Lubbock, Texas resident Clay Dickerson, a fourth-year history and drama major, won the University of Virginia’s 2025 Student Council presidency after campaigning on transforming the student council into a vehicle for supporting students on Grounds. As his term and time as a student comes to a close, Dickerson reflects on his unprecedented time in office.
Clay Dickerson’s vision for student council was service-oriented, and focused on ways to make student-life on Grounds more inclusive and accessible. His presidency spotlighted the unique struggles of first-generation, limited-income students. Dickerson, who identifies as a first-generation, limited income student, points to the creation of the Cavalier Closet as a key campaign promise his cabinet, which included student council President-elect Michael Mitchell, fulfilled to aid students. The closet which operates out of the Student Activities Center provides students with access to free professional attire to use and keep.
“What really stands out to me are the small interactions I get to have, where a student will thank me, or I get to see them walk into the closet and grab a shirt for their interview,” Dickerson said. A personal moment he detailed was when he “was a part of an interview committee for a major scholarship…A friend of mine was on the interview list and everyone was wearing a suit except for him,” and “it felt so gratifying to be able to take him into that room and say, ‘Take whatever you want’ with him ended up becoming a finalist. It’s small things like that that mean the world to me.”
When reflecting on his unique leadership style, Dickerson points to his outspoken approach as a defining feature. “I’m not afraid to be loud,” he said. “ I feel that the student council is at its loudest and proudest right now.” Dickerson then points to the Council’s lobbying in the General Assembly to propose adding a voting student, faculty, and staff member to be on the University’s Board of Visitors through House Bill 780. The bill ultimately failed.
In addition, Dickerson’s administration launched Cavalier Care, an agency within the Support and Access Services (“SAS”) branch that addresses students’ healthcare needs like STI testing and dental insurance advocacy. His cabinet also leveraged a data-driven approach to better track requests and impacts. The council also said it plans to partner with the Textbook Access Office in the future.
When discussing the success of establishing these resources, Dickerson credits his predecessors for giving him a strong foundation. He points to past Student Council members, including Abel Lu, C.C. Kane, Desha Robertson, and Valentim Mendes Gonzalez. “They were tireless and loud advocates too… [and] my term was able to build a true coalition,” said Dickerson.
Dickerson also navigated a turbulent year on Grounds amid three presidential turnovers, a Department of Justice investigation following the federal dissolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office by the Board of Visitors in March 2025. Despite these challenges, Dickerson said these external changes had minimal impact on fulfilling his administration’s promises.
“I’m flexible but I’m unphased, and through all the stuff going on I found myself thinking I can’t waiver because the students can’t afford that.”
Dickerson also had to navigate criticism from the University community. The American Association of University Professors University of Virginia chapter pointed to potential quid-pro-quo between President Scott Beardsley after the student council’s affirmation of his appointment in January. The council’s decision came shortly after Dickerson met with Beardsley, who later agreed to continue funding $500,000 over the next two years towards Student Access and Support services, a key resource for Dickerson’s cabinet. However, Dickerson and other council representatives denied any involvement of bribery and says the decision to affirm his Presidency is about moving forward.
“By no means do we give the Board of Visitors an out here, [nor] are we giving President Beardsley an out, we’re more so acknowledging that the path forward involves him”, Dickerson said in a statement to 29News. The same month, The Faculty Senate called for further investigation by Governor Abigail Spanberger’s newly appointed Board of Visitors into the selection process of Beardsley as President by the previous Board members. The Board, led by Rector Carlos Brown, later upheld Beardsley’s appointment in March but says it plans to conduct an audit on the process “to identify whether there are opportunities for improvement in future searches.”
When asked what the relationship between Faculty Senate and student council looks like in the future, Dickerson said the two bodies should continue to collaborate. “I think it’s important that students work with faculty, staff, and administrators. They provide essential support and structure, but it must be remembered that students are the number one priority.”
Throughout his experiences, Dickerson reflected on his time in office pleasantly and with deep reverence for a new worldview. “I relearned to love, to love perspectives I haven’t had, to love the University in ways that I hadn’t experienced, and to love the people who I’ve never met before… This job has reminded me how powerful love is.”
Looking at the coming years, Dickerson emphasized his wish to prioritize good services. “As long as future administrations can stay grounded in service, the rewards and opportunities are endless, and I think this organization will grow in ways I can’t even imagine and I shouldn’t even be able to imagine.”
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