Since he arrived on campus in Fall 2003, Young Trustee finalist David Snider has refused to let up.
With a laundry list of activities-including participation in Duke Student Government, several Board of Trustees committees and Delta Tau Delta fraternity-Snider, a senior, said he has sought to maximize the Duke experience by trying to understand all aspects of the University.
"I have tried to become involved with as many University committees, as well as every possible student experience, from tenting to studying abroad to tutoring at local schools," Snider said. "[Being a Young Trustee] has the potential of a culminating experience."
Snider added that even with a very fulfilling career at Duke, he would probably stay around for two more years if he could.
"I've been very blessed in having made great friends and a lot of wonderful experiences, but I can certainly see doing another four years and not repeating very many things and still having a great time," he said.
As a Young Trustee, Snider said he would focus on issues like Central Campus planning, new international partnerships and student services. He added that Duke's emphasis on undergraduates is what makes the school unique.
"One of the things I've loved about Duke is that it's an undergraduate-focused institution," Snider said. "As we expand and become more global and add all these new programs, I think it's important to figure out how they can be utilized to enhance the undergraduate experience."
As DSG vice president of athletics and campus services, Snider was instrumental in installing plasma TVs in Wilson Recreation Center, implementing the off-campus bus route and increasing the number of C-1 buses running nights and weekends.
"He is very driven and is extremely organized and passionate," said senior Ryan Harris, president of DTD and Snider's former roommate. "He's also very good at dealing with the pros and cons of any given situation. He's very honest, forthright and an outstanding individual with moral character."
But Snider's vision for Duke involves more than just undergraduates. He said that a key issue facing the Board of Trustees is the Duke-Durham relationship and the question of how to expand community involvement.
"Duke has a huge interest in making Durham a place that faculty want to live and students want to interact with and live in as well," Snider said.
He added that his interest in Durham led him to write a senior thesis on the prospects of urban renewal in the city. Ellen Mickiewicz, professor of public policy studies and director of its honors program, said Snider's research was stunning and multidisciplinary. "I was extremely impressed by his ability to get things quickly, but not lightly," Mickiewicz said. "He understood, but was careful at the same time, so that he was sure of his foundation of what he was thinking or saying."
Snider said his comprehensive understanding of the various facets of the University would help him as a Young Trustee.
He added that his work experience at Bain & Company, a global strategy consulting firm, would prepare him for the responsibilities of a Young Trustee.
"On the Board of Trustees, knowledge is power," Snider said. "The ability to see how Central Campus planning affects the medical center's expansion and their operations is critical to be able to have insights that the Board will respond to and be able to influence their decision making."
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