Amelia Dyal and Vevvy Summerall are running for student body president and vice president under the Talon Party in the Student Government Spring 2025 election.
Dyal currently serves as Senate Pro-Tempore and the Rules and Oversight Committee Chair. Vevvy Summerall is a senator and the vice chair of the Rules and Oversight Committee. Although Summerall was elected to the Senate last spring as a member of the Soar party, she is running with Dyal as a member of the new Talon Party.
Dyal is a junior studying health science, with a concentration in public health. She’s involved in medical-related clubs like Eta Sigma Gamma and MedLife. Outside of SG, she works part-time as a registered pharmacy technician at Publix.
Summerall is a junior studying political science, with a double minor in mass communications and Spanish. She’s on the executive board of the Black Thought Club, and she’s involved in multiple other clubs, including the Black Student Union, Swoop Law, the Spanish Club, the Powerlifting Club and the UNF NAACP.
Below are some questions Spinnaker asked Dyal and Summerall regarding the election, SG and the university.
Why did you both decide to run for president and vice president?
Dyal said she and Summerall realized they make a good team through their time together as chair and vice chair of the R&O Committee.
Summerall said they both shared a common image of what they wanted UNF and SG to look like, so they decided to work together to make that happen.
What initiatives would you like to introduce during your term?
Dyal and Summerall said they would like to strengthen the commissions initiative that was started by the Barcal-Davidson administration, as well as build positive relationships with the current commissions.
“We feel like that was a wonderful initiative that started and we should focus on building that as a foundation,” Summerall said. “Making sure that the clubs who are a part of the commission already have the foundation to be able to help the new clubs that we might bring in later down the road.”
Dyal said another goal of her administration would be to change the culture at UNF and bring back UNF traditions. She said they want to have more “university-focused traditions” like other big schools have.
What issues on campus should SG focus on?
Dyal and Summerall believe that improving the sense of community at UNF is the biggest issue to address. Summerall said as a woman of color at UNF, she wants to make sure everyone feels supported and welcome.
“No matter who you are, no matter where you come from—at the end of the day, if you’re an Osprey, you’re an Osprey,” Summerall said.
In terms of staffing, how would you go about recruiting staff for your cabinet?
Dyal said she wants people who are passionate and want to get involved with SG.
Dyal started the Talon Party this semester, and she said that she was selective about who she chose to run under the Talon Party because she wanted to make sure she had a diverse group of students.
In the Talon Party, Dyal said there is at least one student from every college at UNF, which she said is a source of pride.
“I think it’s really just trying to be proactive about getting a lot of people to apply and taking the time to ask the right questions about why they want to get involved, what they want to see, and how they can hold us accountable,” Dyal said.
Summerall said getting feedback from the current executive staff will also help understand what type of person is needed for a specific role.
How will you support all students, both on-campus students and commuters?
Dyal said going out and physically interacting with students is the best way to support them and understand what their needs are.
Dyal and Summerall said that visiting classes, different chapters and RSOs is the best way to make sure students know SG can help them.
“I think it’s important for students to know who we are and how we can help them,” Dyal said. “ I think it’s just putting our name out there so students know how they can contact us and how they can get involved.”
What is your opinion on the OzFest budget, and what would be your goals for OzFest in 2026?
Dyal said she understands the students who think too much money is spent on OzFest, especially if they have never gone to a budget hearing. She also said she thinks Student Life does a good job of putting such a large event together, so she understands the importance of OzFest.
She said she would like to put a survey out on OzFest to see what students would want for next year. She added that it can be hard to please everyone when it comes to putting on large events, but students should at least have the chance to give their input.
Summerall said that being transparent with students about the OzFest budget and the possible artists that could headline is the most important part.
Why should students vote for you?
Dyal said she and Summerall “bring something different to the table.”
Summerall said they want to be open and welcoming to all students, and through their different backgrounds and experiences, they can bring the UNF community together.
“I feel like we not only have a strong community behind us, but we also have a strong foundation to start with,” Summerall said.
Dyal said she wants to be an advocate for students, and as the only all-female ticket they bring a different perspective.
Summerall added that not only are they an all-female ticket, but they’re also an interracial ticket. She said this gives them a different outlook that other parties may not have.
“I’ve really found my community here and I’ve grown a lot personally and professionally, and I want to see that for other people,” said Dyal.
Is there anything else you want students to know?
“One of the biggest things I want to say to all students is that their voices are heard,” Summerall said.
“I want [students] to know that we are two approachable people who can help them in any way that we can,” Dyal said.
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