The Elon University Board of Trustees named Megan Curling a youth trustee member. Curling is set to serve on the board for two years.  

“I think it just really is an honor,” Curling said. “I've really had a lot of great experiences over four years at Elon. But I also recognize there are still ways that it can improve and so I'm excited to have people around me that thought I was competent and capable enough to put my name forward and then again for people to think the same after taking the time to talk to me.”

Curling was nominated by a faculty member for the board position. She interviewed in March and said the board voted on her nomination at its meeting April 29. Curling said she found out she got the position May 10. 

Curling will graduate from Elon on Friday with a degree in public health studies and journalism with a minor in human service studies. 

Curling said she thinks it is important to have recent graduates on the board of trustees. After graduating, she said she will be working in the Elon year of service fellows program as a part of Cone Health.

“Now as I'm leaving and being able to work in Alamance County for another year at Cone Health through Elon as an employee of the university, I think has just kind of positioned me perfectly to be able to walk into a room of equally powerful people and say, ‘Here's what my experiences, here's what I'm bringing to the table’ and be able to provide input on anything and everything,” Curling said.

According to the Elon University Board of Trustees website, there are typically two youth trustee members who serve on the board at a time, with one senior each year being elected to serve a two-year term. 

Curling will be the second youth trustee member on the board working alongside Jovani Mendez-Sandoval ’22, who is entering his second year. 

Curling said though she’s attended the trustees meetings before as a part of Elon’s Student Government Association, this will be the first time she will be a voting member and have a tangible say in the decisions made.

“I'm excited that people on campus — because of the areas I'm involved in — will hopefully see a familiar face and see someone that they're able to talk to and able to express concerns to in a room with a lot of loud voices,” Curling said. “So I think overall just really incredible opportunities that I'm really excited to explore.”

Curling said her first official meeting with the board will be in November.