Head of the class: UVA’s 2026 student leaders
Honor Committee Chair
Thomas Ackleson (Engr class of ’26)
In the two years since UVA students approved a multi-sanction system for students who violate the Honor Code, Honor Committee members have enacted new processes in hopes of making the system fair and effective. Now Ackleson, a biomedical engineering major from Arlington, Virginia, says his focus is stabilizing the system and educating students and faculty about how the process is working. “We need to develop meaning and community buy-in, and people need to see us as doing a service,” he says. “Because that’s really what we are trying to do. That’s the goal.”
University Judiciary Committee Chair
Allison McVey (Col class of ’26)
An ongoing uptick in committee cases, particularly those involving multiple members of individual student groups, is likely to continue. To handle the caseload, McVey, a political philosophy, policy and law major from Royersford, Pennsylvania, will continue efforts to recruit more staff and look for ways to reduce the case processing time by, for example, examining the committee’s processes and staff training. “I’m very much expecting this term to be difficult, to be challenging, to be surprising in a lot of ways,” she says, “but I’m very much excited to take that on.”
Student Council President
Clay Dickerson (Col class of ’26)
Dickerson, a double major in history and drama from Lubbock, Texas, is focused on making practical changes to support limited-income students like himself and first- generation college students. That includes: establishing a permanent clothing closet for students who can’t afford outfits for interviews or conference presentations; institutionalizing a Student Council advisory board for first-generation and limited-income students to share concerns; and advocating for more equitable access to spaces on Grounds for performing arts groups. “My big-picture hopes are to make very tangible steps forward,” he says.
Co-Chair of Resident Staff Program
Danielle Sydow (Col class of ’25, Engr class of ’26)
As a senior resident adviser, Sydow, a computer science major from Williamsburg, Virginia, valued the mentorship she received from residence life professional staff. As co-chair, she hopes to extend learning opportunities to younger student staff members by offering regular office hours with professional staff. “A lot of RAs sometimes view [professional] staff and the office as a little bit intimidating,” says Sydow, who will pursue a master’s degree in computer science next year. “My goal for this next year is to erase some of that stigma.”
Co-Chair of Resident Staff Program
Nicholas Thornton (Col class of ’25, Com class of ’26)
After two years as a resident adviser, Thornton, a statistics and economics major from Midlothian, Virginia, focused on the job performance of student staff members as Resident Staff vice chair of accountability. As co-chair, his goals include boosting communication channels so student and professional staff members stay better informed. “Any student self-governance role comes with political challenges, learning how to have difficult conversations,” says Thornton, who will pursue a master’s degree at UVA next year. “But I’m definitely excited to get more involved and just kind of get my hands on everything.”
Cavalier Daily Editor-in-Chief
Naima Sawaya (Col class of ’26)
Sustainability for the 135-year-old student newspaper is top of mind for Sawaya, a religious studies major from Williamsburg, Virginia. After a period of change at the paper, including the launch of podcast and puzzle desks, she’s focused on building processes to ensure that those innovations endure. Sawaya is also working to boost the paper’s digital journalism, including video content, and to collaborate with newspaper alumni to build an endowment. “This is a term about stepping back, taking stock of what these changes are and how we can make sure that they’re sustainable in the long run,” she says.
Board of Visitors Student Member
Gregory Perryman (Col class of ’26)
For two years, Perryman, from Cleveland, Ohio, has served as student member on an advisory committee to the UVA Investment Management Company, which provides investment management services to the university. Representing student views on investor responsibility, he says, has prepared him for his BOV role, where his priorities include strengthening student self-governance and exploring emerging opportunities, including AI and biotechnology. “I love UVA,” says Perryman, part of UVA’s honors politics program, “and I strongly believe that every board member loves UVA and that we can work together to find common ground that elevates the student experience here.”
