Brandon Goodwin stepped away from the podium and into the position of Young Trustee at a Duke Student Government meeting Wednesday night.
The senior, who beat out fellow seniors Chris Kallmeyer and Hirsh Sandesara, will serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees. For the latter two years, he will have the voting privileges of a trustee.
During his speech to DSG and InterCommunity Council members, Goodwin emphasized the importance of leadership, communication and accountability in a person who holds the position of Young Trustee.
"Above all else, the role of the Young Trustee must be approachable-somebody who's willing to take risks," Goodwin said after the meeting. "Tonight, I really wanted to show that I am an approachable person. I am comfortable serving as an effective communicator between students and trustees."
Goodwin, currently DSG executive vice president and president of Bench and Bar Association, said he has come to understand the importance of forming relationships and will be the person to speak up in the boardroom.
"He's one of the more approachable people I know. He's very friendly," said senior Logan Leinster, head of the Young Trustee Nominating Committee and a long-time friend of Goodwin. "He works the room really well, so hopefully he can argue points in a way that is competent yet very friendly, very approachable."
In upcoming years, Goodwin said the University should encourage interdisciplinary study and mentoring. In addition, he said he will work to strengthen the academic community and promote partnerships with Durham-based and international corporations.
"Those are my passions, but to clarify, nobody should have an agenda coming into the Young Trustee," Goodwin said. "You're really supposed to be prepared for whatever comes your way."
As he walked around the meeting room Wednesday, Goodwin said he was the best man for the job because he had shared many experiences with a variety of students on campus. Goodwin said that he, like most students, studied abroad, spent cold nights in Krzyzewski, lost 18 DukeCards and amassed 22 parking tickets during his time at the University.
Each Young Trustee candidate was allotted 20 minutes to present his platform and answer questions from DSG and ICC members. Student representatives from both groups submitted one vote each. Goodwin was chosen by a majority of the votes and received a standing ovation from many in the room after he was named Young Trustee.
Leinster said the process of choosing the new trustee went smoothly this year, although she admitted that there were some complaints about the lack of diversity among the eight semifinalist candidates, of which only one was a woman.
Leinster said all three finalists had the knowledge and commitment to do a good job on the Board of Trustees.
"I'm very numb right now," Goodwin said. "To know that I'll have a stake in Duke's future for the next three years is really exciting."
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