The application for the Young Alumni Trustee (YAT) position opened on Tuesday, Dec. 1 and is now available online for members of the class of 2016.

The YAT position was created in 2011 by the Board of Trustees with the objective of incorporating younger perspectives into the board’s decision-making processes. Since the position was created, five Dickinson alumni have served in the position. The sitting Young Alumni Trustees are Margot Cardamone  ’14 and Kayla Muirhead ’15.

According to the position description available on the college website, Young Alumni Trustees have the same voting power as other members of the board. They are expected to fulfill all the duties typical of a board member, including presence at all trustees meetings, service to the committee to which they are assigned and promoting the college favorably to members of the college communities and their own communities. The Board meets three times a year, typically in October, January and May, with committee meetings held periodically throughout the year.

“The Young Alumni Trustee position is not only unique to the shared governance model we hold dear at the college, but is indicative of the culture of our Board of Trustees to seek out diverse perspectives to inform its short- and long-term decision-making,” said Ashley Perzyna, assistant chief of staff and assistant secretary of the college. “[The] student who is elected to serve has an incredible opportunity to be the nexus between the board, current student body and young alumni/recent graduates. We encourage all students who are passionate about higher education, eager to remain engaged with the college and willing to tell—and encourage others to tell—the Dickinson story, to apply.”

All members of the class of 2016 are eligible to apply for the position. Applicants must submit an online application and two letters of recommendation. An on-campus selection committee will review applications, then make recommendations to the Committee on Trustees, a committee of the Board, who will choose candidates to interview on campus in March.

Once interviews are complete, the committee will decide on two to three finalists to put forth to the Committee on Trustees, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees, who will then decide on a final candidate. The full board elects the new trustee at its annual meeting in May, and then the selection is announced as a surprise at Commencement.

Seniors can download the Young Alumni Trustee application at dickinson.edu/form/pdf/YAT.pdf. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, January 31, 2016.