The student body has spoken: Aleko Zeppos and Sidney Mbah are officially Villanova’s next Student Government Association (SGA) President and Vice President.
This year, the race for SGA President featured two campaigns, one led by Zeppos and Mbah, and the other by Andrew Smith and Charlie Perricelli. Both tickets offered unique visions for Villanova’s future, but it was Zeppos and Mbah’s student-centered approach that ultimately resonated most with voters.
The results were announced Tuesday, April 8 at 3 p.m. after energized campaign efforts and a lot of student engagement. Featuring a platform focused on improving campus dining, expanding access to menstrual products and strengthening the relationship between student organizations and SGA, Zeppos and Mbah ran on a message of collaboration and action.
Zeppos, a junior marketing and international business major, currently serves as the 2024-25 SGA Vice President. His running mate, Mbah, is a sophomore biochemistry major who has worked on SGA’s Campus Climate Committee. Together, they are bring both experience and fresh ideas to the table.
The Villanovan had the opportunity to sit down with the newly elected leaders following their win.
Their campaign struck a chord with students not only through its messaging, but also through the visible commitment Zeppos and Mbah demonstrated throughout the process to make students feel connected to student government.
“We were there to talk to people, get to know our classmates that we didn’t know,” Zeppos said. “And that’s why I think, at the end of the day we won.”
Mbah shared similar sentiments, focusing on how their genuine approach involved more than just policies, but the energy behind them.
“I think people saw that regardless of whether it was dining or whether it was promoting the Liaison Group, it could have been anything, but it was the work ethic we had to complete those goals, as well as the passion we had to [fulfill] them,” Mbah said.
He emphasized a desire for continuous growth, not just as a leader, but for the campus as a whole.
“I don’t like being complacent,” Zeppos said. “I like growing. I like growing as an individual, as an organization, as a community. That’s the message I’ve been trying to convey, that I’m willing to do what it takes to get us there to that end goal.”
Ahead of their first month in office, the pair already has a list of action items it is eager to launch. One top priority is implementing a student liaison program, an initiative designed by the current SGA Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Kenza Idrissi.
“[The program is a] one-to-one contact for the student leaders of each group to have a point of contact in SGA, for guidance, for representation, for advice, for mentorship, for funding,” Zeppos said.
This initiative, designed to support more than 300 student organizations, aims to ensure every student feels represented by SGA through consistent, structured dialogue.
As they take office, Zeppos and Mbah are aware that they will be stepping into a campus environment that is both exciting and uncertain, with many students eager for change. They have both emphasized that their vision goes beyond just this year.
They hope their leadership fosters a student body that “grows and becomes kinder, more collaborative, more friendly.” For Zeppos, a key part of that vision is ensuring student government continues to grow into a more visible, impactful force on campus.
“I think we’ve done great strides this past year, and I’m so overjoyed and appreciative that the student body put their faith and trust in us to continue leading that change and growing this organization,” he said. “Because when I came to SGA, if you asked a student what SGA did, who they were, they wouldn’t really know. And that’s why I got involved. I wanted to make a name for ourselves and make sure students not only knew what we did, but were proud of how and how we did it, and what we did.”
It is that drive for impact that Zeppos and Mbah hope to carry forward in the coming year.
“Students love to see change, and we want to make sure they enjoy being part of that change as well,” Zeppos said.
Whether that change is additional dining updates, mural renovations or a greater voice for student organizations on campus, the pair are determined to ensure that progress is something every Villanovan can both see and feel.
Their leadership marks the beginning of a new chapter for Villanova’s Student Government Association.
