Harrisburg – The state Senate has confirmed the student government presidents from California, Indiana and Slippery Rock Universities of Pennsylvania to serve on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

Ryan Jerico, a senior majoring in science and technology with a minor in leadership studies at California University of Pennsylvania; Jessica Carson, a senior majoring in anthropology and sociology with a minor in Asian studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP); and Larry Brink, a senior majoring in finance at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, were confirmed by the Senate after being nominated by Governor Edward G. Rendell.

The 20-member Board of Governors has overall responsibility for planning and coordinating the development and operation of PASSHE. It establishes broad fiscal, personnel and educational policies under which the PASSHE universities operate. The three student members on the Board have full voting rights.

“Our student members bring an important perspective to the Board of Governors by representing the views of the more than 110,000 students across the State System,” said Board Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin. “They provide valuable input into all of our discussions and play an integral role in the decision-making process.”

Jerico of Canonsburg is president of Cal U’s Student Government Association. Previously, he served as the organization’s financial secretary. He also is president of the Student Association Inc., which owns and operates the student bookstore and residence halls at Cal U. and provides a variety of student services, and is vice chairperson for community service of the Board of Student Government Presidents (BSGP), an organization made up of student leaders from all 14 PASSHE universities.

Jerico was an attendee and presenter at the Conference on Student Government Associations, is certified as a student leader by the National Conference on Student Leadership and is president of the Technology Education Association at California. He is a community and conference assistant with the Office of Residence Life and Conference Services and has contributed more than 650 volunteer service hours to the Big Event Committee at Cal U., Boy Scouts of America and the First Lutheran Church of Washington, Pa. He is an Eagle Scout.

Carson of Quarryville is president of the IUP Student Government Association and also serves as the organization’s public relations chair. She served for a year as president of the IUP Society of Underground Poets and is vice president of the American Civil Liberties Union at IUP.

She has a basic understanding and comprehension of Arabic, Chinese and French languages and is a member of the Lambda Alpha National Honor Society for Anthropology. She has worked as a special education instructional assistant at the Davidson’s School for three summer, creating lesson plans, assignments and activities for students aged 16 to 20.

Brink of Uniontown is president of the Student Government Association at Slippery Rock, where he is responsible for planning and assessment of major strategic initiatives, including reviewing and revising the organization’s constitution and bylaws and budgeting procedures. He also is chairperson of the Board of Student Government Presidents.

He has overseen a variety of special projects for SGA, including a $7,000 tree planting campaign, in which 100 trees were planted around campus. He wrote a successful grant application as part of the Great Writing Experience, earning a Pittsburgh 250 grant of $5,000 to promote green space and green initiatives. He also works as a peer tutor, helping individuals and groups create study plans for success.

Now in its 25^th year, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.