Now in its third year, the President’s Student Advisory Council has begun meeting with President Dennis Assanis and other administrators to offer their views and recommendations on a variety of topics that are important to the student experience at University of Delaware.

The council is composed of 14 undergraduates and four graduate students, including the presidents of the Student Government Association and Graduate Student Government. Through an application and interview process, members were selected last spring from about 100 students who had been nominated by various leaders at UD.

“This remarkable group of students embodies the passion, intellect, and diversity that define the University of Delaware," Assanis said. "My wife, Eleni, and I are eager to listen to their perspectives, learn from their experiences, and collaborate on creating a campus environment where every student can thrive.”

The council will meet regularly to provide their input on multiple student-centered topics, including the University’s accomplishments and its challenges. Through meaningful dialogue, workable recommendations will be developed to address students’ feedback on various issues.

“Student feedback to University leadership is critical,” said José-Luis Riera, vice president of student life. “This forum allows us to build deeper relationships with students over the school year and to empower students to speak into the most pressing issues on our campus.”

The council’s first meeting in September featured a state-of-the-university update and discussion of the most pressing matters on campus right now.  

Created in the 2022-23 academic year, the inaugural council addressed several topics, including diversity, sustainability, free speech and campus safety. The following class dove deeply into civil discourse at UD and the impact of artificial intelligence on their academic experience and their future careers.

In the spring, a nomination and application process will open to identify members of the 2025-26 council.

The members of the 2024-25 President’s Student Advisory Council are:

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

• Sudha Anilkumar - Newark, Delaware; College of Engineering and Honors College

• Evyn Appel - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Honors College

• Matthew Carr - Wilmington, Delaware; College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Honors College

• Nithila Chrisostam - Bear, Delaware; College of Arts and Sciences and Honors College

• Zachary Dixon - Edgewood, Maryland; College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Honors College

• Defne Elbeyli - Hockessin, Delaware; College of Engineering and Honors College

• Isabella Haigney - Macungie, Pennsylvania; College of Arts and Sciences and Honors College (Fall 2024)

• Jonathan Hezel - Southampton, Pennsylvania; College of Arts and Sciences (Spring 2025)

• Malika Iyer - Lagos, Nigeria; College of Engineering and Honors College

• Maggie Johnson - Hillsborough, New Jersey; College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and Human Development, and Honors College

• Alex Toth - Newark, Delaware; College of Arts and Sciences and Honors College

• Alexander Villas - Delray Beach, Florida; College of Arts and Sciences 

• Kyla Warren - Mount Vernon, New York; College of Arts and Sciences 

• Laura Weinstein - Staten Island, New York; College of Engineering and Honors College

GRADUATE STUDENTS 

• Maxwell Bobbin - Joppa, Maryland; College of Engineering

• Chelsea Cohen - Great Neck, New York; College of Arts and Sciences and Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration

• Carl Nelson-Poteet - Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania; Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration and College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

• Purvasha Vijay Anand - Coimbatore, India; Lerner College of Business and Economics