Isaac's Road To The University Student Body Presidency
Isaac Smitherman is recent graduate of the U of Cincinnati
Isaac Smitherman recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and Legal Study Certificate at the University of Cincinnati.
Isaac was the President of the University Student Body in his final year of college.
Why Student Government?
Isaac’s dad, a Member of the Cincinnati City Council, was a big influence. In addition,
Isaac has always had a passion or a drive to want to help people.
And he saw student government as the best avenue to be able to do that.
It actually started in High School.
High School
Isaac was the president of his class student government in the senior year of high school;
It involved planning for homecoming and the prom;
It didn’t involve any advocacy of the kind he would do later in college.
Oops!
When Isaac joined College, he applied to a Student Government Mentorship Program.
They sent him an email saying he was accepted.
But Isaac was 2 days late responding to the email.
They told Isaac that they had given his spot to someone else because he took too long to respond!
Lucky Break
Luckily for Isaac, another avenue opened up.
One of his friends from high school who was the president of the class student government before him, decided that she wanted to run to be a senator at large.
And so Isaac helped her put her campaign together by becoming her campaign manager.
And, she ended up winning!
Then Isaac became the director of city relations. He organized a Government Relations Summit.
Invited state legislators to come to campus,
To talk to students about getting involved civically,
Sharing what's going on at the statehouse, and
How students can have a have a voice and advocate for the issues.
The event attracted a lot of students and was really very successful.
Climbing the Student Government Ladder
Isaac then became treasurer in student government handling all the finances.
He organized, for example, an advocacy day where they traveled to the Ohio State House, to meet with people in person, and really advocate for college affordability.
Isaac gained a lot of experience by his third year in student government.
He’d been on committees, in the Senate room, on the executive board.
It made sense to run for student body president.
And so a close friend of his joined student government and became a Senator.
They decided to team up and Isaac ran for student body president.
The Presidency Effect
Isaac became the Student Body President for the 2022-23 term. His goal has been to make the role of Student Government:
Really advocate for students,
Being a voice for students on campus,
Signal to students that the Student Government is a resource for students to utilize, and here to help.
And have an impact on the things that students are experiencing.
On With the Podcast
Isaac joins our podcast to share his undergraduate college journey at the University of Cincinnati, his UG Research & Co-Op experiences, Being Student Body President, Majoring in Environmental Engineering, and Advice for High School students.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
Overall Experience at U Cincinnati
Transition to College
Interest in Student Government
Co-Op Experience
Advice for High Schoolers
Listen to the Podcast with Isaac Smitherman on his Experience at the University of Cincinnati. (53-Minute Listen).
Have a Great Week.
Venkat