From studying as an undergraduate at IU-Bloomington to working as graduate student in Muncie and now as a part of the administration, Zach Arnold has experienced many facets of IU.
Arnold began his term as a student trustee on the IU Board of Trustees on July 1. He attended his first trustee meeting Aug. 10 and 11 and said it was a great experience that allowed him to bring his distinct perspective to the trustees.
Arnold, a second-year medical student at the IU School of Medicine in Muncie, said his desire to become a trustee came from his experience at IU-Bloomington before grad school.
“I had this incredibly positive experience at IU as an undergrad,” Arnold said.
As a kid, Arnold said he came to the Bloomington campus for football and basketball games with his parents. This was his first experience with the University. However, he said attending IU as a student caused him to grow spiritually and emotionally as well, which was a very different experience.
Arnold said he experienced this relationship-building on the IU Student Foundation as they prepared for the Little 500. He said he sees being a trustee as a way of giving back to the campus that gave a lot to him.
In attending a different IU campus than the main Bloomington campus for grad school, Arnold said the dual experience gives him a greater perspective as a trustee in seeing how things are run on a smaller IU campus as well as the larger Bloomington campus.
Arnold also said being the youngest trustee offers him a fresher perspective than some of the other trustees whose graduation dates were much less recent.
“When you’re closer to the product that’s being put out, you see things that others don’t necessarily,” Arnold said.
Further, Arnold still has connection to Bloomington and the other IU campuses rather than just the Muncie campus, which furthers his perspective.
“I still have an ear at each campus to see how things are going, and I get an honest perspective,” Arnold said.
At the August meeting, Arnold said he brought a fresh perspective, especially in reference to the new Academic Health Center which was approved by the trustees to go in next to the IU golf course. The center will combine outpatient and inpatient services and health sciences education and research.
“There were just some logistics things that come from being at IU-Muncie,” Arnold said.
He said he added input about the parking situation at this center and housing for the students who would be moving to Bloomington to study at the new academic health center. He said he also led discussion on what the board would do with the vacant buildings on the five other campuses once the Bloomington health center was opened.
“It was an awesome experience,” Arnold said, “I can’t say enough about how much fun it was and how much I learned.”
Arnold said he enjoyed seeing the work being done out of the public eye at the University and the love that the trustees have for IU.
“Whether it’s publicly or behind-the-scenes, IU is always looking for a way to improve itself,” Arnold said.
Arnold said the other trustees were very welcoming to him and that the experience is going to help him in his future.
“I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience in building leadership skills and giving lessons about running an educational institution well,” Arnold said.
In a press release, President Michael McRobbie spoke of the promise that Arnold brought to the trustees.
“I am delighted for the opportunity to work with Zachary, whose appointment continues the practice of choosing IU’s most impressive students to provide a student perspective on the board,” McRobbie said.
Arnold said he had plans for his future as a trustee in addressing how to make higher education more accessible and further adding value to IU’s education. However, Arnold said the one thing he always keeps in mind is that he wants to make IU continue to excel.
“My goal in the future is what we can do to improve upon the product we’ve been given,” Arnold said.
