Executive-elects Jaden Cobb (CAS ’25) and Sanaa Mehta (SFS ’25) were officially sworn in as the new president and vice president of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) on Nov. 5. 

Of the 1,157 votes, Cobb and Mehta won the special executive election Oct. 20 with 66 percent of the vote, or 768 votes, that students cast during the Oct. 19-20 election cycle. Saatvik Sunkavalli (SFS ’25) and Andrea Li (SFS ’26), the only other running party, finished with 34% of the vote, or 389 votes.

GUSA held this special election after the senate refused to certify the results Oct. 8 of its initial election, held from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6, after allegations arose that Cobb and Mehta violated the GUSA bylaws by campaigning with technology on a voting day and bullying and harassing other candidates. Cobb and Mehta had also won the initial election, with 827 votes to 389 for Sunkavalli and Li and 293 for Axel Abrica (CAS ’25) and Sebastian Cardena (CAS ’26), who did not run in the second election.

Cobb and Mehta largely ran on a platform of promoting diversity and inclusion. Their campaign aimed to promote student mental health and the end of affirmative action in college admissions, as well as highlight Georgetown’s legacy of racism with the GU272+, the enslaved people Maryland Jesuits sold in 1838 to raise funds to save the university, and an on-campus racist incident last year.

The newly elected duo also promised to focus on improving campus life by expanding the meal plan and transportation options. Cobb and Mehta said they want to act as a bridge between the administration and students.

“I am excited to push our very comprehensive platform that brings attention to GU272, GUPR [Georgetown University Protects Racists], and creating substantive changes for vulnerable communities,” Cobb wrote to The Hoya.

Mehta said she is honored to serve as the new vice president, adding that student activism and voice are important to her.

“I am excited to collaborate with various groups and individuals on campus to assure their needs are met and concerns are heard,” Mehta wrote to The Hoya. “Our policy is extensive, a great balance of ambitious and realistic. I am specifically excited to implement changes regarding opportunities, outreach, and transparency with the international student population.”

Mehta also highlighted the administration’s priority of student wellness and social justice, saying she met Cobb in a pre-orientation program through the Center for Social Justice, an on-campus resource for students looking to work in social justice.

“Our platform is rooted in exactly that: community immersion and advocacy. We are passionate and committed to everything Georgetown and look forward to working with our student body,” Mehta wrote.

Senate Speaker Megan Skinner (SFS ’24) swore Cobb and Mehta in at the meeting, marking the first convening session of GUSA’s 19th Senate. The 11 newly elected senators from the first-year and at-large class were also in attendance at the meeting. 

Skinner said she is excited to work with the pair to improve the student experience at Georgetown.

“Both are passionate and driven leaders, and I know I will be working closely with them to facilitate projects between the Senate and the Executive,” Skinner wrote to The Hoya. 

Vice Speaker Dylan Davis (CAS ’26) said Cobb has already started working to understand how the senate works, attending every senate session and Policy and Advocacy Committee meetings.

“I am very excited to begin working with both Jaden and Sanaa, especially with regards to delivering tangible outcomes in the sphere of mental health,” Davis wrote to The Hoya. “We are very grateful to have leadership who are involved and engaged, and I am confident that in conjunction with the senators of the new 19th senate, visible progress will be made over the next year. ”

The 19th Senate passed six pieces of legislation during the meeting, setting up new agenda items for the new executive. Senators approved resolutions to include Flex Dollars at the Wednesday farmers market, provide Adobe free of charge to students, relocate CAPS away from Darnall Hall because of noise from Henle Village construction, urge facilities to inspect the safety of the Village A dorms, moderate the Village A restrictions during campus celebrations and update the online ordering system at Epis.

Skinner said the wave of legislation at the meeting highlights a sense of motivation and excitement that the new leadership and senators have fostered.

“In this session, the Senate is prioritizing legislation that offers practical solutions and opportunities for student needs. For our first legislative meeting of the session, I’m proud that we were able to pass so many pieces of legislation,” Skinner wrote. “Senators are energized and ready to keep this momentum going.” 

Cobb said the win comes as a personal milestone, and he hopes to create a pathway for other students at Georgetown looking to make change.

“As a first year college student who was very nervous to enter the college scene knowing nothing about college, it means the world to be able to lead this institution and show people after me that not only can you fit in at Georgetown but you can change Georgetown,” Cobb wrote.