Student Trustee George Utkov (Courtesy of George Utkov)

Junior George Utkov has been chosen as the Student Trustee for 2013-2014.

“The moment I heard the news, I was speechless. I consider serving as Student Trustee to be an honor,” Utkov said. “I am very excited about this great opportunity.”

As the Student Trustee, Utkov will be a full voting member of the Board of Trustees. SMU is one of a handful of universities that selects a student to serves on its governing board.

The Board consists of 41 members and serves as the governing body for SMU. Utkov will sit on the Academic Planning, Policy and Management or Finance Committee in addition to the Executive, Trusteeship and Legal and Governmental Affairs Committees.

“As student trustee I hope to effectively communicate the interests of our student body to our university governing body sharing student interests, concerns, and priorities,” Utkov said.

Utkov, a mechanical engineering major, is optimistic about the future of the university.

“With increasing investments in scholarships, facilities, student support systems, and passionate, talented faculty and staff, I believe that the sky is the limit for SMU,” Utkov said.

The eight student representatives on the Board of Trustee’s standing committees have also been selected.

Zane Cavender (building and grounds), Rahfin Faruk (academic policy, planning and management), Lauren Lyngstad (development and external affairs), John Angle (finance and audit liaison), Antonea Bastian and Will Slack (student affairs) and Jaison Thomas (investments) will serve as student representatives.

Ramon Trespalacios, the student body president elect, will serve as an ex officio representative on the student affairs committee.

Utkov will serve as the Student Trustee during a time of academic growth for the university.

“There are so many great things happening on campus- the opening of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, new sophomore housing, and the move into a different athletic conference – all strengthening SMU’s position as a leading institution of higher learning,” Utkov said.

“I believe that our university’s future is even brighter because of our commitment to developing ‘World Changers.'”