Portrait by Ellen Marello

“What will the students think about this?” That was the important question posed during my tenure as the student representative to the Tyndale University Board of Governors. My first term in 2018-19 was neither decorative nor performative, far from a gesture extended just so students can “feel heard.”

Rather, I was a full member with an equal vote, attended all sessions, and served on a committee. When friends and fellow students heard about my appointment, many asked, “What does the board even do? Who is on the board? Is it made up of professors?” I helped them understand the board’s role and the structures of institutional leadership. I encouraged students to have confidence that the school was led by wise governors.

That encouragement feels much more sincere when it is coming from someone with a vested interest in the experience of students now.

Since graduating, I have joined the board again for a second term. Sometimes boards are composed of members established in their careers and leading in senior management positions. Their voices are valuable. As a recent graduate, however, I can share the unique and often under-represented perspective of younger alumni learning to leverage their education as they adapt to the complexities of today’s workforce.