Cornell students have the opportunity to choose who will serve as the next student-elected trustee on the Board of Trustees for the next two years. Voting opens on Wednesday and students can cast their online ballot until midnight on April 28.
This year, six candidates are running to be the next student-elected trustee to replace incumbent, J.P. Swenson ’25.
Marco Martini ’27 Wants To Focus on Improving the Physical, Emotional Well-Being of Cornellians
By Hope Thomas
As a representative in the ILR Student Government Association, second year Air Force ROTC cadet and personal trainer at the Cornell Fitness Centers, Marco Martini ’27 hopes to use his experiences to demonstrate responsibility and leadership as the student-elected trustee.
“Being a cadet in the Air Force ROTC program, we’re all about building leaders and building effective communication,” Martini said in an interview with The Sun. “I think those are two key character traits that could help me immensely [in] this position.”
Martini explained in his candidate bio that his role as an Admissions Student Ambassador has given him “firsthand experience engaging with students, faculty, and administration to improve Cornell’s outreach and inclusivity.”
Martini’s main focus is creating a healthier Cornell community relating to physical well-being. Martini said in his bio that he wants to improve Cornell’s fitness facilities, and improve accessibility and allow for “expanded facilities, better equipment, and extended hours.”
“It’s important that everybody here, whether it be lifting weights or joining in an intramural league, [has] something that keeps them happy and keeps them active” Martini said. He also wants to implement expanded wellness programs and easier accessibility for students in order to improve emotional well-being.
Among Martini’s other priorities include “enhancing mental health resources” to allow for better services, more counselors so “students receive the support they need,” as well as improving dining accessibility.
Martini said that he understands the importance of his role if he becomes the student-elected trustee and prides himself on a willingness to be active when important decisions need to be made.
“It takes a special person to take the initiative, to go out there, say what’s on their mind, and actually get things done,” Martini said.
Lani Lin-Kissick ’28 Wants To Protect Students, Advocating For Their Needs
By Hope Thomas
As a member of the Student Assembly’s environmental committee, and part of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Sustainability in her local community in Prince William County, Virginia, Lani Lin-Kissick ’28 says she has always wanted to be a leader in representing various student body groups.
Her passions most strongly align with spreading more awareness towards the environment and how our surroundings influence everything else around us.
“I think as my passion for the environment has grown and changed over the years, especially since coming to Cornell, that’s really expanded a lot into human rights … of just seeing how everything’s connected,” Lin-Kissick said.
Lin-Kissick explained in her candidate bio that she is proud of being a “lead organizer” for Student Assembly Resolution 20 “Climate Renewal Vows” with Cornell on Fire to create multiple environmental policy recommendations for the University. As a student-elected trustee, Lin-Kissick wants to help use University resources to create a more sustainable environment.
“Instead of running for the Student Assembly, where I could be pushing recommendations, I wanted to run for the Board of Trustees, where I could actively talk to the people that are running our University and be the voice of the students,” Lin-Kissick said.
Many students are fearful during this time and feel their rights are not being protected in light of funding cuts, Lin-Kissick said. In running for student-elected trustee, Lin-Kissick said that she wants to be the voice for her classmates that are scared of their academic futures and to make Cornell a safe environment for all.
Lin-Kissick believes she is the right fit for this role because she wants to honestly represent the viewpoints of the student body instead of silently listening to donors and other positions of power.
“It’s not about bowing down to [The Board of Trustees], because you are going to be someone who’s at the same level,” Lin-Kissick said. “You have to be able to speak with integrity, and you have to be able to be hard in your stances.”
Christian Flournoy ’27 Aims to Bridge Students, Trustees through Focus Groups and Advocacy
By Jason Choi
Christian Flournoy ’27, a Student Assembly undergraduate representative at‑large and vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, is running for student‑elected trustee on a platform of empathetic leadership and direct communication. A student studying human biology, health and society on the pre‑med track, Flournoy also brings experience as an athlete on Cornell’s sprint football team and as the secretary for Cornell’s Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
Flournoy, who is also running for Student Assembly president and executive vice president, said he is motivated by a simple goal: ensuring that every Cornell student feels heard at the highest levels of University governance. To remain rooted in campus sentiment, he plans to convene focus groups drawn from student organizations, athletic teams and Greek life chapters to “gather ground‑level perspectives and bring them directly to the board,” he said.
Beyond structured meetings, Flournoy stressed his open‑door approach. “I honestly hope that all students just ask me, ‘What do you want to learn from us?’” he said. “If you have a concern, I’m the person you’re supposed to go to, to let the Board of Trustees know — that’s my role.”
Flournoy points to his service on the expressive activity policy committee — where he worked to rewrite campus speech guidelines — and his role serving on the Student Health Advisory Committee as proof of his ability to navigate complex processes. “Being an empathetic leader means making sure people are represented,” he said. “I’ve learned how boards function, how to bring resolutions forward and how to lead meetings.”
He identifies the $1 billion federal funding freeze as the top concern for students, warning it threatens financial aid, research grants and essential services. Flournoy said he will press the board for transparency around University finances and advocate for protections of immigrant and other vulnerable student populations.
“I will use my position to ensure the student perspective is always part of the conversation,” he said. “Students are the core of this university — every decision must reflect their needs.”
With a combination of policy experience, athletic teamwork and a commitment to listening, Flournoy said that he hopes to transform the student-elected trustee role into a direct pipeline between students and Cornell’s governing body.
“My vision for Cornell is a place where we learn in unity, representation and respect for everyone,” Flournoy said.
