New senators elected in Chapman’s fall 2025 SGA race
Graphic by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
In the Student Government Association's Fall 2025 senatorial election outcome, the student body has made its presence known by voting in a fair and democratic student election.
Chapman University’s SGA is the representative voice of the undergraduate student body. They are responsible for carrying out initiatives and pursuing policies that reflect the benefit of students.
This semester’s senatorial run consisted of nine first-year candidates, who showcased their strengths in head-to-head debates across multiple colleges within Chapman University. While the Spring 2025 SGA election concluded with controversies of its own, it left many discouraged about the integrity of student elections. Yet, these new election has allowed SGA to reclaim its credibility
“Students demonstrated that they are eager to take part in shaping Chapman’s future,” said Ryan Vega, director of senate. “The results reflect both spirited competition and a shared dedication to leadership.”
Across all four elections, there was a total of 544 student votes. Each newly elected senator will immediately start their term on the SGA Senate, with the responsibility of working on task forces that will directly impact Chapman students.
Dodge College Senator
Tad Lambert, a sophomore creative producing major, secured his seat as Dodge College of Film and Media Arts senator with 53.8% of the votes. Lambert ran a campaign on the stances of transparency, communication and collaboration.
In 2024, Lambert was part of the elections committee, where former SGA president Eric Hall noticed his potential and suggested he run for Dodge senator.
As a senator, Lambert wants to work on initiatives that prioritize a direct impact on Dodge students. He considers it crucial for students to use him as a resource to serve as a hub of communication for future beneficial change.
“I know that so many issues could be solved through transparency about updated policies and changes,” Lambert told The Panther. “I also want to increase collaboration between students of all majors and disciplines. I want to increase opportunities for everyone to connect on a social and professional level.”
As a key lesson he took away from his campaign, Lambert wants to ensure that students are aware of SGA’s presence on campus and the continuation of keeping Dodge and the Chapman community informed on what SGA can do for them.
“To the student body, thank you. I'm so honored that you believed in me and voted me to be your Dodge Senator,” said Lambert.
Students can reach Lambert through Instagram (@tadbitbetterforsga), where he will provide information on office hours, active legislative efforts and address student concerns.
School of Communication Senator
Freshman communication studies major Katherine Tung had a close race with opponent Michael Lysiak for the School of Communication senator seat. Tung was elected with 53.85% and won her race with three defining votes over Lysiak.
Tung prioritized honesty and one-on-one interactions with students by taking the initiative of making custom T-shirts with her poster printed on them. By cleverly snapping pictures of the student body wearing those T-shirts and uploading them to Fizz, Tung created buzz around her campaign name.
Throughout this process, Tung saw the prevailing importance that personalized interactions have on the student body and how boldly they can invoke the desire for change. She hopes to be a direct link between the School of Communication and SGA.
“I'm here to represent and support my (communication peers), and this will be my focus throughout my term as a senator,” said Tung.
As a representative, Tung wants to focus on dining-related issues and simplify the adjustments of first-years as a freshman herself.
Tung can be reached through her email ktung@chapman.edu, and additionally through SGA’s weekly Friday meetings, where senators share current work and potential issues voiced by the student body.
First-Year Senator
Max Pierangelli, a freshman health sciences major, was inspired to run for the first-year senator position because he was heavily involved in his high school’s student government board.
With nine candidates running for this position, he secured his win by campaigning with posters, Instagram (@max4.senator), and with his initiatives for the dining commons and class bonding.
As a member of the SGA Food Accessibility Task Force, Pierangelli plans to advocate for chopsticks and the quality of food in the Randall Dining Commons.
“Maybe they have a religious affiliation where they feel that they can't eat certain foods or have allergies,” he said. “I want to make sure that everyone has food that they can eat and also that they're eating well at the same time.”
Pierangelli invites students to reach out to him on his Instagram or on campus and wants to make the freshman class more involved on campus.
Junior Senator
Brianna Land is a junior double-majoring in psychology and sociology. Land was motivated to run for junior senator because of her passion for advocating for her class.
She plans to strengthen the junior class by promoting an inclusive environment and opportunities for students.
“I want to hear any and all concerns, and I really want people to be a lot more involved,” she said.
The biggest concern Land wants to address is the congestion with student parking. She is already in the process of collaborating with the other class senators over the issue.
Land will have her office hours posted on her Instagram (@sga.land) and urges all students to speak with her about any concerns or questions.
“Looking ahead, SGA’s expectation is that these senators will not only represent their constituencies, but also collaborate on initiatives that strengthen campus life,” said Vega.
With the conclusion of the SGA elections for the fall of 2025, the new representatives plan to make positive changes for their fellow peers and the Chapman community. They will join returning members of SGA in continuing the organization’s role as the official voice of the undergraduate student body.