This year's executive ticket for the Undergraduate Student Government West Valley is running unopposed. The candidates for president, vice president of services and vice president of policy are therefore set for the 2026-27 academic year.
Sara Mionske will serve as USGWV student body president, Anna Lugo Ortecho will serve as vice president of services and Mikah Dyer will serve as vice president of policy.
Voting for this year's USG election will open March 31 and close April 1.
The three candidates have a shared set of goals: improving affordability, cultivating community and increasing transparency.
Sara Mionske
Mionske, a junior studying psychology, currently serves as the chief of staff for USGWV. She said she was motivated to run by her connection with ASU since childhood, involvement on campus and passion for creating a sense of belonging at West Valley.
"USG is a group of people who decides to be student leaders and who cares about the campus that they serve," Mionske said. "For me, I want to make every student feel that they have the opportunity to belong at ASU."
Her campaign centers around making the University more affordable, increasing transparency and bolstering communication.
"One of my biggest goals is for students to know who I am and to create that connection, listen to them and try to turn their ideas into action," Mionske said.
Mionske also pointed to ways USGWV could connect students and administration. She said she plans to establish this connection through in-person events, digital outreach and collaboration with administrators so students can be heard.
She said her role as a student leader allows her to show up for students and advocate for them.
"Being a student leader means listening first and making students feel that you're genuinely listening to them and hearing what they have to say," Mionske said.
Anna Lugo Ortecho
Lugo Ortecho, a sophomore studying psychology and political science, is currently the director of student involvement and diversity. She said her interest in leadership began through her involvement in Barrett, The Honors College and by meeting USGWV at West Fest, the campus's annual event to kick off the school year.
Lugo Ortecho's platform is centered around inclusivity and resource access, she said. She hopes to ensure that everyone, especially those from underrepresented groups, such as commuter, transfer, first-generation and working students, are represented.
"The diversity which we see on campuses and how we can come together as students from all different backgrounds, cultures, places in life, coming together and being represented as one as an ASU is something I truly resonate with," Lugo Ortecho said.
She also said she would work to reduce costs wherever possible and expand access to low-cost or free resources.
"Our leadership must come with the voices of students and that we are advocating on their behalf, but also having them advocate for themselves," Lugo Ortecho said.
Mikah Dyer
Dyer, a sophomore studying secondary education and political science, is the current vice president of policy and is running for re-election. Dyer said he has been involved in policy discussions since he was in high school, where he ran for a local school board position.
Dyer said rising costs are a primary concern, such as the new Advanced Technology Fee, and urged transparency surrounding the University's financial decisions.
READ MORE: ASU adds a new student fee for 'advanced technology'
He said he would also advocate for programs that would reduce financial strains on students, such as implementing a meal swipe donation program and supporting textbook affordability initiatives.
Dyer also emphasized inclusion, highlighting the importance of protecting marginalized communities and ensuring all students feel safe and supported on campus.
This includes advocating for mental health resources, accessibility measures for students with disabilities and programs that address the needs of underrepresented groups.
"The most important thing is understanding that we come from unique perspectives, each and every one of us," Dyer said. "It is the role of ASU as an institution to ensure that no matter what background a student comes from, that person can show up and learn equally as well as anybody else."
The results of the election will be certified from April 2-9. It will also include the winners of each college-based senate seat, judges and election commissioners for each campus.
Edited by Carsten Oyer, Senna James and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at ksmitten@asu.edu.
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Kaitlyn Smitten is a politics reporter for The State Press. This is her first semester at The State Press. She previously served as a staff writer and correspondent for the Berkeley Beacon at Emerson College. She is a third-year Political Science major with a Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies minor.
