Haley Dees arrived early for her first Board of Trustees meeting as the new undergraduate student trustee. She was unsure of what to expect but a few deep breaths later she was eager to embrace her new role on the board.

Dees is a sophomore aerospace engineering major with a minor in applied mathematics. She was appointed to the board by Ohio governor Mike DeWine and will serve as undergraduate student trustee for the next two years.

Dees is no stranger to leadership roles. As a freshman, she became a member of Alpha Lambda Delta honors society and the Honors Leadership Academy. She currently serves as the events coordinator for the Women in Engineering Club, an organization she helped found.

“I’ve always been involved at all points in my life … through leadership roles and things that I can represent my peers and make a difference and make an impact,” Dees said.

Dees looks forward to bringing a student perspective to business decisions made by the board.

“Ultimately, we aren’t there as voting members because we’re there for our own learning experience and for them to learn from us,” she said. “We’re there for the perspective on the student side of things … they’re very receptive to student input.”

Dees attends all business meetings for the board of trustees and sits on two standing committees, the Finance and Administration Committee and the Academic Excellence and Student Success Committee. She will also represent the board at various campus and student events throughout the semester, such as appearing during homecoming.

Dees spends extra time preparing for board of trustees meetings. She often does research and schedules meetings with members of the president’s cabinet to perform best in her role.

“So far as goals, I just really want to focus on my personal and professional development,” she said. “Just to be a more well-rounded young professional by the end of this experience.”

Dees will serve alongside nine voting members appointed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, three nonvoting national trustees and the current graduate student trustee Haley Crews.

Dees wants to thank the trustees for their support as she learns her new role and her mentor from the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, Alyssa Robinson, for encouraging her to apply to the board.

Grace Springer is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].