AMES, Iowa – Of all the years to begin serving on the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, Greta Johnson picked a tough one. Hit with large budget cuts and challenging economic conditions, the student representative and former 4-H’er had to make decisions that affected not only Iowa's public universities, but also her  peers, friends and self.

“I knew it would be a challenging position to be in, but with budget cuts and the economy, it was much more challenging,” said the Iowa State University senior. “A lot of things hit me differently than the other regents because I’m living it.”

The experience allowed her to see multiple sides of issues, though, and gave her unique perspectives on the reasoning behind decisions like the $100 spring tuition surcharge at Iowa’s three public universities.

“I see a lot of logic behind many things that students may not be in favor of. For example, we don’t want class sizes to increase, but with the surcharge to offset that, all we see is more money to pay,” she said. “As a student, it was a bit overwhelming representing so many students.”

Johnson’s prior involvement on the Iowa 4-H Foundation board from 2005-2007 helped prepare her for many other aspects of serving on the board, however. She had an understanding of the people and professional skills needed to be an effective member, and she knew about many of the essential interworkings of a board.

“Working on the foundation board definitely prepared me and gave me a lot of skills. I’m not intimidated by adults, and I also had a glimpse into things like strategic planning, auditing and budget issues which was definitely a positive thing,” she said. “One of my favorite aspects of 4-H is the networking. Especially from being on state council, I know so many people from around the state. I had a solid base of friends before I even came to ISU, and it still continues.”

With her last undergraduate semester under way, Johnson looks forward to May but is unsure about her exact post-graduation plans. She will graduate with a degree in political science and plans to enter the work force or begin graduate school.

Pursuing graduate school would allow Johnson the option to stay on the Board as long as she is a student at one of Iowa’s three regent universities. It’s also something she sees as beneficial to both herself and the Board. With the time it takes to adapt to the position and the current issues they face, she feels it’s important to keep everything consistent.

“There is a huge learning curve, and I'm still learning. Now I know the right people to talk to about certain things, but especially at this time, it’s important to keep the same group together," she said.

About the Board of Regents, State of Iowa
The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, is a group of nine citizens who govern Iowa's three public universities – Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of  Northern Iowa; and two special preschool/K-12 grade schools – the Iowa School for the Deaf and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.  

About the Iowa 4-H Youth Development Program
4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization, serving more than 6 million young people across America with programs in leadership, citizenship, communication and life skills. One in five Iowa school-age youth are involved in 4-H. In Iowa, 4-H Youth Development is headquartered at the Iowa State University campus in Ames. 4-H is supported by federal, state and county funding, private grants and donations, and fees. For more information about joining 4-H, contact your Iowa State University Extension county office at www.extension.iastate.edu/content/county-offices/ or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/4H.

About the Iowa 4-H Foundation
The Iowa 4-H Foundation provides the financial resources to develop and deliver quality 4-H youth programs throughout the state of Iowa. The opportunities provided by the Foundation help young people enhance their ability to use critical thinking, leadership, communication and social skills – tools that will give them a competitive edge in their future endeavors. The Iowa 4-H Foundation is a charitable 501 (c) 3 organization with a governing board of 35 trustees.

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