Gayle Baugh appointed student member of Vincennes board

Gayle Baugh

VINCENNES — A Putnam County native will serve as the student member of the Vincennes University board of trustees for the next year.

Gayle Baugh, the daughter of Jerrod and Tara Baugh, was announced recently as Gov. Eric Holcomb’s selection to serve on the board until Oct. 1, 2023.

A junior this year, Baugh takes seriously her role as the voice of the student body on the board.

“I will sit on the board of trustees as the student representative, so I’m there to be the voice of the student body on the board,” Baugh told the Banner Graphic. “Being on the cheer team and being captain this year, I get to see students in that aspect. I also work in the admissions office, and I’m also a student tour guide. I also get to see potential students and hear what they are wanting as they are picking a university.”

Asked her biggest concern during her time on the board, Baugh had no doubt.

“The biggest thing with the university right now is enrollment,” Baugh said. “Covid has been really hard on that front, and I want to help with that — taking what I’m hearing in admissions to the board of trustees and making decisions that will help our enrollment.”

The selection process began in July with a large group of students interviewing with university staff members. Of these, three were selected to interview with Michael Nossett of Gov. Holcomb’s office.

That meeting apparently went well, if a bit long. This is no surprise for anyone who knows Jerrod Baugh and the fact that his daughter got his gift of gab.

“The meeting was supposed to be 20 minutes — it was an hour and a half for me,” Gayle said with a laugh. “I blame Jerrod Baugh.”

After these interviews in early September, Nossett took his impressions back to Holcomb, who ultimately chose Baugh.

Baugh was set to meet with Vincennes President Chuck Johnson on Thursday, and will be formally introduced to the board on Dec. 7.

The Cloverdale High School graduate is following in the footsteps of her mom, who is a kindergarten teacher at Cloverdale Elementary.

“I’m getting my bachelor’s in elementary and special education,” Baugh said. “It’s a dual license here. We get our K-12 general and our K-12 special ed.”