AAS Candidate Statements for 2026-2027 Senators

2026-2027 candidates for the Association of Amherst Students’ Senate elections on Thursday and Friday have submitted their statements. Speech Night will be held on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in the Cole Assembly Room.

The students below have announced their candidacies for these elections. All candidates are listed by class year, then alphabetically by last name. If the statements end in ellipses, it is because they have been shortened to fit the 100-word limit. Statements have been edited in accordance with AP Style.

Class of 2027

Prakhar Agrawal:

I would love to continue being part of the AAS this year to organize campus-wide events, like the Global Cultural Fair and the Rave. Having previously worked on the transportation, PR, and admissions committees, I’m eager to take on an active role again. I’d also like to launch more initiatives, such as the ridesharing sheet and the personal finance workshops in the past. Overall, I’m excited to keep building student-focused initiatives that bring students together and advocate for the issues that concern people!

Rizwan Ayub:

What’s good, gang? It’s the Rizzler! During my time thus far, I:

• Had a perfect attendance Senate and Budgetary attendance record.
• Brought you three Amherst Got Talents, Bunny Day, and numerous other projects!
• Advocated for students’ interests on the Faculty Committee on Educational Policy.

If re-elected, I will:

• Bring you the next Amherst Got Talent next Spring!
• Help restore old Amherst traditions, like Pindar Field Dinners.
• Continue to zealously advocate for us with faculty and administration.

Just remember that Riz handles the Biz!!!

Dakota Costa:

Hi everyone! Serving as a senator these past few months has been extremely valuable, and I am eager to continue serving and advocating for the student body in the coming year. During my term, I’ve launched the first part of a long-term senate project by expanding access to Narcan and educational resources around opioid overdose prevention on campus. I am committed to growing these efforts to make our campus a safer and more informed community. I look forward to planning fun events to make our senior year memorable. I would be honored to have your support!

Angelina Flores:

Hello, my name is Angelina Flores, and I would love to spend our senior year representing you. I plan to continue hosting fun events for the school, like Amherst Survivor, and supporting the events of my fellow senators. I will continue to focus on community building through initiatives such as my freshman mentorship program and personal finance workshop. On the Senate floor, I look forward to continuing to be a voice for affinity groups and my peers.

Noah Gilman-Morgan:

While on AAS, my biggest contribution has been serving on the faculty admissions and financial aid committee, advocating on behalf of students for admin to preserve and expand financial aid commitments and increase their rural recruitment programs in admissions. If reelected, I plan to continue these efforts. I will also make sure senior events like the prom continue to happen because it’s those types of events that will make senior year special! And I’ll bring back paper towels to Frost so people can dry their hands and blow their noses!

Bailey McCarthy:

I’m bailey btw

Seb Pollock:

sup

DeAngelo Rankin:

Amplifying YOUR concerns!

Empowering YOUR voice!

Zaynah Shariff:

Hi! My name is Zaynah Shariff, and I’m running to be your senior class senator. As somebody who deeply values communication, my goal is to ensure that your voices are heard so that we can have an amazing senior year. I plan on introducing new traditions to campus, including Senior Sunrise before graduation, a Senior Olympics tournament, and hopefully bringing back Mountain Day. I also plan on working with administration to expand our merch options and get more student input on what they’d like to see in the campus store. Remember to vote Zaynah for an unforgettable senior year!

Rohan Sharma:

Hi everyone, I’m Rohan Sharma, and I’m running for AAS Senate. AAS is so broken and stuff, and if you vote for me, I will work hard to make it not broken and stuff.

Here are a few things I’ll push for as your senator:

• Bring back Adobe and other useful apps and services
• A laundry machine status tracker that actually works
• An online lost-and-found service
• A once-a-year “dorm lunch,” where students across all class years who lived in the same first-year dorm get a meal together
• Fortnite Fridays with President Charles

Class of 2028

Jay Batsaikhan:

It has been an honor to serve as your Transfer Student Senator (2025–2026). I’m running again as a Senator for the Class of 2028E to continue turning student need into action. My focus is simple: clear communication, a stronger student voice, and real collaboration. Together, we can bring students, faculty, and staff into more open and productive conversations. As AI rapidly reshapes education and careers, Amherst should lead, not follow. Together, we can connect our liberal arts education to practical conversations on AI, so we are prepared for what’s next. 

“We all do better when we all do better.”

Austin Brown:

Hi everyone! My name is Austin, and I’m running for Class of 2028 Senator. This past year at Amherst has shown me just how special our community is, and I want to help make it even better. As your senator, I’ll prioritize listening to your concerns, amplifying your voices on the Senate floor, and working to improve the everyday student experience. I’m committed to showing up, following through, and making sure our class is genuinely represented. I’d be honored to have your support.

