Attaining the position of student representative on the Missouri Southern Board of Regents wasn’t on her list of things to do.

Stacey Allen, junior elementary education major, said she wasn’t even aware such a position existed until Doug Carnahan, dean of students, brought her up to speed.

He asked her if she was interested in applying for the role, and Allen, who is also secretary of the Student Senate, decided go for it.

Three students are nominated by the Student Senate to apply for the position. This particular vacancy was difficult to fill because of the lacking interest on the students’ behalf.

“I was interested because I am involved with Senate, and this was a way to get more involved,” she said.

After filling out an application, Allen was interviewed via telephone by Gov. Bob Holden’s assistant.

“It (the interview) was kind of quick,” she said.

“I was surprised it wasn’t more formal. I just told them about myself and everything I am involved in.”

The job of filling the position of student Regent took two years.

Carnahan said there was delay after delay in this process, and one year after Allen applied, she was finally named to the Board. In the mean time, Zack Odem, Senate president, was filling in as the interim student representative at the Board meetings.

Allen will be sworn into the position at the governor’s office at a future date.

Now that she is student representative, she must attend the Board of Regents meetings. Although she’s not allowed to vote on issues, her job is to inform the other Regents of the students’ viewpoints.

“I really didn’t do a lot at the first meeting,” she said. “I just kind of observed and saw how it ran.”

To prepare for her new responsibilities, Allen said she has been getting advice from Odem. She said getting student input on topics facing the Board is made easier due to the fact she also is involved in Senate.

“I’m really trying to talk to people and see what they want done,” she said.

In between her duties as student representative and Senate secretary, Allen also spends her time as a Southern orientation leader as well the intramural coordinator. As coordinator, she is in charge of “supervising,” and planning the events.

She is also the National Intramural Recreation Sports Association student representative for Missouri.

Although her list of extracurricular activities is filed among other things such as boyfriend time and school work, Allen believes all the mayhem helps her.

“It’s tricky, but you just have to manage your time and run like crazy,” she said.

“It keeps me involved in the College, and I like that.

“I believe that if I’m involved in everything, it will make me have a better college experience.”