At 20, Political Science Major Henry Siravo Becomes Youngest-Ever Elected Member of Smithfield Town Council

November 12, 2026By Grace Monteleone '26

Senior Henry Siravo credits his experiences in student government, political science, and public speaking with giving him the confidence and skills to pursue opportunities beyond campus.

BRISTOL, R.I. - Henry Siravo was just 12 years old when he began working on political campaigns in his hometown of Smithfield. Eight years later, the senior has become the youngest person ever elected to the Smithfield Town Council, bringing nearly a decade of political experience and lessons in campus leadership to the community where he grew up.

Henry Siravo.

Siravo, a 20-year-old Political Science major and Professional and Public Writing minor, secured the fifth and final available council seat in the Nov. 3 general election, earning 3,342 votes and defeating the sixth-place candidate by 36 votes. At RWU, he serves as student body president and leads the Student Senate, gaining experience in budgeting, communication, and representing the interests of his peers.

He also leads the statewide chapter of College Democrats, participates in Mock Trial, and is a member of the First Generation Students club. Now, as he prepares to take on the responsibilities of elected office, Siravo sees his RWU experiences as an important part of his preparation for public service.

Finding His Voice Through Politics

A civics class mock trial sparked Siravo's interest in politics. Although he initially wanted to serve as the prosecutor, he was assigned to the defense. After winning the trial, he began imagining a future in law and public service.

"I thought: this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," he said.

Siravo had also been involved in theater beginning at age 8 and continuing through high school. Over time, he began to see how those experiences could work together.

"I could go to Hollywood and be a starving artist, or I could use the fact that I'm not afraid of an audience," Siravo said. "I like to raise my voice, and I can use it on behalf of other people."

Siravo began working on political campaigns at age 12 after David Tikoian, a mentor who is now Rhode Island Senate Majority Whip, invited him to help with his own town council campaign in Smithfield.

Siravo said yes, and continued learning from Tikoian through his work at all levels.

"He has taken me through the town council, the state house, and the state senate," Siravo said. "I've gotten to learn from him, hear from him, and take the honesty and integrity that he leads with into my own life."

Those early experiences gave Siravo a close look at government before he reached college. They shaped his decision to study political science and pursue a career in public service.

Student Body President Henry Siravo speaks during RWU's September 11 remembrance ceremony outside the Administration Building, reflecting on the responsibility of younger generations to honor and remember those lost.

Building a Foundation for Leadership at RWU

When choosing where to attend college, Siravo said he made the decision to attend Roger Williams University before he even set foot on campus. He said it's a place where he could stay close to family and continue building relationships in Rhode Island's political community.

"I thought: Roger Williams, that's home. I know so many people in the Rhode Island political scene," said Siravo. "This is where I want to stay. This is where I want to help."

Student Body President Henry Siravo addresses the Class of 2030 at Convocation in August 2026, encouraging incoming Hawks to embrace opportunities and get involved on campus.

During his time at RWU, Siravo has taken on leadership roles that mirror the responsibilities he will now hold in local government. As student body president, he regularly speaks with students, faculty, and administrators about campus concerns. As Student Senate president, he oversees its large budget.

"I oversee more than a million dollars through the Student Senate, and the budgeting process there is what I think we should bring to Smithfield," he said.

That budget experience has influenced one of his proposals for Smithfield: zero-based budgeting, a process where people submit what they want with the budget rather than simply submitting the number they want.

For Siravo, leadership is not only about money management or decision making. It also means listening to people and using their perspectives to shape the conversations surrounding issues.

"I can't guarantee anything, but I can hear people. I can listen to them," Siravo said of his work on campus. "I can let that perspective snowball into the other conversations, and let that change the dialogue on campus."

He sees a strong connection between the conversations happening at RWU and those he had with residents while campaigning door to door in Smithfield.

"We can shift conversations and we can build a broader perspective for everybody," said Siravo.

Henry Siravo joins fellow students for a panel discussion with Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, exploring law, politics, and civic engagement at RWU.

His Professional and Public Writing minor has also helped him connect his academic work with politics. Siravo said writing press statements during a 2023 congressional campaign made him want to improve his communication skills.

Now, his writing experience from RWU allows him to apply what he learns in class to campaign and social media materials. He can consider how he is communicating and which audience he is communicating to.

"Roger Williams University does a great job of building students not just academically, but personally," Siravo said.