Caroline Flinn:

I’m Caroline Flinn ’28. And in the nicest way possible — I don’t like AAS because I think there’s unnecessary stuff going on there, and someone should be asking “why?” more often. I don’t love authority, I don’t love bureaucratic government structures, and I especially don’t love the administration of this college pretending student voices matter only when it’s convenient. AAS, to me, feels performative and self‑important. And instead of just complaining about it, I decided to run. I will ask annoying questions and make sure stuff happens. If that sounds good to you, vote for me. If not … honestly, fair. 

Madeline Gold:

Hey everyone! I’m Madeline, and I’m running to be one of your Class of 2028 AAS senators to help shed more light on genuine, day-to-day student concerns. If elected, I hope to serve on the Mental Health committee as I have past experience in mental health advocacy and would love to focus on student mental health for more than one week of the year (no hate to Snooze Fest). I’m excited to learn more about what Senate can do for you and bring a new perspective to AAS! #chillouteatapickle

Jiahuai Kang:

As an AAS senator, I have:

- Established the pilot program for free menstrual products in the FYQ and coordinated a successful blood drive with Baystate Health.

- Hosted the Performative Male contest along with Dania Younies to foster community and engagement.

- Voted in favor of over 95% of club funding requests, ensuring our student organizations have the resources they need without unnecessary bureaucracy.

- Successfully reduced shuttle prices by $10 for every major break.

I do this for the love of the game; Roll Mammoths!

Ben Kasen:

Over the past two years as a senator, I’ve helped plan campus-wide events like Bunny Day, a campus-wide egg hunt, and a pickleball tournament. I’ve served two years on the Budgetary Committee, as well as on the First-Year Experience Committee and the Committee on Priorities and Resources, working with faculty on key decisions. I also helped launch a dish program providing reusable tupperware for dining hall takeout. If reelected, I’ll keep amplifying your voices and pushing new ideas, like a campus-wide pillow fight. I’ve loved serving and would be honored to continue.

Nate Kolker:

I want to bring back Food Truck Fridays and establish EVEN MORE of an effort to get students at important games. Also, Spring Concert and TAP must be better. We need to do more to help students connect liberal arts values to life beyond Amherst. There should be a community service element to orientation, as well as opportunities for continued volunteering. Important speakers should not just be for LitFest. We should move forward with providing driving lessons to students.

Armaan Patel:

It’s Armaan. Through AAS, I hope to bring our community of talented students together by hosting extensive social functions year-round. I’d implement strong support systems, improve the course rating guides, fight for the transparency of grade inflation/deflation, all while improving the facilities in the gym! As a Senator, I vow to serve this melting pot of amazing people. I will pledge my transparency, holding myself accountable to the student body, and just making Amherst a more inclusive place. I hope to function as a mediator for change, who serves only in the interests of all students. 

NOTHING else.

Dania Younies:

Hi! I’m Dania, and I’m re-running to be your Senator! During my time in Senate, I helped bring you the Performative Male Contest, Amherst Got Talent, and the reinstatement of Food Truck Fridays, happening later this month (stay tuned)! Additionally, I served on several committees to provide you with resources, such as the AAS shuttles and the weekly newsletter, to keep you updated on all things happening in Senate. If elected again, I plan to bring back an up-to-date website for ongoing Senate projects and communal charging stations, like the one in Frost, to the SCCE! 

Class of 2029

Amir Ali:

Hi, I’m Amir, and running for reelection as an AAS senator. This semester, I’ve been working on two projects that reflect my commitment to building community on and off campus. I’m helping connect WAMH Radio to Val and eventually the new student center to make student media more accessible in shared spaces. I’ve also been developing a program for Amherst students to volunteer regularly at a local assisted living center, creating meaningful connections with residents. If reelected, I will continue pushing these initiatives forward while advocating for a more connected, inclusive campus. Remember, HAVE NO FEAR, JUST VOTE AMIR!!!

Liz Aniello:

Hi Class of 2029! I’m Liz Aniello, and I’m excited to run as your senator!

If elected, I plan to: 

a. Create a coffee/tea station in the Science Center for late-night studying 

b. Revamp the healthcare vending machine

c. Improve efficiency and foster collaboration among clubs to minimize unnecessary RSO spending and enable larger, more impactful events.

d. Collaborate with other senators to plan fun events like prom. I’d love to organize a school-wide dodgeball tournament! 

I’m passionate about increasing women’s representation in our class and making sure everyone feels included.

