Governor Mike DeWine has appointed Haley Crews as graduate student trustee of the Board of Trustees.
Announced at the Board of Trustees meeting on September 15, Crews will serve a two-year term, replacing Jasmine Hoff, whose term as graduate student trustee recently concluded.
Crews holds a B.S. degree in Neuroscience and Sociology from the University of Mount Union and is currently enrolled in the Sociology Ph.D. program at Kent State, pursuing a master’s degree in Sociology.
As part of her undergraduate career at the University of Mount Union, Crews served as the Executive Vice President for Student Senate, attending Faculty Senate and Board of Trustee Meetings. She also served as Chapter President for Alpha Delta Pi for two years and was a member of the University of Mount Union’s latest Presidential Search Committee.
Currently, at Kent State, Crews serves as the President of Alpha Kappa Delta, the honor society for sociology and criminal justice, and the Social Chair of Sociologists for Women in Society in Kent. Outside of the university, she serves as the Panhellenic Advisor for Alpha Delta Pi at Allegheny College and is a member of Mount Union Women.
“Being the graduate student trustee is a role that I do not take lightly,” said Crews. “It is an honor to serve the community in this role, and I hope to provide an informed and confident voice at board meetings.”
The Board of Trustees is the governing body at Kent State and is responsible for selecting and appointing the president, setting the operating budget, approving personnel appointments, and more. The current board consists of 13 members, nine of which are voting members appointed by the governor of Ohio to nine-year terms of office. In addition, two student trustees, one undergraduate and one graduate are appointed by the governor to two-year terms of office. It is rounded out by two national trustees, who each serve three-year terms as additional nonvoting members.
Crews says she is looking forward to making an impact in her new role.
“I pursued this role because I am passionate about higher education, and I know that this experience will help me prepare for my future career as a faculty member and someday as an administrator,” she said. “I know that college can be a transformative experience for many students, and I hope that I can one day provide that transformative experience for students. Being a first-generation student, I know I would not be the individual I am today without the contributions and opportunities that were given to me by my undergraduate institution and Kent State.”
Crews stated she is anxious to get started, and students should not hesitate to contact her should they have any questions or issues.
“I love higher education, and I will do my best to ensure that if I do not know the answer to a question, I will work diligently to put them in contact with the individual who can help,” she said. “I am also hoping to see the Board and the administration work together to ensure continued success for and its students.”
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Lamar Hylton is excited about what Crews can bring to the position and is confident her vast background will contribute to a very successful stint.
“I am really excited about Haley being on board, and she has a lot of experience at her previous institution as an undergraduate with university administration and governance,” he said. “I think that will translate really, really nicely into her role as a Graduate Student Trustee.”
For more information regarding Kent State’s Board of Trustees, visit www.kent.edu/bot.