The final two candidate pairs for Andover’s 2026-2027 Co-Presidential positions have emerged following voting. Alfonso Gonzalez-Cano ’27 and Chloe Park ’27 center their platform on structural reform with an emphasis on connection, while Minnie Kim ’27 and David Siahaan ’27 aim to revitalize campus spirit and engagement across campus groups. Both candidate pairs share a goal to strengthen campus culture.
Some of Gonzalez-Cano and Park’s initiatives are designed to expand connection. One of their main initiatives is PA Connect, an online tool that matches students based on clubs, classes, and interests. PA Connect required roughly five months of development before faculty review, with the build itself being only the first stage in a long negotiation process with Deans and the IT department.
“The actual process of [me] building [the app] was around five months—and then I thought that was the hard part. No, that was the easy part. But it’s been this whole really long process—but I can guarantee there’s so much work being put into all our initiatives,” stated Gonzalez-Cano.
Kim and Siahaan’s campaign centers on reviving Andover spirit through various traditions. Their Community Suppers would assign students to elevated sit-down meals with random seating arrangements, in an attempt to encourage interactions across different groups on campus.
“I think our randomized community suppers are a big idea that I would love to implement. Other schools have it [like] Deerfield [and other] junior boarding schools, and I think it’s something that could really strengthen community here. It is difficult to get people to actually want to come, but we are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to make all of our initiatives happen,” stated Kim.
Sophia Tolokh ’28 emphasized the importance of involvement with the student body for the success of any candidate pair.
“I think about how much social outreach they have, what kind of people they are, but also how much experience they have. At least one of the people in the pair has to have had some StuCo leadership, whether that’s a dorm rep or being a class rep. [They should do] something at Andover with experience, social outreach, they should know a lot of people, they should do a sport or be a part of a music group, and they should do clubs. I should be able to recognize them for something that they do. I might not know everyone, but being social and knowing a lot of people on campus is important,” said Tolokh. “Oftentimes those people are prefects, or someone you see on the path, they usually have a smile on their face. During their run, they should always be respectful of other candidates.”
Kim emphasized the importance of candidates following through on planned initiatives.
“I think that responsibility and an enduring sense of perseverance are extremely important. Obviously, you can be loud, you can be spirited, and make grand statements. There’s a lot of talk about what you can do as a leader, but it really depends. Your leadership really depends on what you do with that. A really good leader does not have to be loud or scream, but it’s what you do with the platform that you have,” said Kim.
Park described representation, particularly for minority students or those not comfortable voicing their concerns publicly, as a key component of leadership. She emphasized the importance of elevating quieter voices instead of amplifying only outspoken ones.
“Leadership is making sure that the people that are unseen or people that don’t like to talk as much, making sure their opinions are elevated as high as they can be, as everyone’s are, because if we’re going to fight for our whole student body, then we’re going to have to listen to every single person,” said Park.
Kim also encourages student feedback as a way of making sure everyone’s voice is heard.
“It’s really important to get student feedback. That’s why we’ve been constantly having different outreach programs where David and I will talk to people, asking about their opinions on our platforms and initiatives. That’s something that will continue if we do get elected,” said Kim.
Eileen Zhu ’29 would like to see more engaging activities during the school year. She believes that future Co-Presidents should help plan more activities over the weekend.
“I think over the weekend is such an important time for Andover students to, you know, de-stress, have fun. Do things they don’t normally do during the school week. I think organizing more fun, you know, activities for students over the weekend would be really helpful and really nice to help students have fun,” said Zhu.
Editor’s Note: David Siahaan is an Sports Editor for The Phillipian.