Reid Schwartz ’27 Plans to Leverage Networks to Expand Accessibility, Accountability
By Jason Choi
Reid Schwartz ’27, a sophomore studying nutritional sciences on the pre‑med track, is running for student-elected trustee on a promise to amplify student voices and improve access to campus resources. As President‑elect of the Cornell Ski & Snowboard Club, Vice President of Cornell Chabad and Social Chair of the pre‑health honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta, Schwartz expressed he can draw on diverse constituencies across campus.
“I realized this position creates a direct link from students to the board,” Schwartz said. “I’d be honored to represent every corner of our community.”
Schwartz plans to make himself widely available both online and in-person and to work through his networks in student‑run clubs, sports teams and Greek life to collect varied feedback from the student populace. Accentuating direct, one-to-one communication, Schwartz explained, “I want to be on the ground and hear directly from students.”
Schwartz also emphasized boosting the accessibility of dining options as a central part of his campaign. Pushing for more meal-swipe locations on central campus and providing flexible external vendor options is one of the solutions that Schwartz suggested.
“I’m paying $3,500 a semester for meal swipes and I can’t always use them,” said Schwartz. “So if we don't increase dining plan flexibility, then I'd like to at least have more places where I can either spend money… instead of being locked into this plan that is hard to use.”
On transparency, Schwartz said he will share broad board outcomes: “I can’t disclose confidential discussions, but I will report whether the board is moving in the right direction and push back when it isn’t.”
He also plans to highlight housing‑cost discrepancies and urge trustees to publicize long‑term housing plans and explore partnerships with local landlords to ease rents.
“I promise to be with the students and deliver their messages to the board,” Schwartz said. “You can hold me accountable to that commitment.”
Empowerment and Accountability: David Diao ’27 Highlights the Need for Transparency in Student-Trustee Campaign
By Emma Spindler
With firsthand experience in Cornell’s governance system, David Diao ’27 is running for student-elected trustee to restore trust between students and the administration, push for institutional transparency and make student voices impossible to ignore.
Diao, a student studying public policy in the Brooks School of Public Policy, previously served on the Student Assembly as a freshman representative. There, he sat on the appropriations committee and co-authored a report on student wages and cost of living. He also served on the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit advisory board, advocating for more student-responsive transportation systems, and currently sits on the University-ROTC relationships committee, where he works closely with faculty on policy recommendations.
According to Diao, three major themes have emerged in conversations with students: restrictive housing and dining policies, a lack of support for student-led community building and minimal University responsiveness to student concerns –– a sign of what he calls a “systemic breakdown in shared governance.”
Diao also emphasized concerns about affordability. He criticized Cornell’s dining plan requirements, especially for students with dietary restrictions, and the University’s policy mandating sophomores to live on campus.
“Students should have the freedom to choose how they live and eat,” Diao said. “And when they’re paying thousands in fees, they deserve to know where that money is going.”
While the student-elected trustee cannot publicly share the contents of board finance meetings, Diao hopes to push for clearer University communication around tuition, fees and resource allocation. He also plans to personally meet with every voting trustee over his two-year term to ensure they hear directly from students.
If elected, Diao plans to support his student-elected trustee successor by creating a stronger institutional memory for the position, including a long-term plan focused on student-centered change. He also hopes to start a University-wide initiative dedicated to empowering students through policy and funding support.
In the wake of recent federal crackdowns on campus protests, Diao said Cornell must not compromise its commitment to academic freedom.
“No matter how controversial the speech, deportation threats have no place on a college campus,” he said. “Cornell must protect students — not just their safety, but their right to speak.”
‘Leading Through Listening’: Keten Abebe ’27 Aims to Connect Cornell Students With Administration
By Sophia Riley Sim
With her experience as a Brooks School of Public Policy student ambassador and Vice President of the Black Ivy Pre Law Society, Keten Abebe ’27 aims to be the voice that bridges the gap between Cornell students and the administration.
Abebe’s leadership opportunities have allowed her to “make sure that students felt seen, so their ideas weren’t just heard, but they actually came to fruition.”
As a first-generation college student and immigrant, Abebe said she understands being underrepresented on campus. “Being able to shed light on those voices that might feel unheard is really important,” Abebe said.
One of Abebe’s ideas is to establish monthly town hall meetings where students can openly discuss issues they are facing, to inform her conversations with administrators. Abebe is also adamant about creating dialogue through one-on-one meetings for students who may be less comfortable sharing their experiences publicly. She plans to utilize the feedback she receives from the student body to keep herself, and thus the administration, accountable in addressing relevant student needs.
“Leading through listening and bringing students’ stories and perspectives to the administration is what creates change,” she said.
Abebe recognized how financial burdens are constantly placed on students, whether it be their tuition, health services or club organizations. She wants to instate comprehensive healthcare and financial aid packages that would “cater the assessment process to the individual student so that students are being assisted in their financials [and] healthcare in the best, most personalized way.” Abebe also plans to have frequent meetings with club representatives to discuss their financial needs.
“Students should be able to focus on what they’re passionate about, instead of focusing on the financial burdens of their passions,” Abebe said.
Abebe also highlighted ensuring both physical and mental well-being as a priority. “Cornell is a tough place,” she said. “We’re maturing and trying to navigate who we are, not just as Cornell students, but as people in the greater world. That’s really stressful.” Abebe aims to expand mental health services for students and work to make gym memberships free on campus.
When asked how to describe her campaign, Abebe said, “Leading through listening, authentically representing students to ensure that our motto of ‘any person, any study’ is truly fulfilled.”
