The new undergraduate student body president, executive vice president, clerk and committee chairs pose for a picture after the Undergraduate Representative Body meeting on Thursday, April 23, at the Activities Building. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Leadership positions in URB filled as Crouch and Ringo officially take office

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

George Mason’s 47th Student Government was officially sworn into office at the Undergraduate Representative Body meeting on Thursday, April 23, in the new Activities Building.

Newly elected Undergraduate Student Body President Griffin Crouch and Executive Vice President Skylar Ringo took their oath of office, with each holding their hand on a Blue Book testing booklet. The pair were elected on April 6 in an uncontested race.

Undergraduate Student Body President Griffin Crouch and Executive Vice President Skylar Ringo embrace after being sworn in to office. They were elected with 345 votes on April 6. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

“It’s a lot of responsibility. And I think it’s also been exhausting, but it’s something I signed up for because there’s a lot that I’m really excited to do … for and with the Mason community,” Crouch said to Fourth Estate before the meeting.

After the president and executive vice president were sworn in, Ringo swore in the 30-plus representatives present at the meeting.

Newly elected representatives take their oath of office with their hands raised during the Undergraduate Representative Body meeting on Thursday, April 23, in the Activities Building. For some, this meeting is their first as a member of student government, while others were reelected after previously serving. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

After standard procedures were explained to the body, they immediately went to work electing a clerk and six committee chairs.

Representative Andrew Boese, a senior majoring in Applied Computer Science, was unanimously reelected as clerk after being nominated by Representative Owynn Wise. Boese had previously served as clerk starting in 2025.

Outgoing President Jonathan Dubois, who was in the gallery, vouched for Boese.

“Andrew Boese has been amazing,” Dubois said.

Representative Andrew Boese (green shirt) fist bumps Representative Andre Esteves after being unanimously reappointed as clerk at the Undergraduate Representative Body meeting on Thursday, April 23, in the Activities Building. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Representative Christian Collins, a junior majoring in Public Administration, was the only chair from the last Student Government to remain in their spot. He was unanimously reappointed as chair of university services. 

The University Services Committee deals with issues such as parking, dining and housing.

Representative Andrew Colasanto, a sophomore Business major, was unanimously appointed chair of administrative and financial affairs, which controls Student Government’s budget.

For the chair of student engagement and support, Representative Benjamin Katz nominated Representative Katherine Story-Yencken, a sophomore majoring in Global Affairs. She was also unanimously appointed. 

The Student Engagement and Support Committee focuses on student involvement and well-being.

Representative Pranav Choudhary was nominated for chair of government and community relations. Choudhary, a Government and International Politics major, was appointed unanimously.

Representative Hannah Kohler, a sophomore majoring in Government and International Politics, was unanimously elected chair of academics after previously serving as vice chair. Representative Andre Esteves, who previously served as chair of academics, was nominated by Clerk Boese for the position but declined the nomination.

The chair of diversity, equity and inclusion was the only position with more than one candidate accepting a nomination. Representative Robin Washburn, a freshman Psychology major, was nominated after previously serving as vice chair of the committee. Representative Imani Anzaya, a sophomore Communication major, was also nominated.

The two took questions for a lengthy period as they both stated their cases as to why they should head the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Eventually, Anzaya was appointed with 14 votes compared to six for Washburn and five abstentions.

Representatives Washburn (left) and Anzaya (right) take questions from the Undergraduate Student Body during their Thursday, April 23, meeting in the Activities Building. Anzaya would be elected chair of diversity, equity and inclusion in a 14-6-5 vote. (Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

With chair positions filled, Crouch and Ringo will begin putting together their cabinet of vice presidents.

“We want a difference in skills; a difference in backgrounds; a difference in what we bring to the table because that helps us reach and do more for Mason,” Crouch said.

The new URB will meet once more on April 30 before returning at the start of the fall 2026 semester.

“I cannot wait to see how I can work with these new people and returning [Student Government] members … and just seeing how we can work together to make GMU a better place,” Ringo said after the meeting.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Rep. Andrew Boese was mistakenly listed as a sophomore. (Tuesday, April 28, 12:48 P.M.)