A University of Illinois at Springfield student with ties to Jacksonville will soon be serving on the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Mackenzi Matthews of Springfield has been elected by her peers to serve as the Student Representative on the board, which is made up of 14 members, including one student representative and one non-traditional student representative.
Matthews was elected after having served on the IBHE Student Advisory Committee articulating policy and student issues on their behalf. She currently serves as the parliamentarian for the UIS Student Government Association, working last year to rewrite parts of the SGA constitution and bylaws as chair of the Constitution and Rules Committee.
Matthews is is the daughter of Penny Matthews, who is originally from Jacksonville, and the granddaughter of Dick and Brenda Matthews who currently reside in Jacksonville.
Matthews currently works as a committee clerk in the Office of the Clerk of the Illinois House of Representatives, and plans to earn a master’s degree and pursue a career in politics. She hopes to one day become a United States Senator.