The 19-Year-Old College Trustee: What being a student trustee meant to me

I am honored to have been asked to speak at the 2020 New York Community College Trustee Institute on October 16th  2020 about my experiences as a student trustee. I decided to write about what I achieved and learned as a SUNY Schenectady Trustee. I hope this helps any student trustees who may be just getting started and explain to potential future employers what my role as trustee entailed.

Over the course of the year that I was a trustee, I must be frank, my answer to “What do you do exactly?” changed. At first, I just listed job requirements: I attend board meetings once a month, take notes on the President’s report so that I can give school administration updates to the Student Government and approve new hires and the school budget. Those are important responsibilities but as time progressed, my answer changed because being a trustee became so much more. In this article, I will detail what I achieved and the lessons I learned as a trustee.

When I was first (strongly!)  recommended by the Student Government Association (SGA) president to run for student trustee, little did I know that I would become an advocate and a lobbyist. I quickly learned that my position carried weight and used that for the benefit of the student body that I represented. One of my most proudest achievements was advocating for better academic advising for students. The administration had recently changed the nature of advising and it came to my knowledge that some students were having issues. This advocacy effort was a team effort of two senators (Hello Hannah and Rao, if you are reading this) and I. Using my knowledge of the school administration structure, I located the right person to speak to, set up a meeting and worked with my SGA colleagues to come up with possible resolutions to the issues we were raising. We were very well received and the meeting was a success. Emboldened by this experience, I went on to advocate to the President and Athletics Director about the importance of the athletics program after I heard that the women’s basketball team was not able to retain enough members that season. Again, I presented several possible actions the Athletics department could take to improve recruitment and retention of student athletes, including steps to build a stronger student athlete community on campus. I also became a public figurehead at my school. In a room full of county legislators, government officials and top school administrators, I would often be the only student and the youngest in the room. As student trustee, I represented the student body during a Middle States Commission visit and answered their questions from the student’s perspective. It took my professionalism to the next level because I wanted to make a positive impression on these external figures who played a crucial role in the school’s development.

Professionalism was not the only competence I gained as a trustee. I also learned the importance of taking initiative. As I alluded to before, my position became what I could make of it. I did not have a boss, in the literal sense, who detailed to me what my next step should be. Instead, I was led by the interests of the students I represented and I strived to do whatever I could to benefit them. In addition, I learned the importance of mentorship. Over the course of the year, I was fortunate to gain several influential mentors who became my cheerleaders and helped me gain confidence. I endeavored to pass on the favor by counseling and inspiring the person who would become the next student trustee.

I close by offering some advice to any student trustees who may be reading. 

1. Aim to build cordial working relationships with school officials. When issues arise that you want to see addressed, being on good terms can lay the groundwork for a positive meeting. 
2. Be involved in your school community so you can hear perspectives from as many students as possible. I engaged with and listened to students through my work as a math tutor, being a member of a science students organisation (CSTEP) and rowing with the crew team.
3. Speak up more. Especially if an issue may affect the student body. This was advice given to me by the President. They want to hear what you think and they will listen.

So, if I were to answer the question again, “What did I do, exactly?”  I would respond that I did what I could to benefit the students of SUNY Schenectady Community College.