The two gubernatorial tickets outlined plans to strengthen the community, allocate student fees and increase engagement. ORACLE PHOTO/ELLIE FROST

Two tickets are running for the roles of USF Tampa’s Student Government governor and lieutenant governor — each presenting different strategies to address student engagement, funding priorities and transparency.

The two tickets running for the gubernatorial positions are:

Ava Unutoa (governor) alongside Brooks Cornelison ( lieutenant governor)
James Mayer (governor) with Julia Jacomini Silva (lieutenant governor)

The election will decide who oversees student fees, campus engagement and transparency at USF, shaping student life and community on the Tampa campus for the 2026–27 term.

Related: USF Student Government gubernatorial candidates discuss budget allocation

Unotoa and Cornelison

Ava Unutoa, who is running for Tampa governor, to the left, with Brooks Cornelison, who is running for Tampa lieutenant governor, to the right. ORACLE PHOTO/ELLIE FROST

Unutoa, a 19-year-old communication and psychology sophomore from Spring Hill, and Cornelison, a 19-year-old freshman global business major from St. Augustine, make up the first gubernatorial ticket.

The two met last semester through a mutual friend who was also interested in running for student government. 

After being introduced, they said their connection was immediate and their leadership styles were complementary.

Though neither has held a position in SG at USF, both were active in high school student government roles.

Unutoa said her interest in leadership began with encouragement from teachers and her mother during high school, which led to her dedication to the field.

“I realized I loved being involved,” she said. “It showed me how to take my own personality and put that into leadership.”

Cornelison said studying global business in college made his decision to pursue SG feel natural.

“With strength, the student body becomes a better environment for everyone,” he said.

Cornelison said Unutoa is very organized and detail-oriented, especially in planning and time management. 

“She keeps everything structured, which helps balance how I think,” he said. 

Unutoa said Cornelison brings creative, outside-the-box thinking and balances an ambitious and driven personality.

“He brings a creative energy to our ticket,” she said. “I’m very structured, and he pushes us to think bigger.”

The ticket’s slogan, “strength in community,” reflects their platform and personal backgrounds. 

In high school, Unutoa said she competed in dance and participated in several clubs, while Cornelison played sports and was involved in various organizations.

At USF, Unutoa is involved in the Delta Gamma sorority, the Be the Light mental health awareness club and the Launch mentorship program, where she works with a neurodivergent student weekly. 

Cornelison said he is an active member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and enjoys fishing and surfing.

Unutoa said the main goal she and Cornelison are working toward is to be transparent with and connected to the Tampa student body.

“Our biggest priority is creating a better and stronger community at USF,” Unutoa said.

To help foster transparency on campus, Unutoa and Cornelison said they plan to host town halls — open forums — once or twice a semester in the Marshall Student Center to inform students about SG decisions and receive student feedback.

“Not a lot of people know about student government, let alone what they do,” Unutoa said. “We want to change that.”

Cornelison said he doesn’t want students to question how decisions are made within the university.

“If we were elected, we’d do our best to build transparency and build connections with people we normally wouldn’t,” he said.

Both said students should take the gubernatorial election seriously because it will affect their campus life through SG decisions and leadership.

“It really does impact their student life a lot, in more ways than they would realize,” Unutoa said.

Related: OPINION: USF Student Government’s new voting bill takes power away from students

Mayer and Silva

James Mayer, who is running for Tampa governor, to the right, with Julia Jacomini Silva, who is running for Tampa lieutenant governor, to the left. ORACLE PHOTO/VIOLET VASQUEZ PIMENTEL

The second ticket for the Tampa gubernatorial election is led by Mayer, a 19-year-old sophomore political science major from Sarasota, and Silva, a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in business analytics and information systems from Brazil.

Mayer and Silva met last semester through a mutual friend and started their ticket after realizing how many of their goals aligned.

While they also have not held positions in SG, Mayer and Silva said they have been closely following SG operations and have built relationships with current members to prepare for their campaign.

Mayer said one of the largest challenges facing students at the Tampa campus is a lingering commuter-school mindset.

“We have a thriving athletics program and big plans for the future, but I think there’s a lot we could be doing better for people who still feel like commuter students,” Mayer said.

A major focus of their campaign is reallocating activity and service fees, which are collected as part of student tuition based on a flat fee and an additional fee per credit hour, according to SG.

Mayer said all students contribute to these fees, yet only a “small percentage” of the A&S budget goes directly to student organizations.

“Everyone pays those fees,” he said. “It shouldn’t have to be a constant battle for student organizations to get the money they deserve.”

Silva said a review of her tuition fees as an out-of-state, international student motivated her to run for Tampa lieutenant governor with Mayer.

This motivated her to run, as she realized she could make a change that would affect more than just herself.

“I don’t want my money that my parents worked so hard for to go to waste,” she said. “I want to have the full experience of the university with no regrets.”

The ticket’s slogan, “bolder,” reflects Mayer and Silva’s goal of pushing the university forward.

Mayer, who is involved with USF’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity, said his passion for campus pride and athletics drives his commitment to serve in SG. 

At USF, Silva serves as director of alumni relations for the Brazilian Student Association and is involved in Model United Nations.

Mayer defined good leadership as consistency and humility.

“You’re not running for dictator of USF,” he said. “You’re here to serve students.”

Although they are on different tickets, Mayer and Unutoa agreed on one key message — student votes matter.

Mayer said students who want change on campus should use their voices by voting in this year’s elections.

“Student government elections have been decided by very thin margins,” Mayer said. “Your voice will make a difference.”

Voting will be held March 2-5 at all three USF campuses. St. Pete polling will be held in the University Student Center, while Sarasota-Manatee will host polling in the Academic Rotunda. 

Tampa’s polling stations will be:

March 2 and 3: MSC Bulls Patio and Cooper Hall
March 4: MSC Bulls Patio and Argos
March 5: MSC Bulls Patio and Chemistry Building