Local student appointed to Board of Governors

NEW GARDEN » A Kennett High School graduate who now serves as the student body president at Kutztown University has been appointed to the board that oversees the policies of Pennsylvania’s 14 state system universities.

Molly Gallagher grew up in New Garden and has become the first member of her family to attend college. From the early years of her education she sought leadership, running for class president in middle school and being elected to that post in her sophomore and junior years. As of this, her senior year at Kutztown University, she has held that post for two years.

More recently she has received an even higher honor: She was appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf as one of three students to the Pennsylvania State System of High Education 20-member Board of Governors. This is no small station. The Board of Governors establishes policies, oversees the management of the State System and appoints the chancellors and presidents. It also approves academic programs, sets tuition and coordinates the State System operating budget. Serving on that board as well are state legislators, appointees from the governor and the student body presidents of two other state system universities. The governor of Pennsylvania or a designee also is a board member, as is the state secretary of education or a designee.

Gallagher, 22, said she is not over-awed by working side-by-side with powerful legislators and state officers. In fact, she said, “They are always willing to help me.”

The issues the board is currently considering in depth, she said, are ensuring success of students, leveraging university strengths and transforming leadership structures.

That body of universities governed by the board are familiar to the public as those that evolved out of the early state teachers colleges like West Chester, Cheyney, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown and others.

“There were some at first that I wasn’t even aware of,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher said she applied for the post on the board, was interviewed and received notification of her acceptance via a letter from the governor.

From all accounts, Gallagher appears will suited for her post. She is majoring in communication studies and has four minors: public relations, leadership, public administration and women and gender studies. In her capacity as student body president she has worked with others in the same position in other universities and knows them well.

As she faces graduation in May, she is looking forward to graduate school (which one, she hasn’t picked out yet) and wants to pursue advanced work in student affairs and higher education. Ultimately, she wants to work in college administration, possibly being a dean.

“I grew up the first [to be] college-educated in my family. I want to make sure others get through the door and have a good experience,” she said.

With her graduation from Kutztown, she will leave the board of governors, and another university student body president will replace her. She admitted that all her activities at the university and board keep her busy, but she maintains her friendships with former classmates at Kennett and likes to hang out with them and go to the beach.

The daughter of Danny and Deirdre Gallagher, she has a sister, Annie, and a brother, Jack. She said she initially chose Kutztown because she got the feeling that she would be more than a number there.

“I grew up the first [to be] collegeeducated in my family. I want to make sure others get through the door and have a good experience.” — Molly Gallagher, Kutztown University senior and Kennett High School graduate

Molly Gallagher