You Won't Believe How Vera and Fouts Turned the Holy Cross Election Upside Down!

In a surprising turn of events for Holy Cross College, the recent student government association (SGA) election featured only one ticket on the ballot for the first time in several years. This contrasts starkly with the previous year, which had 13 candidates vying for student votes. Juniors Abigail Fouts and Carlos Vera emerged victorious in the SGA election for the 2026-2027 academic year after a week of campaigning, culminating in election day on February 24. The results were announced just a day later, confirming Fouts as the incoming president and Vera as vice president.

Vera, a business major residing at University Edge, previously served as one of three senators representing his class and participated in the broader SGA as one of its 15 senators. He is also active in the International Students Club. Vera attributed his decision to run to witnessing the college's growth in recent years and wanting to contribute to its development. He expressed admiration for the initiatives taken by the college administration, particularly under President Marco Clark.

“The main thing that drew my attention was what Marco Clark and the staff and the faculty are already doing at Holy Cross,”

Vera noted. “There are so many new projects expanding the school and making room for more students to be here on campus and improving student life here. I really do love the narrative changing in the process — the culture itself is changing.”

Fouts, a biology major, brings a wealth of extracurricular experience to her role. She is the captain of the women’s soccer team, a chemistry tutor, and a student ambassador. Additionally, she was previously involved in the SGA's programming board within the social advocacy section. Fouts felt inspired to pursue the presidency after her impactful experiences on the programming board, recognizing the opportunity to catalyze change within the college community.

“Looking into my future, I would love to look back at Holy Cross and be like, ‘I helped make those goals happen,’”

she stated. “We started asking ourselves, ‘How can we actually take this seriously and make change, rather than just impressing the audience?’”

Because Fouts and Vera were the sole candidates, they reported being able to concentrate more on their vision for change rather than the competition. Their campaign slogan, “Vera Vision, Fouts Forward,” encapsulated their focus on potential advancements rather than merely gaining votes.

One of their primary goals is to advocate for students and enhance communication between the student body and the administration. Fouts explained that the roles of vice president and president come with the potential to leverage connections to instigate change at the college.

“So, hearing out the students here at Holy Cross and making changes for them for the better,”

she said. Vera echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of promoting the athletic department to foster greater school spirit and student involvement. They plan to pursue these objectives through regular meetings with Carolyn Kitz, the director of student activities, as well as collaboration with the programming board and the senate.

Reflecting the broader changes at Holy Cross, Vera remarked on the evolving methods of communication at the college. In the past, students relied on social media, word of mouth, or posters, but now, with increased donations, the overall quality of communication is improving, he noted.

They also aim to make the senate more engaged in student life, facilitating stronger communication across campus. One initiative they are particularly passionate about is creating a late-night chapel Mass in light of the new dorm development, allowing students easier access to spiritual resources without needing to travel to another campus.

Furthermore, the duo hopes to develop a new tennis court for the college’s tennis teams, which currently practice at Notre Dame's facilities, and establish a year-round locker room. Fouts emphasized the need to bridge the gap between students living on campus and those at University Edge, which is only a five-minute walk from campus.

“More than 70% of the population here at Holy Cross lives on campus,”

she pointed out. “I think it’s really important that we find a way to connect with the U-Edge residents, even though they’re five minutes down the road.”

Engagement with U-Edge residents is crucial for building a cohesive campus community, and Fouts believes that enhancing their participation in SGA events would be a significant step forward. Additionally, both Fouts and Vera aim to continue improving campus facilities as the college benefits from increased donations.

“I’m excited for the new year and what it brings,”

Vera said of the upcoming challenges and changes on campus. “We’ll have new challenges with the new dorms and the changes happening on campus, and when that happens, we’ll be ready for it.” Fouts shares that enthusiasm, expressing her desire to make a positive impact on the Holy Cross community.

“I’m excited to help make a difference,”

she affirmed. “I’m willing to do whatever I can for the students here at Holy Cross.”