocate, serve, and unite.
Braymiller's advocacy goals within the Ngo ticket laid in large part within the international community at the University, specifically to help them access jobs and internships on and off campus.
The ticket also is focused on uniting the University and USG-T through communication to make public resources available to students.
"We could impact so many more students if we make communication a forefront and a key point within USG," Ngo said. "There's so much that USG has to offer."
Smith and Braymiller were both senators for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences within USG, and beyond this, their and Ngo's experience in Greek Life is something that, while not impacting policy decisions, they believe will help them in office.
"I personally think that it's (Greek life) helped me become the leader that I am today," Smith said. "It's a benefit because it teaches you how to have leadership skills as well as good communication and organization."
Read more about their platform here.
Edlebeck Ticket
Nathan Edlebeck is running for president, Neha Ponnapalli is running for vice president of services and Macy Haugland is running for vice president of policy.
Edlebeck is a junior studying business and director of spirit, pride and tradition for USG-T, Ponnapalli is a sophomore studying supply chain management and industrial design and Haugland is a sophomore studying business and finance.
The Edlebeck ticket focused its efforts on expanding student involvement on campus, increasing transparency and building a stronger community, Ponnapalli said.
To address students' concerns regarding transparency in funding, the Edlebeck ticket wants to prioritize funding initiatives that students will see the benefits of.
Additionally, the Edlebeck ticket plans to expand resources for students through initiatives like the Pitchfork Pantry.
READ MORE: USG-T takes action to support funding for Pitchfork Pantry
"A big thing here at Arizona State is transparency, so ensuring that students do know where their money is going," Haugland said. "I want to increase policies related to health and wellness and ensure that students are put first every single step of the way."
All three candidates on the Edlebeck ticket want to expand resources for students and make accessibility to funding a priority for their campaign.
To address this, the Edlebeck ticket plans to implement a director of funding, who will deal with funding requests from student organizations, ensuring that they would hear back regarding their plans for funding within 24 to 48 hours.
Read more about their platform here.
Nguyen Ticket
Hayden Nguyen is running for president, Neida Romero Montes is running for vice president of policy and Isaac Burdge is running for vice president of services.
Nguyen is a sophomore studying business and management. Romero Montes is a sophomore studying politics and the economy. Burdge is a junior studying chemical engineering.
The "Vote for a Livable Campus" ticket has been endorsed by progressive campus organizations such as the Young Democratic Socialists of America at ASU and the ASU Rainbow Coalition.
READ MORE: YDSA at ASU launches 'Sanctuary Campuses' campaign to push for student protections
"We want to make sure that everyone knows that this is a student government for students," Nguyen said. "We want to get student input on what student organizations actually need."
The Nguyen ticket proposed expanding healthcare and services for students, such as contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products.
The ticket plans to increase funding for Pitchfork Pantry. Burdge also said a meal swipe donation program where students can donate their remaining meal swipes to those "facing food insecurity and financial insecurity" would be beneficial.
The ticket also plans to alleviate the barriers for student organizations to receive funding.
"We're seeing these barriers, these bureaucratic barriers are becoming increasingly difficult for clubs,” Nguyen said.
The ticket would do away with additional fees for clubs and create a more streamlined process for budgetary approval through USG.
"When we look at the state of Undergraduate Student Government at Tempe, traditionally, it's very led by a small amount of people," Nguyen said. "That means traditional Greek life and a lot of people who are not representative of our very diverse ... very underprivileged student body who actually go to ASU."
Read more about their platform here.
Kirschbaum Ticket
Cayla Kirschbaum is running as the only female presidential candidate, Hayden Darst is running for vice president of services and Brooke Ganzini is running for vice president of policy.
Kirschbaum is a junior studying business law and business global politics. Darst is a sophomore studying finance. Ganzini is a junior studying business law.
The Ticket has campaigned under the slogan, "Forward Together."
"Whether you're online, in person, an athlete, in Greek life, a member of a coalition or anything in between, we see you," Kirschbaum said.
The ticket wants to prioritize mental health for students within the University.
"We've talked to major mental health organizations to bring better resources to campus, and a national speaker to come and destigmatize mental health and give people the tools to be resilient," Ganzini said.
Another concern the Kirschbaum ticket hopes to address within USG-T is funding for student organizations.
More specifically, Darst explained the goal of the ticket was to "revamp the funding structure within appropriations," which "fails the clubs" in its current state.
Kirschbaum – who previously served as the USG-T director of finance – and her team are confident that their prior experience in USG-T will aid them in reaching the goals of their campaign.
"A lot of tickets have talked about how they're wanting to review the funding process," Kirschbaum said. "Within our ticket, we have experience both in and out of USG with the financials and fiscal policies."
Read more about their platform here.
Editor's Note: Neha Ponnapalli is an illustrator for the State Press.
Edited by George Headley, Sophia Braccio and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporters at sebrowde@asu.edu and sluba@asu.edu and follow @sophia_browder and @samluba6 on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Sam is a freshman studying political science with a minor in justice studies. This is his second semester with The State Press. He has also worked as editor-in-chief of his high school newspaper.
Sophia is a sophomore studying political science and sociology. This is her first semester with The State Press.
