January 19, 2021
Last fall, the Shawnee State University inducted a new Student Trustee to serve two fiscal years on the Board of Trustees. Eli Cole, a native of West Portsmouth, Ohio, is the newest Student Trustee inducted onto the Board and will continue to serve in this role until June 2022.
Cole, a junior pursuing a Healthcare Administration degree, applied to the position hoping to showcase a good representation of a Shawnee State student.
“I felt like I could actually voice the students’ opinions and make sure that students are heard,” he said. “I also felt like it was a good way to contribute back to the university.”
Cole is involved in several student organizations on campus including the Student Programming Board, Student Alumni Ambassadors, and the Orientation Leader program. Joining the Board of Trustees as a Student Trustee, he hopes to expand his knowledge of the university further.
“One of the main things I hope to gain from the whole experience is understanding the university from the administration level,” he said. “I want to see from the Board of Trustees level how they run, how they make decisions, and learn about why they make those decisions. Really, the decision-making process is one of the most important things I hope to gain.”
Two Shawnee State students serve as Student Trustees on the Board of Trustees at a time. In their roles, they regularly attend Board meetings while participating in committee assignments and helping Board members formulate policies for the university.
“Student representation on the Board of Trustees is important, because they can look to us when they make large decisions,” Cole said. “They’re able to say to us, ‘What do you think about this? How will this affect students in the long run?’”
Students apply to become a Student Trustee to the Office of the President, who recommends top candidates to the Ohio Governor’s Office of Board and Commissions. The final decision is made by the Governor’s office.
“It’s a huge honor for me and it’s also a humbling experience to be able to see that the administration here, the Board of Trustees, the Governor, and all those people see me,” he said. “They see that I have this potential to be able to be on the Board and speak up for students, to have their voices heard, and represent them.”