Maggie White, 21, a graduate student at Stanislaus State, serves as the only voting student trustee on the California State University’s Board of Trustees. One of two student trustees in the nearly 500,000 student CSU system, White, who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2015, takes her position as the “student’s voice” seriously.
"I want to be a trustee for all students," she said.
White graduated from Stan State in 2016 with a bachelor’s in communication studies and is pursuing her master’s degree in public administration, also at Stan State. She expects to graduate in 2018.
In addition to a full course load and work associated with her student trustee position, which requires bimonthly trips to Board meetings held in Long Beach, White holds a part-time job as an environment compliance specialist.
White speaks passionately about making higher education more accessible to all students, inspired by her own path to college — one she almost didn’t take. Despite earning straight-A’s in high school, the once-shy teenager didn’t think she would be successful in college.
"I know how education can change a person's life. I don't know of another area that affects a person's life like education does," White said. "I will not take for granted that I have a seat and a vote at this table.”