What he always goes back to are the programs that he is a part of at RWU and the individuals who have helped him get to where he is now: an elected member of the Smithfield Town Council.

Taking His Leadership Beyond Campus

It all began with a phone call from Tikoian asking Siravo to run.

"David, honestly, I'm really inspired that you called me," said Siravo. "But I'm a little too young. I don't know if this is the right time."

Tikoian was encouraging, which made Siravo consider everything going on in Smithfield, the most prominent issues being the schools and town budget.

Siravo's door-knocking and conversations with families brought these concerns into sharper focus. Many families moved to Smithfield for the schools, but they aren't the same and people are noticing.

"The schools are throwing good money after bad programs," Siravo said. "The people making those decisions haven't stepped foot in that high school in this century."

Siravo is a former student of the Smithfield schools, which was a prime motivation for his campaign, and now his upcoming work in local government. He has seen the issues first hand and is ready to play a role in shaping the conversations needed to reform the schools.

Although the town council does not directly oversee schools, Siravo said he wants to work with the school committee and represent residents who are concerned about the district.

"We do need a new generation. We need new perspectives at the table because the old way of doing things simply isn't working," Siravo said.

He also wants residents to understand how exactly the town spends its money. His proposed zero-based budgeting approach would encourage more accountability and give residents a clearer picture of spending decisions.

Siravo's campaign focused on more than just reforming the schools and budget. He also opposed a proposed data center because of his concern for local wildlife, as well as the Flock cameras that raise privacy concerns for the residents of Smithfield.

To bring these priorities to voters, Siravo spent six days a week canvassing. By the midpoint of October, he had knocked on more than 1,500 doors, aiming to reach about 100 homes a day.

Henry Siravo canvasses in Smithfield alongside longtime mentor and Rhode Island Senate Majority Whip David P. Tikoian, who first introduced him to political campaigning at age 12.

Conversations mattered even when residents disagreed with him politically. During one interaction, Siravo spoke with a resident wearing a "Trump 2028" T-shirt. Rather than focusing on their different perspectives, they honed in on the local issues that they're both affected by and how they can work toward change.

"We can start having conversations that are positive and respectful again, because that's kind of missing," Siravo said.

For him, the campaign is about more than winning votes. It was also a chance to show that people with different viewpoints can discuss community issues together and begin the change.

Siravo's election brought that campaign to a close, with 8,400 of the town's 16,004 voters casting ballots, a turnout of approximately 52%. He was one of two Democrats elected to the remaining council seats, joining three incumbents to maintain a Democratic majority on the board.

Looking Ahead to a Future in Public Service

Balancing a campaign with campus leadership and college coursework requires a demanding schedule. Siravo said he is used to managing several responsibilities at once, and he remains committed to completing his degree a year early in May of 2027.

Now, as he prepares to serve on the Town Council, Siravo will balance his new responsibilities with his education. He said that his studies will remain a priority while he makes time for the work that comes with representing Smithfield residents.

After graduation, Siravo plans to take a gap year and pursue policy research, government, or nonprofit work in Rhode Island. He hopes to attend RWU School of Law in fall of 2028 and eventually become a public defender. He also plans to remain in Smithfield, close to his family.

Henry Siravo campaigned alongside four fellow Democratic candidates for Smithfield Town Council. Siravo, Angelica Bovis, and Dante DiGregorio each won seats in the Nov. 3 election.

His family is also a prime source of his motivation, hard work, and success.

"My family were hard workers, and I'm a first generation college student," he said. "I can't disappoint them."

For other students, Siravo encourages making use of the people and resources available at RWU. Professors and staff want students to succeed, and asking for help can make all the difference.

His broader advice is to pursue all opportunities, even when the outcome is uncertain.

"If you want it, go for it," he said. "And if you don't get it, then you just try again. You work harder, you learn, and you try again."

Siravo sees his campaign and election as an extension of what he has learned at RWU: how to listen, communicate, manage responsibilities, and speak up for others.

"I don't know how effective of a campaign I would've been running - I don't know if I would even be running - if I weren't a Roger Williams student," Siravo said. "The school really prepared me to be courageous about what I want, to be thoughtful about what I'm doing - to really work hard, work diligently, and not be shy to ask for help."

At just 20 years old, Siravo's election marks not only a new chapter in public service, but an opportunity to continue to put his leadership and advocacy into practice off campus.