Louisa Chiriboga ’29
Copy Editor
On Thursday, Sept. 11, the Scripps Associated Students (SAS) Board announced that Skye Georgiadis ’29 won the election to serve as the First-Year Class President for the 2025-26 school year. Georgiadis ran against four other first-year candidates: Iva Ekmecic, Juniper Partick Miernick, Lucy Poduschnick, and Annabelle Wonder.
The results marked the end of a competitive and creative election season, with each candidate presenting unique ideas, angles, and platforms aimed to enhance the student life experience for the class of 2029. From campus merchandise revamps to direct advocacy, the diversity of ideas offered students a glimpse into the leadership potential among their peers.
According to the SAS website, “the function of SAS is to be a liaison among the student body and the administration, faculty, and the Board of Trustees of the College.” Composed of an Officer Board, a Senate, a Programming Committee, Student Representatives for the Board of Trustees, and a Transparency and Accountability Committee, SAS functions as the official governing body of Scripps.
SAS member responsibilities include planning campus-wide events, allocating funding for clubs and student organizations (CLORGs), and speaking on behalf of their students for their needs.
The position of the First-Year Class President shapes the experience of freshmen at Scripps. The president plans events specifically for first-years, assisting Board Members and other class presidents with their events, sending out updates to their class at least once a semester, offering office hours, and chairing the First-Year Committee. The role blends event planning, advocacy, and community building, tailored to the newest cohort on campus.
This year’s slate of candidates all ran distinct campaigns that showcased their enthusiasm to connect with the freshman class. “There was a lot of prep work in the weeks leading up to the election,” Wonder said.
Ekmecic ran on a platform of inclusivity and providing representation for underrepresented voices on Scripps’ campus. She connected with the student body with unique events, like offering to draw her peers at an event to initiate conversation. Her goals, as shared in her election flyer, included providing a safe campus environment for students of color and hosting cultural events. She also emphasized adding to Scripps’s merchandise collection and introduced a standout proposal to orchestrate a “rage room” during finals week.
Miernick promised to curate connections beyond Scripps, advocating for building community with the broader Claremont area and even beyond through globalization efforts. According to her candidate information flyer, Miernick suggested that foldover leggings be added to Scripps merchandise and wanted to throw matcha and tea parties for first-years if she won the presidency.
As president of her student council and a class representative for three years in high school, Poduschnick boasted a campaign that highlighted experience. In her flyer, she explained how her previous high school roles gave her the skills needed to effectively communicate with administration in the First-Year Class President role.
Wonder made a splash on Instagram when she released a Legally Blonde-themed campaign video, including a playful homage to the iconic scene in which the Harvard Law School admissions committee reviews Elle Woods’ admissions video that she filmed in a hot tub. During her campaign, Wonder planned for seasonal activities like Halloween bag designing and gingerbread house decorating. She also introduced the idea of organizing live music outside Mallott throughout the semester.
Ultimately, it was Georgiadis who earned the title of First-Year Class President through the collective vote of her peers. “Skye ran an amazing campaign,” Wonder said. “She had good ideas and really mastered the engagement aspect.”
Georgiadis’ campaign focused on uniting the freshman class and forging deeper connections among students. “Scripps is a very diverse… and welcoming community, [but] it has a reputation for cliques. As [First-Year Class President], I want to not only make our first year a blast, but make sure the first years form a more socially fluid community than what has been seen at Scripps in the past.”
Georgiadis also emphasized her commitment to transparency, inclusion, and tangible action, running on increasing communication between students and the Board of Trustees.
“I can’t wait to see what Skye does with the presidency,” McKenna Adams ’29 said. “I look forward to seeing her continue to engage with the student body.”
As the academic year started, Georgiadis’ presidency signaled a promising start to the Class of 2029’s involvement in campus life. As part of the broader SAS team, she is expected to contribute to larger conversations about student life and community engagement at Scripps. To become involved in the community and have their voices represented, Scripps students can follow their initiatives and get involved by attending Georgiadis’ weekly office hours and sharing their feedback.
Photo Courtesy of Kate Prince ’29
