By Sophia Marcum
After discovering that Anna was named University of Toledo’s Board of Trustees Student Member, I asked the 2013 BHS grad about her new position and aspirations.
Where do you attend school and what are you studying?
I am entering my third year at The University of Toledo where I study Public Health.
What led you to this field of study?
I chose to study Public Health shortly after taking a medical mission trip last summer. I saw this major as an opportunity to become familiar with health care and promoting a healthy lifestyle while also learning about effective ways to implement programming to help those in underserved populations, much like those I came in contact with during the medical mission.
You’ve recently been named the University of Toledo’s Board of Trustees Student Member. What are some of the responsibilities of this position?
As The University of Toledo Board of Trustees Student Member, my main responsibility is to serve as the voice of our student body. At UT, we have about 24,000 students, so it is important that I am involved on campus and available to as many students as possible.
Ensuring that students are aware of my dedication to them and this university is essential. By utilizing our hundreds of campus organizations, I hope to reach out to students at meetings, events, and activities. Maintaining a loyal relationship with Student Government will be important in my position as well because of their repeated success in gauging the student opinion.
As a Board member, I am responsible for regular attendance at meetings. Not only is it important to offer input or raise relevant questions as a student representative, but it is equally important to attentively listen to and understand the subjects discussed in order to be an accurate resource for students.
I will also attend university events with the Board. I am incredibly honored to have received this opportunity, and I am excited to serve UT and its students as a student member on the Board of Trustees.
As a representative of the student body, are there any issues on campus you feel very strongly about in particular?
One subject that I am especially excited about is the recent election of our 17th president, Dr. Sharon Gaber. Dr. Gaber, formally The University of Arkansas provost, is UT's first female president. Her vision for The University of Toledo, paired with her ambition, will ensure an exciting time in UT history for students, faculty, stuff, alumni, and the community.
What was the application process like for this position?
To apply for a position as The University of Toledo student member, I submitted my resume and a cover letter, and I filled out an extensive application including information about my education, work experience, campus and community involvement, as well as any awards and recognition received. I then participated in a series of interviews.
First, I was interviewed by the dean of students and both the previous and current student government president. Then, along with the other applicants, I was asked to join in a group interview with the members of student government.
My application was then reviewed by university administration before it was sent to the office of the Ohio governor, John R. Kasich. It was then that I was interviewed by the Deputy Director of Boards and Commissions and the Boards and Commissions Assistant.
The office of the governor made their decision after interviewing the applicants, and I received a call on July 2nd from the Deputy Director of Boards and Commissions offering me the position.
When do you start?
My term will last for two years; it began on July 2, 2015, and it will end on July 1, 2017. There are two student members on the Board, and the terms begin and end on rotating years.
Netflix is the notorious sidekick of today’s college student. Do you have any favorite shows you follow? And if so, what characters do you most identify with?
I suppose this may make me the outlier to most college students, but I honestly do not watch very much television, and I do not have a Netflix account. However, if I ever have the opportunity to watch Netflix with friends, I enjoy watching New Girl.
I feel that I relate to Jess because she always attempts to maintain a very positive outlook on life.
Who did you sit beside in the first grade? What do you remember from first grade?
In the first grade, I was in Mrs. Huffman's first grade class during her very first year of teaching. I sat beside a boy who ended up moving a couple of years later, and I remember him throwing up on my desk one day. I jumped out of my desk chair as fast as I could - I'm not sure I ever moved so fast in my life!
The next year, in the second grade, I wore pajamas to school thinking that it was pajama day. They were cute silky pajamas decorated with monkeys and moons on them, but I arrived to school and quickly realized that pajama day was actually a day later. My mom had to bring me regular clothes to change into.
You’re working as an Undergraduate Assistant with the Hospital Council of Northwest Ohio. Can you tell us a bit about the work you’re doing? What do you enjoy doing most in the position?
Currently, I am employed as an undergraduate assistant working in the Health Assessments division. We currently create health assessments for 40 counties in the states of Ohio, Michigan, and Oregon by using a survey method among adult, youth, and child populations. I work primarily with youth secondary data and our survey mailing system.
However, I have recently accepted a new position at The University of Toledo Medical Center as a student assistant to the patient advocate in the Department of Service Excellence. In this position, I will be working to improve the patient experience at the hospital through direct communication and interviewing of patients.
I am looking forward to working in a hospital setting and creating relationships with new patients every day. This position offers me the opportunity to ensure that the voices of UTMC's patients are heard, much like I have the opportunity to do for UT's students as a student trustee.
If I told you that in 20 years you would be famous, what do you hope you might be famous for?
If I was famous in 20 years, I hope it will be for world peace. But, if that sounds too ambitious, I would hope to be known for ending world hunger, providing healthcare opportunities where there are none, giving homes to the homeless, or something like that.
Do you have a mantra or any particular sentiments you live by?
My favorite quote is by Mother Teresa: "Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
What has been your favorite class while at college? What was one of its greatest takeaways?
I am involved in a leadership program referred to as Levis Leadership UT. The first year of the program includes participation in a class. Our professor taught us that leaders must have integrity, charisma, and intelligence.
Those three qualities have been written on the whiteboard of my room ever since, and I do my best to lead by them. We learned how to lead by putting those we serve first, we learned about the importance of focusing on our strengths, we learned about motivation, intuition, creating momentum, and so much more. I would recommend applying for membership in Levis Leadership UT to anyone considering The University of Toledo as their location of study.
Anna will be a junior at the University of Toledo this fall. Leave a comment to wish her well in her new position.
