Below are the candidates for the 2026 Young Alumni Trustee election, in alphabetical order: Jamil Fayad, Enzo Kho and Aishwarya Swamidurai.

Candidates have agreed that they will not engage in any organized solicitation of votes during this primary election, nor will they ask any other student or organization to do so. 

Disclaimer
The role of a Young Alumni Trustee is to serve the long-term interests of the University as a member of the board, bringing to the role an important perspective informed by their recent experience as an undergraduate student. It is not to represent or advocate for a particular constituency or point of view. The views, information and opinions expressed by the candidates in their statements are solely their own. Further, the University does not undertake to verify or ensure the accuracy of the candidates‘ statements.

Jamil Fayad
Jacksonville, FL
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Certificate(s): Global Health and Policy

For Jamil Fayad ’26, advocating for others has always been a large part of who he is and how he connects with people. When his family came to the United States from Syria in 2012, he spoke very little English. But while he struggled as a third grader in English and reading classes, he exceled in mathematics. That strength served as an opportunity for breakthroughs in other areas. “I wanted to learn English fast so I could communicate and form new friendships, but also to help my new friends who were struggling in math class,” he said. “I felt a sense of justice and responsibility to help those who were struggling.” 

Princeton’s commitment to service was a large part of why Fayad chose to attend. In high school in Jacksonville, Fayad had created Rhizome, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to helping increase student voter registration and empowering high school students. With Rhizome clubs he helped launch at other Florida high schools, they successfully lobbied the City of Jacksonville to pass a smoke-free park ordinance that banned smoking. 

From the moment he stepped on campus, his innate curiosity and eagerness to make the most of opportunities drove him to join campus clubs and meetings of all sorts, from club squash to the Balkan Society. He served as co-president of the Princeton Orthodox Christian Fellowship for four years, joined the Arab Society and helped launch the Syrian Student Association. “Princeton is such a unique place to learn new skills and cultures,” he said. 

As an upperclassman, Fayad served as a Community Action healthcare leader during first-year orientation, stressing the importance of a “balanced mindset” — sleeping, eating well and general well-being alongside academics. As a head fellow in the Scholars Institute Fellows Program and alumni liaison chair for the Princeton Pre-medical Society, he provided mentorship and advice on academics and connected students with graduate students and seniors for guidance about careers and higher education. 

Fayad supplemented his pre-med coursework in ecology and evolutionary biology by volunteering in the pediatric eating disorder unit at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and shadowing doctors during summers in Florida and Syria. “The qualities I learned from these experiences alongside my curiosity have helped me learn how to engage and learn from difficult conversations,” he said. 

“Over my time in Princeton, I have recognized that the University’s culture is not just about allowing students to grow and reach their dreams individually, but a space that connects individuals with communities and friendships that grow collectively,” he said. “As a Young Alumni Trustee, I will advocate for an environment that fosters intercultural connections and allows students to share their global experiences.” 

Fayad aims to study medicine to become a pediatric doctor. While he applies to medical school, he plans to spend the next year in Jacksonville, volunteering at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Enzo Kho
Dumaguete, Philippines
Major: Sociology; Certificate: Urban Studies

Enzo Kho has worn many hats of leadership during his four years on campus, culminating in his service as Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president during his senior year. 

“My time at Princeton has been defined by a deep commitment to building community and shaping spaces where every voice is meaningfully heard,” he said. 

Kho first developed those qualities in the Philippines, where he cofounded Alliance of Empowered Youth (ALLEY) Philippines, a nonprofit that connects young people from rural communities to opportunities around the country. He came to Princeton after his family experienced political violence in the Philippines — an experience that reshaped his life trajectory and deepened his commitment to service. As a sociology major at Princeton, Kho concentrated his studies on issues that can help improve conditions for Filipinos, from classes on migration and urban sociology, to summer internships in Malaysia and Singapore, to a thesis investigating the Philippines’ outsourcing industry. 

Outside of the classroom, Kho volunteered as a Peer Career Adviser (PCA) during his first year and eventually served as president of the program, leading a team of more than 20 advisers who support about 300 students annually. Under his leadership, the program expanded initiatives such as PCA Coffee Chats, creating more accessible and informal spaces for mentorship. 

