By Bryona Colyar / Jambar Contributor
The Youngstown State University Student Trustees secured a seat at the board table after former Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste signed a house bill in 1988.
Responsibilities of a student trustee include giving input on policy regarding finances, academics and student affairs.
One of the first student trustees was Colonel Ralph “Mac” Crum, who recently retired from the U.S. Army. Crum initially served a one-year term alongside Amy McFarland, a former student trustee, and was re-appointed for a two-year term after McFarland was elected as president of Student Government Association.
Crum graduated from YSU with a Bachelor of Arts, and went on to serve as chief of staff of the U.S. Army’s Financial Management Command.
“As a young adult, I had insight into how these exceptional people collaborated and selflessly served our university and her students, staff and faculty,” Crum said. “This insight gave me an early advantage when I graduated. I felt I had learned to deal both socially and academically on a level higher than that expected of my status as a student. I used the experiences I had as a student trustee to develop my sense of professional self and used it to further hone my own leadership skills.”
Instead of voting in regular meetings, student trustees vote in board committee meetings, sharing their opinions and participating in implementing policy. Fellow trustees bear responsibility for listening to student members and their perspectives. Student trustees also sit in on conversations regarding YSU.
Being a student trustee can propel one’s career in various ways. While some find success in different fields, others return to campus to guide tomorrow’s leaders.
Like Crum, Mollie Hartup is a former student trustee. From 2000-2002, Hartup represented her class as a trustee and serves as the director of YSU’s Sokolov Honors College.
“We had to model professionalism. We were invited into spaces, again, that not all students had a chance to get invited to. You’re sitting up there, front and center, representing the students and the university,” Hartup said.
The current student trustees, Natalie Dando and Zane Perrico, were selected in 2023 and 2024 respectively by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. Student trustees build connections amongst students, staff and the community.
“I didn’t realize how much I was going to be interacting with them, but I’ve learned a lot about how the university’s inner workings can function,” Dando said.
Dando has attended many meetings, including the most recent one Jan. 28, where board members voted in support of a bond issuance up to $40 million for Kilcawley Center renovations.
Perrico said the YSU board of trustees values input from its student trustees.
“I’m still trying to find my voice around them, but five months in of talking to them, you realize they’re people at the end of the day. They really value your input. That changed my perspective about the board as a whole,” Perrico said.
To become a student trustee, those interested must fill out an application for the upcoming term. Applications require students to maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, good academic standing and have completed 24 credit hours.
Candidates must also write a 500-word essay on the importance of a student trustee in the student body. Applications for the role are currently closed, and it is unsure when DeWine will make the next selection for student trustees.
