Nuzhat Hayat Khan appointed to GRC Board as inaugural Student Trustee
Gov. Bob Ferguson has appointed Nuzhat Hayat Khan to the Green River College Board of Trustees, making her the first student trustee in the college’s history.
Khan is a second-year international student studying physics and serves as the advocacy coordinator for the Associated Students of Green River College, Green River’s student government. Her one-year term on the board runs through June 30, 2027.
"In 2009, former President Barack Obama delivered a national address to students, saying, ‘No one writes your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.’ With that belief, I packed my whole life into a suitcase a year ago and traveled three days across the world to get here," Khan shared. "Now, holding a seat as the inaugural student trustee and serving as a voice for the entire Green River community means the world to me and my culture. This reflects the power of international students and the power of opportunity. This is America."
Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Khan has spent the past several years growing a Series A science startup focused on closing the gender gap in STEM for girls and women in rural and underserved South Asian communities. The organization provides hands-on learning, local outreach and sustainable educational tools designed to make science more accessible. A published writer, Khan also uses storytelling to connect science, culture and community advocacy.
Driven by the belief that science can transform lives, Khan has brought that same commitment to her leadership at Green River. As ASGRC advocacy coordinator, she works to elevate student perspectives and strengthen connections between students and college leadership.
Khan joins Chair Sharonne Navas, co-founder and executive director of the Equity in Education Center of Washington; Vice-Chair Arlene Pierini, a retired nonprofit executive and attorney; Trustee Jackie Boschok, a labor leader and retired Boeing employee; Trustee Elaine Chu, Vice President, Philanthropic Strategies for Private Donor Group at Fidelity; and Trustee Jennifer Ramirez Robson, chief program officer at Northwest Center, in serving on the board.
Her appointment as student trustee will bring current student experiences and perspectives directly to the college’s highest governing body, helping inform decisions that affect students and the broader college community.
"Students spend the most time on campus, giving us a ground-level understanding of what works, where we can grow, and how decisions affect our community. As student trustee, I hope to bring that perspective to Board discussions and help connect direct student experiences with institutional policy. I want to ensure that student voices are heard and help build a stronger, more connected community for students, faculty and everyone at Green River."
Khan’s appointment culminates a yearlong effort by ASGRC to work with the Governor’s Office to establish student representation on Green River’s Board of Trustees. Under state law, the governor selects a student trustee from a list of candidates submitted by the college’s associated student government.
With the addition of the student trustee, Green River’s Board of Trustees is composed of six members appointed by the governor. Five trustees serve five-year terms, while the student trustee serves a one-year term.
The student trustee is a full voting member of the board and holds the same general rights and responsibilities as the other trustees. State law requires the student trustee to abstain from participating or voting on matters involving the hiring, discipline or tenure of faculty and other personnel, as well as matters related to collective bargaining agreements.
Student trustees bring firsthand perspectives on campus life to governing boards, helping inform decisions that benefit the broader Green River community, especially students and faculty. They also advocate for students, ensuring their voices, experiences and concerns are heard and considered in institutional decision-making.