Elizabeth Rocha-Zuñiga will take office on Oct. 21 as the new Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) president.
“I feel so excited and so humble that I was elected by the student body. I look forward to working with students and to ensure that we have the proper resources to all people to be successful on our campus,” Zuñiga said.
Zuñiga thanked her family, friends and the Fresno State community for supporting and helping her through it all. She said she is grateful for everyone who has been by her side since she first started her campaign at the beginning of the year.
ASI decided to hold a new election from Sept. 28 to Sept. 30 after former president-elect Ruby V. Muñiz was disqualified on April 9 after the student court ruled Muñiz had violated the ASI code of ethics and code of conduct.
With set goals for her presidency, Zuñiga is currently talking with Fresno State administrators to create civic engagement events to educate students in the upcoming U.S. elections and what every proposition on the ballot entails.
Zuñiga served ASI vice president of external affairs in 2019. She is a first-generation college student double majoring in political science and chicano studies.
Zuñiga has also served as Fresno State’s board member for the Cal State Student Association (CSSA) and as the Central Region Civic Engagement Officer.
“I want to focus a lot on advocacy for having an affordable institution, accessibility, awareness, inclusion of students that have felt excluded and increase involvement on campus,” Zuñiga said.
Her opponent, Naila Estrada, shared a statement on her social media thanking everyone who supported her.
“Despite the result of the election, I know God has other plans for me and I am definitely not going anywhere,” Estrada stated. In her post, Estrada also encouraged students to run for student government.
A total of 1,598 students voted during this election, ASI election commissioner Kayleigh O’Connor announced on Fresno State ASI Facebook live.
Only 6.39% of eligible voters participated and 855 students voted for Zúñiga.
“Both candidates took bold steps to run for student government,” O’Connor said. “Each one showed enormous courage and leadership.”
The League of Women Voters oversaw the election results.
