Trent White started attending county commission meetings as a middle school student, and he hasn’t stopped chasing his passion for public service since then. 

White, now a sophomore at ETSU, is running unopposed for the position of ETSU Student Government Association (SGA) president this year.

Photo of Trent White. (Contributed/ETSU SGA)

He has been a part of SGA since his freshman year, where he served in the Junior Senate. He was later appointed to the SGA Senate and served on the Research and Internal Affairs Committees. This year, he was appointed secretary of communications.

He currently serves as president of the ETSU Mock Trial team, vice president of the Pre-Law Society and attorney general for the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL). White was inducted in the Roan Scholars Leadership Program ahead of his start at the university. 

From Erwin, Tennessee, White is studying political science with a minor in public administration. Below are some of the questions posed to White by the East Tennessean to have a better understanding of his background, qualifications and intentions as SGA president.

Question: What prior experiences, both academic and non-academic, qualify you for this position?

White: “As a political science major, studying government structures and public policy has prepared me to develop a team that can research, evaluate, write, and enact legislation that meaningfully impacts student life. I was appointed to a unique SGA committee, the Research Committee, that specialized in identifying the needs of the student body. These policy issues included discussing parking solutions on campus, selecting better food choices in the Culp, and changing the CPA dress code.”

Question: How will you be working to better the lives of the ETSU community? What are some key points or issues of the platform you are running on?

White: “My team will work together with bold ideas to make this campus stronger than ever. This means working together to uncover unnecessary hidden fees in our tuition and establishing SGA mobile office hours to reach students by tabling weekly. We’re implementing bold strategies to broaden internship opportunities in the community and build a more ADA-friendly campus. Finally, I want to build a stronger student body by expanding counseling services and making dead week dead again.”

Question: If elected SGA president, what is the first change or policy you wish to enact?

White: “Within the first few weeks of my administration, I plan to begin mobile office hours by tabling around campus to hear from students. This will allow us to gauge student concerns and develop a strategy to address them. We will also meet with the Career Center to find solutions to fund internships in the community, provide connections in the Appalachian Highlands, and create future employment opportunities. I also hope to revitalize SGA’s social media pages to better communicate with students.”

ETSU has a diverse population of students in every sense. How will you cater to the needs of such a group? Are there specific populations you would like ETSU to serve better?

White: “I will work to foster an environment on campus where diversity is valued and incorporated into our conversations to enhance strategies, processes, and overall effectiveness as an institution. When everyone feels valued as an essential part of our ETSU family, we all succeed. I know that I cannot completely understand firsthand the needs of every group on campus; however, what I can do is listen. I’m prepared to do the outreach necessary to find those groups of students whose voices often go unheard. For example, commuter students are often underrepresented in student organizations, campus life, and university plans, and I hope to build a bridge of dialogue between SGA and those who don’t live on campus.

ETSU SGA election voting opens April 5 at 8 a.m. and will run through April 6 at 4 p.m. For more information, visit etsu.edu/sga/.