Editor,
Susana Martinez selected Jake Wellman on Monday as her appointment to the student regent position for the UNM Board of Regents.
Whatever your feelings are on the UNM or Martinez administrations, or the bureaucracy at large, students should feel confident that Martinez has selected a champion for the students.
Wellman’s leadership experience began in Boy Scouts of America, when he was elected national chief in 2008. I met Wellman at UNM in fall 2008, when we ran together for ASUNM Senate positions. Although he was not elected, former ASUNM President Ashley Fate appointed him ASUNM chief of staff and director of the Lobby Committee.
He quickly became an asset to ASUNM. Fate’s successor, Monika Roberts, appointed him ASUNM attorney general.
Wellman continues serving the undergraduate student body today as a member of the Student Fee Review Board, and president of the Student Union Building Board, where he was instrumental in securing new and healthy campus food options.
Even though Wellman devotes considerable time to ASUNM, he also represents the undergraduate students as a budgetary adviser to President Schmidly on the President’s Strategic Advisory Team. He is also a Truman Scholar National Finalist and president of the fraternity Alpha Tau Omega.
Wellman, a political science major, not only has experience with UNM politics, but also with New Mexico and national politics. He served as a Congressional intern in Washington, D.C., with Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and in doing so, served the people of the First Congressional District of New Mexico.
Wellman is interning in Santa Fe at Think New Mexico, a policy organization specific to New Mexico Legislation. Additionally, his employment with UNM Government Relations provided countless hours of training from UNM’s top lobbyists and governmental relations spokespeople.
As both a student of the University and an important member of the school’s decision-making community, it is safe to say that Wellman understands how the University operates and how it can be better.
One might say this is quite the résumé, but Wellman does not hold these positions for personal gain. He fills his days with these responsibilities because he cares about UNM students’ needs.
He knows that the student voice is vital to the University’s success, and he wants to represent us in a way that amplifies what students are asking for and accomplishes their objectives.
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Other campus leaders, administrators and now the governor value his opinion and voice.
Regardless of where you stand politically, I am writing to tell you, based on Wellman’s dedication to his responsibilities and to UNM students, I know him to be a man of honor, intelligence and integrity. He is on our side.
Chelsea Stallings
Former ASUNM Senator
