Student leader: Clark representing Brescia, AIKCU on state board

Karah Wilson, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Updated ·3 min read

Sep. 27—Emilee Clark, Brescia University senior and Student Government Association president, has been appointed to the 2023-24 Kentucky Board of Student Body Presidents (KBSBP) as a representative of the college and the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges (AIKCU).

The board, which was established through state statute in 2013, aims to work with AIKCU and build a network of independent college student learners.

"On the board, there's a representative from each public university, two from the (Kentucky Community & Technical College System) and one AIKCU representative," Clark said. "We meet as a board, either virtually or in Frankfort, and we talk about our universities we represent and see what the issues are."

The board also advises the legislative and executive branches of state government, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and Kentucky's university presidents on postsecondary issues and concerns of being a college student.

"We review the legislation from a student's perspective and advise them on that," she said. "Like if, for example, they passed legislation to make all campuses dry, then we could come at it from a student perspective and advise them on the legislation."

Clark said the board position would allow her to take information from KBSBP and apply it in her role at Brescia, and vice versa.

"I can take the 'small school' perspective with me to the board and give smaller schools a voice," she said.

Clark is studying pre-law and political science at Brescia, and being on KBSBP will allow her to gain more knowledge about legislation, she said.

"Representing certain groups of people is really in my wheelhouse," she said. "I also really just want to give small universities a voice because no one really ever thinks about Brescia and be able to say these small universities are struggling with different issues."

Clark said she wants to help her fellow students through this role.

"I think having the opportunity to do that on a larger scale is something I'm really looking forward to, as well as collaborating with other student presidents," she said.

Clark is also hoping to gain more leadership skills.

"My parents always raised me to be a leader, not a follower," she said. "For me, I try to find that outlet in almost everything I do."

Mason Dyer, president of AIKCU, said based on the recommendations sent on Clark's behalf, he believes she will be a good fit for the board.

"She's a good person to start reaching out and building relationships with student leaders at these institutions," he said.

Clark plans to take a year off after she graduates in May before heading to law school.

"I'm going to be studying for the LSAT beginning in January and taking the test after graduation," she said. "I'm going to apply to law schools and I'm hoping I get into Ole Miss, because I want to go into air and space law and they're one of the only universities that offers it in the country aside from Nebraska."