GPSA Executive Candidates: 2026
President
Nicholas Brennan
I’m Nick, a PhD Candidate in the Physics Dept. and as the current President of GPSA I’ve accomplished the following over the last year: 1) facilitated the approval of ~$400K to improve graduate student lounges, procure all new furniture for the Big Red Barn (securing up to an additional $40 K from the Graduate School), and support new programming/social events not currently supported by GPSAFC club funding; 2) lowered the student activity fee from $110 to $101 per year (an 8% decrease!); and 3) began building a relationship between CGSU-UE and GPSA for the first time, including welcoming Union leaders in giving a presentation to the GPSA voting membership.
I’m running for GPSA President for a second term to 1) complete the distribution of ~ $300K in outstanding Special Grants (approved this spring) to occur in the coming year (finishing first round of the Special Grants initiative) 2) begin planning for Cornell’s 2027 hosting of the Ivy+ Summit among graduate student governments on the Ithaca campus, 3) coordinate with GPSA finance leadership to explore opportunities for future Special Grants opportunities.
Executive Vice President
Ezra Snell II
Graduate and professional students are central to Cornell’s reputation and impact. From law and business to policy, health, engineering, and research, we drive the scholarship and innovation that shape Cornell’s influence across the world. Yet our community is often fragmented, and our needs can be overshadowed on a campus with 16,000 undergraduates. As Executive Vice President, it will be my goal to strengthen communication between graduate students and university leadership, ensuring our voices shape the decisions that affect us while also advocating for graduate priorities as the university pursues new partnerships and initiatives. I also want to foster a stronger sense of connection across our schools and disciplines. Cornell already has one of the strongest graduate student experiences in the Ivy League, supported by spaces like the Big Red Barn and other unique investments in graduate life. My goal is to build on that foundation so graduate and professional students feel seen, supported, and empowered to continue shaping Cornell’s future.
Vice President of Operations
Zander Lynch
In my past 3 years as a member of GPSA first as a voting member and then as the Vice President of Operations I have seen GPSA grow into a forum for debate, understanding, and change. In the next year I will continue to aid that growth by ensuring that every position in the GPSA is filled which happened in this past year for the first time in the past several years. I also plan to make necessary improvements and clarifications in conjunction with university leadership to the charter of GPSA which has not been updated since 2019. I know that I bring both the institutional knowledge and the desire to effect positive change which are necessary to bring these goals to fruition.
Vice President of Communications
Jordan Deskins
I am a current Masters of Public Health Student and an incoming PhD student in Nutrition at Cornell. I am interested in running for Communication Chair because I care about making GPSA communications accessible and engaging for graduate and professional students across disciplines.
I have extensive professional experience in communication roles within developmental disability, social justice, and fair trade nonprofit organizations. In these roles, I have managed mass email campaigns, developed outreach materials, and created messaging for diverse audiences. I also have strong technical skills in Canva.
If elected, I will prioritize how students connect with GPSA by making communications more accessible. I want to ensure that graduate students have clear and consistent information about activities, decision-making, and issues that impact them, along with the opportunity to be included when possible.
I would be honored to serve GPSA in this role and help make graduate student governance more transparent and connected!
Diversity and International Students. Commttee (DISC) Chair
Kritika Dahal
Being an international student means building a new community from scratch, adjusting to a culture you do not fully understand, and navigating everything as you go. My time at Cornell has taught me that if you have a community with shared experiences, you can navigate everything with more confidence. I am running for the Diversity and International Students Committee Chair to help build that community.
As a Master of Public Administration student, I have learned that listening to people's concerns and ideas while taking accountability for actions is what makes a truly harmonious environment. For me, that environment is one where international students can freely express themselves, and where students from different regions and disciplines can connect meaningfully. As DISC Chair, I want to be the person that students feel they can come to.
Faculty Advising, Teaching, and Mentorship Award Committee (FATMAC) Chair
Andi Garcia-Ortiz
Programming Board Chair
Izzet Kosar
I am applying for the Chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Programming Board because I want to create more opportunities for people across graduate programs to connect and build a strong sense of community. In graduate school, students often have limited opportunities to connect with peers outside their program and remain within the bubble of their own cohort. With 7,656 graduate students as of 2025, I want to help bridge this gap by designing events that intentionally bring together students from different graduate and professional programs. Having gone to college in California, I had the unique opportunity to be the president of our surfing club. In this role, we coordinated events with other schools throughout the state and fostered a deep sense of community. If selected, I would bring this energy to the graduate student association and design events that encourage cross-program community building, helping us connect with people we would otherwise not have the opportunity to meet. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to a more connected graduate student community and to help create opportunities that make Cornell feel more integrated, social, and accessible across disciplines.
Student Advocacy Chair
Cecily Cox
I am interested in this role because I have seen that a student’s experience often depends on how policies are actually carried out.
As Co-President of the MBA Student Council, I have met students who felt they were treated unfairly, whether it was about absences, personal issues, or unclear rules. Most of the time, students are not looking for special treatment. They just want to be treated fairly and with understanding.
I have tried to help when possible, but I have also seen that there are limits. Often, what happens depends on who a student talks to or how their story is received. This can make the system feel unpredictable.
This is why I care about this role. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly gives us a way to share these experiences more consistently and connect them to the policies and resources that shape student life. Without this structure, it is hard to move beyond individual cases.
If I am chosen, I want to help make expectations clearer and ensure outcomes are more consistent, because students should not have to face challenges alone.