Let Liz make your voice HERD!

Macey Arnold:

2026 is a year of change. With the new student center, we’ll have the opportunity to create new traditions and shape our future here. Now is the time for new voices to be heard, and I’m running to be your senator to see your ideas through. I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines on Fizz with no way to fix anything. I want to make changes that matter to you–a student-run musical, spring barbecues, hammocks on the quad, tea and coffee at your study spots, and to-go boxes for all. Most importantly, I’ll bring paper towels back to [...] 

Tim Churchill:

I’m running to be a senator again for one simple reason: I love it here. I love my friends and my teammates, my classes and professors, the campus, and just my day-to-day life. I’m so grateful to Amherst for being such a wonderful place, and I want to be a senator because I feel like it gives me an opportunity to directly contribute to developing everything I love about this college. I want to keep bringing positive, caring energy to senate meetings and making events happen (like Snow Your Senator!) that really spread the joy. It’s Tim Time!

Jadon Davis:

I’m Jadon Davis, a freshman at Amherst College, running for Senate to strengthen our campus community. I want to improve social life by supporting more inclusive and consistent events that bring students together. We also need stronger representation of athletes in AAS, so their voices are heard in decisions that shape campus life. My goal is to build a real bridge between athletes and non-athletes, creating a more connected and unified Amherst. I’m committed to listening, taking action, and making sure every student feels represented and included.

Ido Kirson:

Let’s get things done together. My name is Ido Kirson, and though not an incumbent, I’m running for Senate. When elections lose competitiveness, and careerists run largely unchallenged, you lose out. The moment they feel entitled to re-election, your voice is no longer heard. I’ll listen. Ask yourself: “What can Ido for you?” I already plan to fight for:

• Improved dining hours moving into our new space
• Real upgrades on faulty vending machines
• Comprehensive social media communication supplementing Senate emails

So when AAS asks you on Thursday if you’ll take me to be your senator, say “IDo.”

Beckett Lawrence-Apfelbaum:

I am running to serve as a voice of reason and urgency in Senate. The committee system is broken, plain and simple. If elected, I plan to use my platform as a senator to push for positive, far-reaching changes to the 25+ “do-nothing” committees. While these have the power to improve student life, they have yet to take the initiative. If that’s a change you want to see happen, vote Beckett this Thursday!

Rose Phillips:

I’m Rose (she/her), and I’m a trans Questbridge student from Texas. My main promise is that I won’t take anything too seriously, and I’ll have an email list (that you can easily unsubscribe from!) telling people about things actually happening in AAS and all the tea. I’m also running because I didn’t like the honor code vote. If it both doesn’t matter, but is important to change, it shows that AAS isn’t really doing anything but thinks everything is super important. Also, I won’t print or distribute flyers to limit my waste.

Ally Spino:

Hi everyone! My name is Ally Spino, and I’m running for Senate again! This past year, I absolutely loved serving as your senator and teaming up with my co-senator Mayen Thorsen to bring events like Freshman Formal and self-defense classes to life. Those experiences showed me how exciting it is when our school comes together. If re-elected, I’ll keep creating fun, inclusive social events and make new programs based on what YOU want to see. I’ll keep listening, supporting, and advocating for your voices every day!! Let’s keep building a louder, brighter, more connected school together. Rally for Ally!

Mayen Thorsen:

Last semester, I introduced myself as Mayen, like the Mayan Civilization. This introduction signifies my core belief that a senator’s job is to build something great, just like an ancient civilization. During my first term, I was committed to building a stronger community at Amherst. I collaborated with Senator Ally Spino to host Amherst’s inaugural Freshman Formal, and to plan a self-defense class through the WGC. On the Budgetary Committee, I advocated for student organizations to get the funding they deserve. If reelected, I’ll continue uplifting student voices and improving the student experience. Vote Mayen for Senate!

Tony Wang:

Hello! I’m Tony & I’m running for re-election. 

You might’ve heard recently that AAS is broken. You aren’t angry enough: 

• AAS butchered your Honor Code.
• AAS wastes thousands in forgettable purchases.
• AAS doesn’t fight for you. 

Meanwhile, I’ve:

• questioned the Honor Code changes,
• implemented late-night ice cream + our first on-campus Buddhist shrine,
  • (while spending $0 of AAS money)
• passed three amendments to increase constitutional accessibility.

If re-elected:

• Bring back the Senate Project Database
• Make giving feedback to Student Center Dining Hall easier
• Post important Senate conversations in The Student

Plus, I’ll ensure we’ll have fun while doing it!

Touse with Tony!