Caleb Rogers and Ella Paligo have been elected as the next BYUSA president and executive vice president.
Students voted on Thursday, Feb. 27, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A total of 5,100 students cast their ballots, with 49% voting for Rogers and Paligo for their first option.
Rogers and Paligo ran on the motto "This is our Y," emphasizing connection, involvement, and purpose.
Journey to Leadership
When Rogers first arrived at BYU as a freshman, he said he struggled to find a social group and felt burned out from classes. He eventually found a sense of belonging through BYUSA, which inspired him to get involved in campaigns and, ultimately, run for office. This past year, he served as vice president of connections.
"I've become so passionate about helping students find their place and belonging here," Rogers said.
He also spoke highly of his running mate, Paligo, who got involved in BYUSA activities immediately after starting at BYU last year.
"She’s extremely competent, very ambitious, and just an incredible person. She has such an ability to make a difference in people's lives," he said.
The two met through their shared political science major and various campus activities.
Paligo said she has always loved BYUSA and being actively involved but didn’t initially plan to run for office. She previously served as campaign manager for the current BYUSA presidency of Sara and Tala.
After her freshman year, she, like many BYU students, began preparing for a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was called to serve in Guatemala but had to return home due to health issues. She re-enrolled at BYU later in the semester and felt anxious about coming back—until a professor reassured her on her first day.
"A professor gave me a hug and said, ‘I’m so glad you’re here.’ After that experience, I just really wanted to serve in any way I could and make sure every student knows that someone is glad they’re here," Paligo said.
She said she is particularly excited about advertising to UNIV 101 classes to encourage freshmen to get involved early. She and Rogers also plan to take advantage of BYUSA’s new leadership education area by launching the first annual leadership case competition.
The Team Behind the Campaign
Social media manager Clay Rasmussen and videographer Robert Tirapatna played key roles in the campaign’s success. The two have worked together on the past three winning campaigns.
Tirapatna, a media arts major, specializes in the technical aspects of videography, while Rasmussen focuses on strategy.
Rasmussen, a senior in public relations, said working on elections has been a great opportunity to refine his skills under the time constraints of BYUSA’s February campaign season.
"We work really well together. We both understand what quality content looks like and have a really good eye," Rasmussen said.
He attributed his first campaign win with Fritz Morlant and Gabe Abello more to luck than anything but has since honed his approach.
With their election secured, Rogers and Paligo are eager to implement their vision and ensure every student at BYU feels connected, involved, and valued.