{"id":174804,"date":"2026-03-02T10:41:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/174804\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T10:41:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:41:57","slug":"meet-the-competition-for-usf-sgs-gubernatorial-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/174804\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the competition for USF SG’s gubernatorial race"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/a>The two gubernatorial tickets outlined plans to strengthen the community, allocate student fees and increase engagement. ORACLE PHOTO\/ELLIE FROST<\/p>\n

Two tickets are running for the roles of USF Tampa\u2019s Student Government governor and lieutenant governor \u2014 each presenting different strategies to address student engagement, funding priorities and transparency.<\/p>\n

The two tickets running for the gubernatorial positions are:<\/p>\n

Ava Unutoa (governor) alongside Brooks Cornelison ( lieutenant governor)
\nJames Mayer (governor) with Julia Jacomini Silva (lieutenant governor)<\/p>\n

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\u201327 term.<\/p>\n

Related: USF Student Government gubernatorial candidates discuss budget allocation<\/a><\/p>\n

Unotoa and Cornelison<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>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<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The two met last semester through a mutual friend who was also interested in running for student government.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After being introduced, they said their connection was immediate and their leadership styles were complementary.<\/p>\n

Though neither has held a position in SG at USF, both were active in high school student government roles.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized I loved being involved,\u201d she said. \u201cIt showed me how to take my own personality and put that into leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cornelison said studying global business in college made his decision to pursue SG feel natural.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith strength, the student body becomes a better environment for everyone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Cornelison said Unutoa is very organized and detail-oriented, especially in planning and time management.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShe keeps everything structured, which helps balance how I think,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unutoa said Cornelison brings creative, outside-the-box thinking and balances an ambitious and driven personality.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe brings a creative energy to our ticket,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m very structured, and he pushes us to think bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ticket\u2019s slogan, \u201cstrength in community,\u201d reflects their platform and personal backgrounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In high school, Unutoa said she competed in dance and participated in several clubs, while Cornelison played sports and was involved in various organizations.<\/p>\n

At USF, Unutoa is involved in the Delta Gamma<\/a> sorority, the Be the Light<\/a> mental health awareness club and the Launch<\/a> mentorship program, where she works with a neurodivergent student weekly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cornelison said he is an active member of the Pi Kappa Alpha<\/a> fraternity and enjoys fishing and surfing.<\/p>\n

Unutoa said the main goal she and Cornelison are working toward is to be transparent with and connected to the Tampa student body.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur biggest priority is creating a better and stronger community at USF,\u201d Unutoa said.<\/p>\n

To help foster transparency on campus, Unutoa and Cornelison said they plan to host town halls \u2014 open forums \u2014 once or twice a semester in the Marshall Student Center to inform students about SG decisions and receive student feedback.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot a lot of people know about student government, let alone what they do,\u201d Unutoa said. \u201cWe want to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cornelison said he doesn\u2019t want students to question how decisions are made within the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we were elected, we\u2019d do our best to build transparency and build connections with people we normally wouldn\u2019t,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Both said students should take the gubernatorial election seriously because it will affect their campus life through SG decisions and leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really does impact their student life a lot, in more ways than they would realize,\u201d Unutoa said.<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: USF Student Government\u2019s new voting bill takes power away from students<\/a><\/p>\n

Mayer and Silva<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>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<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Mayer and Silva met last semester through a mutual friend and started their ticket after realizing how many of their goals aligned.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Mayer said one of the largest challenges facing students at the Tampa campus is a lingering commuter-school mindset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a thriving athletics program and big plans for the future, but I think there\u2019s a lot we could be doing better for people who still feel like commuter students,\u201d Mayer said.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mayer said all students contribute to these fees, yet only a \u201csmall percentage\u201d of the A&S budget goes directly to student organizations.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone pays those fees,\u201d he said. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t have to be a constant battle for student organizations to get the money they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

This motivated her to run, as she realized she could make a change that would affect more than just herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want my money that my parents worked so hard for to go to waste,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to have the full experience of the university with no regrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ticket\u2019s slogan, \u201cbolder,\u201d reflects Mayer and Silva\u2019s goal of pushing the university forward.<\/p>\n

Mayer, who is involved with USF\u2019s Beta Theta Pi<\/a> fraternity, said his passion for campus pride and athletics drives his commitment to serve in SG.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At USF, Silva serves as director of alumni relations for the Brazilian Student Association<\/a> and is involved in Model United Nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mayer defined good leadership as consistency and humility.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not running for dictator of USF,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re here to serve students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although they are on different tickets, Mayer and Unutoa agreed on one key message \u2014 student votes matter.<\/p>\n

Mayer said students who want change on campus should use their voices by voting in this year\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudent government elections have been decided by very thin margins,\u201d Mayer said. \u201cYour voice will make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Voting<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tampa\u2019s polling stations will be:<\/p>\n

March 2 and 3: MSC Bulls Patio and Cooper Hall
\nMarch 4: MSC Bulls Patio and Argos
\nMarch 5: MSC Bulls Patio and Chemistry Building<\/p>\n

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