University of New England

Student trustees attend regular trustee meetings and, once confirmed, have full voting rights. The intent of adding students to the board is to provide greater student perspective to the board and to better build connections between and within each campus.

2008-2009 Student Trustee Application Process Begins

The intent of adding students to the Board of Trustees, starting eight years ago, was to provide enhanced student perspective to the Board and to facilitate interactions between and within each campus.

Westbrook College Campus Student Trustee: Melissa Osborn

Prior to joining the UNE community, Melissa graduated from Kittitas High School in Washington in 2000, and then Washington State University’s Honors College summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in nursing in 2004. While at WSU, Melissa served the College of Nursing as the President of the Association of Intercollegiate Nursing Students of Yakima; an organization which included nursing students from Washington State University, Eastern Washington University, Whitworth College and Gonzaga University.  Melissa’s undergraduate experiences developed her leadership skills and allowed her to explore the career of the nurse anesthetist and the idiosyncrasies of the modern healthcare system via an honors thesis and internship project. Upon completion of the thesis, the pursuit of a career as a nurse anesthetist as well as many of the needs of the healthcare system became evident. Among the most poignant needs identified was that of interdisciplinary collaboration and collegiality. UNE’s innovative approach to healthcare education through its I2H2 (Integrated Interdisciplinary approach to Health and Healing) initiative specifically addressed the need for further interdisciplinary collaboration in an effort to improve the modern healthcare system and better prepare its graduates for functioning in collaborative roles.  

After serving as charge nurse of the critical and advanced care units at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington, and upon further investigation of programs throughout the United States, Melissa made UNE her goal for many reasons; including its state of the art simulation lab and its high regard for quality, collaborative healthcare education.  Melissa looks forward to serving the UNE community as a student trustee through the application of her developed leadership skills and practical knowledge of interdisciplinary collaboration, and by the facilitation of intercampus relations and integrated education to further enhance the opportunities provided to all students.

University Campus Student Trustee: Ryan Smith

Ryan Smith is a first year student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, having earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, Magna Cum Laude, from Stonehill College in Massachusetts.  Ryan’s UNE experience began even before his matriculation, as he served as a Research Fellow here for two summers.  Since his enrollment he has been elected a Student Representative in the COM Student Government Association (SGA), serves as Co-Chair of the Curriculum Committee, is a COM Admissions Tour Guide, and is a member of the COM Academics and Ethics Committees. Through his student government and committee work, Ryan has gained unusual insight on a wide range of topics which are important to students on all levels.