You’re reading a story from Sidelines 100, a project showcasing a century of student storytelling at Middle Tennessee State University. Sidelines 100 plans to highlight 100 stories from the newspaper archives this fall and spring.

This story originally ran in the Feb. 7, 2011, edition of Sidelines. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of all things Sidelines 100.

The story has been updated for current basic AP style, but the wording in the story has not changed. Any ideas, perspectives or opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Sidelines.

Members of the Student Government Association were invited Thursday to compete for a chance to be the next student representative to the Tennessee Board of Regents. 

Appointed by Gov. Phil Bredesen in June to serve as the student board member for the 2010-2011 academic year, Casey McCullum, a senior majoring in speech and theatre, currently holds the position. With only four months left as the student board member, McCullum urged her fellow MTSU students to apply for the top spot. 

“What I’d like to do today is to challenge you to take that next step,” McCullum said. “And what might that be since [the SGA] already represents the students of MTSU? That next step would be to represent the students of Tennessee.” 

McCullum’s yearlong term will end this summer, and this spring Gov. Bill Haslam will pick a new student board member to sit among the 18 TBR officials for the 2011-2012 academic year. 

The deadline for applications is March 8. 

The selection process is thorough, and candidates will also be interviewed by all of the Student Government Association presidents from across the state. Three applicants will be chosen to be reviewed by Haslam for his final decision. 

“From there, three people are selected: one from the university, one from a community college and one from either,” McCullum said. “Then those applications, resumes [and] letters of reference [will] go in front of the governor, and the governor will pick one person out of those three.” 

That student will be the sole representative of every college student in the state, McCullum said. 

“You are the one student representing the entire state of Tennessee students,” McCullum said, while speaking with officers and senators during the weekly SGA meeting. 

The position comes with rewarding benefits, McCullum said. 

“I’ve been able to meet the new Governor twice over the past two months,” McCullum said. “I’ve had dinner next to Gov. [Phil] Bredesen before he left office. I’ve met a lot of [state] representatives and a lot of senators — you’re on the front lines.” 

However, the TBR position is demanding and leaves little room for a personal life, McCullum said, as she spoke about her experience working with the board. 

“There’s no boyfriend for the past year [or] sorority life,” McCullum said. “It’s everything you make it to be — honestly.” 

TBR is the nation’s sixth largest system of public higher education and represents more than 190,000 students. It governs six state universities, 13 community colleges and 26 technology centers. 

“The TBR makes huge decisions that impact every single student’s life in the state, and each of you have the potential to make those decisions and help in that process,” McCullum said.