Kho was one of five fellows who organized Community Action 2023 for the Class of 2027. He worked to incorporate a grounded vision of service in the freshman orientation program and to strengthen the University’s relationship with surrounding communities by working closely with local partners. 

During his year as USG president, Kho advocated for greater international student support, increased access to opportunities for underrepresented groups, expanded mental health resources, and led initiatives that foster belonging and connection across campus. He also confronted campus uncertainty around diversity and inclusion, international student visibility and safety, and university-wide funding constraints. “What I came to understand is that we respond most effectively to these moments when we do so collectively,” he said. “The experience prepared me to navigate difficult and high-stakes conversations, handling them with intentionality and one that is rooted in grassroots engagement and the lived realities of the communities most affected.” 

For Kho, the Young Alumni Trustee position is an honor, privilege and opportunity to give back to the University. “Princeton transformed my life trajectory in ways that are often out of reach for people from backgrounds like mine,” he said. “As a trustee, I will work to bridge perspectives, elevate voices that are too often unheard, and advocate for decisions that are thoughtful, intentional and centered on students and the broader Princeton community.” 

This summer, Kho will be working with the People’s Budget Coalition in Manila and engaging with the Philippine government to advance budget transparency and accountability. In the fall, he will begin his master’s as a Yenching Scholar at Peking University, concentrating in politics and international relations with the goal of helping countries drive inclusive economic growth, strengthen governance, and build more resilient and interconnected systems.

Aishwarya Swamidurai
Oklahoma City, OK
Major: Public and International Affairs; Minor(s): History and the Practice of Diplomacy

Aishwarya Swamidurai ’26 understands that progress is a team sport. “My personal Princeton journey has been anything but an individual one; it is a product of the exceptional Princetonians who have paved the path and those who have carried me forward,” she said. Coming from a small public-school background in Oklahoma, she arrived on campus aware that large institutions can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming. “Yet, from the moment I arrived at Princeton, I was met with mentorship, opportunities and a community that have markedly expanded my sense of possibility.” 

Since then, Swamidurai has worked to give back, supporting fellow students in a variety of roles focused on bolstering access, opportunity, and belonging. 

As Undergraduate Student Government vice president and U-Council chair, she advocated for access and well-being and promoted greater communications between University leadership and students in the midst of visa and budget uncertainty. She spearheaded the effort that halved University co-pays on external mental health therapy, revived the Ivy League Mental Health Conference after five years, and launched subsidized transportation programs on and off campus. “Here, I convened different student constituencies together to weigh paths forward, equipping me to make informed, collaborative decisions,” she said. “In navigating Princeton’s sweeping governance structure, I met diverse stakeholders with effective communication.” 

As a Peer Academic Adviser in Forbes College and a Pace Center Service Fellow, she has enjoyed direct student mentorship and volunteering in food justice work. As a student facilitator for the Princeton Rose Castle Society, a group dedicated to dialogue across difference, she launched campus workshops that promoted cross-cultural understanding and conflict resolution. 

Swamidurai also volunteered as a member of several University governing bodies, including the Committees on Naming and the Course of Study. Her broader experiences, she noted, “have enhanced my strategic advocacy, ability to steward diverse perspectives, and desire to listen deeply and think empathetically. At Princeton, I continuously championed a key question: how can we do better? As Young Alumni Trustee, I will bring this same intentionality, making informed decisions that will, above all, channel the lived experiences of those to be impacted by them.” 

“I have worked to ensure that Princeton can continue serving students just like it did me — expanding their sense of possibility for generations to come,” she said. “I plan to continue uplifting and defending what makes this community remarkable, especially in this unprecedented time — its values of access and opportunity, service to humanity, and free inquiry.” 

Swamidurai plans to attend law school in a few years and pursue a career dedicated to fostering democratic discourse and access. Following previous summer work at the U.S. Department of Justice, the Brennan Center for Justice in New York and the U.S. Senate, she is considering opportunities to work as a legal assistant for a civil rights-based organization.