Courtney Sabogal Wins FUSA Presidential Election, is Set to Become 78th President

Tonight, during a party marking the close of the Fairfield University Student Association’s Presidential Election, Courtney Sabogal and running mate Amaia O’Brien were declared the winner with 53.58% of the votes. 

This year’s election garnered a historic level of student interest. According to FUSA Court Chief Justice Caroline Cody, this election had the largest voter turnout since the 2020 FUSA presidential election. Of the 1,750 ballots, opponent Kevin Camy and running mate Gabriella Savino came up short with 45.77% or 801 votes compared to Sabogal’s 936 votes.

Sabogal and O’Brien were shocked after listening to the announcement that declared them the 78th FUSA president and vice president. 

In a brief acceptance speech, Sabogal said, “It’s safe to say that this has been one of the craziest weeks we’ve experienced together. It’s an understatement to say each and every vote meant the world to us.”

O’Brien added, “You guys [Camy and Savino] gave us a run for our money. You pushed us to the max. We appreciate you.”

In an interview with the Mirror, O’Brien shared that the two were “speechless.”

“We knew it was going to be a close race,” Sabogal added. “Both teams were hustling.”

Both Sabogal and O’Brien are looking forward to taking on the role. “What we’re most excited to do is get the ideas we’ve included in our platform known to the people who can make it happen,” Sabogal said. 

The first issue they hope to bring to the table is late-night dining options for students. “It’s something that a majority of the campus has requested, so it’s our job to at least put it on the table and fight for it,” Sabogal said. 

As for the legacy they hope to leave behind, Sabogal shared, “We want people to be like, ‘Oh, they actually made a difference. They tried their best. We know they were putting their all into this.’ We want to make sure that [students feel] that their vote is being put to use and that we’re doing everything we can for them.”

Correction: A previous version of this article attributed 956 votes to Courtney Sabogal and Amaia O’Brien. The pair received 936 votes.