SRU student Charli Severo selected to join University’s council of trustees
From left, Slippery Rock University President Karen Riley attends a ceremony in Old Main where SRU student Charli Severo was sworn in as a member of the SRU council of trustees by Shannon Young, administrative assistant in human resources and notary public of the University.
May 13, 2024
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University council of trustees has a new student voice. Charli Severo, an SRU junior dual political science and philosophy major from Albion, has been selected as a member of the council of trustees, the highest governing body of the University.
Severo fills the one seat on the 12-member COT designated for a full-time SRU undergraduate student. Severo has the same voting privileges as the other trustees.
"I love Slippery Rock University and I like being able to have a voice for my peers and be able to express their needs," Severo said. "I'm very excited for this opportunity and I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff, administration and the other trustees."
Severo was selected based on a campuswide application and interview process. A selection committee consisting of three employee union representatives and a representative from the Slippery Rock Student Government Association recommended Severo to SRU President Karen Riley. Riley approved the recommendation and forwarded Severo's name to the Office of the Chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. Severo's appointment was approved by the state's board of governors at its April 11 meeting, after which she was officially sworn in at a ceremony at SRU.
Among Severo's campus activities, she is president of the Law Society at SRU and president of the Debate Society, which placed first in the nation at the National Educational Debate Association Conference last month. Additionally, Severo was a peer leader for SRU's FYRST Seminar, a one-credit course designed to help bridge the transition for students between high school and college.
"As someone who is integrated into the campus community, and part of clubs and organizations, I think I am the right fit for this position," Severo said. "I hope to be a great liaison and being able to help students and the University as much as I can."
Severo replaces Cierra Mitchell, who served as a trustee for one year before graduating earlier this month. Severo's term will also expire upon graduation, after which she plans to attend law school.
More information about the COT is available on the council's webpage.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu