As Tobi Ojo puts it, effectively leading complex organizations starts by understanding how they operate.

And a perfect place to gain that insight, she realized, was right at Virginia Commonwealth University. In June, Ojo was named as the undergraduate representative to the Board of Visitors, the university’s senior governing organization.

“This role is a huge honor, but it also comes with great responsibility,” said Ojo, noting that the non-voting role is designed to bring student perspectives on trends and topics. “As the only undergraduate rep, I have to make sure I'm accurately representing the diverse perspectives and concerns of all our students.”

That aligns with her future goal of becoming a healthcare executive, with a particular focus on alleviating health disparities. The junior from Chesapeake, Va., knows courses toward her B.S. in Health Services degree are giving her technical expertise into how health care organizations function. A second degree in sociology is teaching her about internal and external environmental pressures that result in health care gaps. And a minor in human resources is preparing her to manage people and motivate interpersonal collaboration.

Her double majors mean she has a foot on each of VCU’s Downtown Richmond campuses, which is important to capturing what’s on the minds of more than 21,000 bachelor’s students. She has a counterpart who represents graduate students.

During her first two years at VCU, Ojo was involved in advisory councils with the Division of Student Affairs. She was approached last spring by Aaron J. Hart, Ed.D., VCU’s vice president for student affairs, about applying for the board post. The process included a series of interviews, including time with President Michael Rao.

Since appointed in June, Ojo has regularly met with Hart and two of his key staff members, Joslyn Bedell, special assistant and director of strategic initiatives, and Jimmie Gahagan, associate vice president for transformative student experiences, on how to present student perspectives in context with current topics.

Ojo plans to leverage her involvement in various campus communities, from first-year students to student organizations focused on social justice, to gather feedback and elevate the student experience. A major part of her mission is simply to help students learn about the decision-making process – across campuses and multiple functional units.

While the quarterly Board of Visitors meetings are important, she is equally drawn to the committee meetings, where a significant amount of hands-on work happens and then presented to the full board for final approval.

“A lot of students don't realize how the university is structured,” Ojo said. “My goal is to create more transparency, so students understand why certain decisions are made and how they can share their voices.”

For example, tuition and paying for college is always top-of-mind for students. Ojo notes that the university provides additional information on its website, but she wants to ensure those details avoid technical jargon and language that isn’t familiar to non-finance experts. The same applies to other complicated topics.

Effective communications has a ripple effect as students – and the larger university community – better understand what goes into making informed, complex decisions.

“This position is going to be invaluable as I pursue my goal of becoming a healthcare leader," Ojo said. “I’m gaining such important insights into how large organizations operate – including how they balance goals and services – and how to effectively advocate for the people you serve.”

Students can reach out to Ojo at ojote@vcu.edu.