Leyla Akil: The focus is the student

By Andrew Nowel, Editor-In-Chief

The United Students Association (USA) is the student government group at Canisius, but do you really know who they are and what they do? If you don’t think your voice is heard at Canisius, rest assured because the USA, with Leyla Akil at the helm, strives every day to make sure the students are the focus at Canisius. Akil, the president of USA, is looking to keep the organization student–focused as she begins a journey that started as a freshman.

Akil is a psychology major with an international relations minor, and enters her senior year with many goals with USA and personally. She became a member of Senate during her freshman year as the dining services liaison before taking over the diversity committee in her sophomore year. Akil described herself as introverted, so taking over as diversity chair, and even joining Senate in the first place, helped to open her up to find her voice. “It allowed me to branch out, and I found a community that I felt comfortable expressing myself with. It was a really great way to grow as an individual,” said Akil.

Her first event as diversity chair, “Freedom Mic,” was a big success during the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January 2025. Using that success, Akil grew her confidence as she focused on letting students let their own voices be heard. “I think it brought the campus together, and I wanted to let students have their creative freedom to read poems, sing songs and express themselves as a way to send the message that our voices can and do have an impact,” said Akil. From there, each step led Akil to focus on students more and more.

As Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations (VPMPR) Akil walked through the doors of the Grupp Fireside Lounge to begin her new role during junior year; she knew her focus the moment she walked through the threshold: interacting with students. The first step was to hold a contest for a new USA logo that would perfectly represent the student body. “I wanted something that would connect back with the students. If someone looked at the logo, I wanted them to see it was a design that was for the students, by the students,” said Akil. The new logo was just the beginning for Akil and last year’s executive board as they carried out the mission of USA, which is to advocate for students and be an organization that carries it out in everything they do.

As 2026 approached, Akil had a big decision to make. Would she take the leap of faith and run for president, or find a different position that still sums up who she is: helping others? Her heart gave Akil the answer that everyone knew as she ran and won the presidential election, and was appointed midway through the spring semester of last academic year. 

Now as she looks back at the full–circle journey she took from a freshman who wanted to be the voice of the students to being that voice in her presidential role, Akil acknowledges that the workload is a lot, but it’s something that she can’t wait to take on. “I like my alone time, my reading, as I am an introvert, but I am very excited to take on this role. I was taken aback by the number of students, whom I only knew from their faces around campus and not on a fully personal level, that came up to me when I won the election last year and congratulated me. It showed me the support that the campus community has for me, and I don’t want to betray their trust,” said Akil. The responsibility of being the president also comes with the responsibility of being intentional in everything that she does, and it’s helped Akil lead by example in her new role.

Akil is the daughter of immigrant parents, something that many Buffalonians relate to, as well as many Canisius students as the campus is diverse with people from all over the world. Akil strives to be an example not only as a leader, but as the first hijab president in the USA to show her culture that nothing is impossible. “If other hijab students see someone that looks like them in a position of power, that will empower them and make them more confident and comfortable in their own skin, so I don’t take the role lightly,” said Akil. Being a trailblazer herself, Akil is still learning how to be that example, but students from every background look to her to represent them as she understands the issues that they are going through.

So who is Leyla Akil? She’s a leader who is working for the students, elected by the students and listening to the students. With Senate meetings every Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the Golisano Student Center for Student Success, any student is welcome to come and express their concerns to Akil and the entire USA as they strive to make Canisius a community of students, not just a group of people. After all, one step toward the Jesuit mission is one giant leap for Canisius University.