Last spring, Ashlee Mallon, UT Martin senior finance major and Dresden native, had the honor of representing the College of Business and Global Affairs as their nominee for the University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees student trustee position.
Before her nomination, former student trustee and UT Knoxville student Lisa Patel crossed paths with Mallon at the February 2025 board of trustees meeting on UT Martin’s campus. She suggested that Mallon apply for the student trustee position. Mallon’s response was immediate.
“I told her, I don’t know why you’re telling me that. Absolutely not. No thanks.”
It took her one week to change her mind.
After an intensive selection process, Mallon was named the 2025-2026 UT System Board of Trustees student trustee. Her term ends in summer 2026, but for Mallon, that is far from the end of her story.
Mallon will graduate from UT Martin in May 2026 at just 20 years old after making her mark on the university in two short years. She credits this feat to dual enrollment that fast-tracked her college timeline.
Alongside her position on the board of trustees, Mallon’s campus involvement and leadership reaches across Student Government Association, Student Alumni Council, and the College of Business and Global Affairs.
Above all, Mallon cites her family as her biggest motivator. As a kid, watching her grandfather build businesses and overcome challenges inspired her to pursue her dreams and go into the legal field, with hopes to continue his legacy and open her own law firm.
Relentless commitment defines Mallon’s approach to her goals. She works better under pressure, she admits. Mallon takes things day by day, working tirelessly to ensure that every student’s perspective and experience continue to be enhanced, not only at UT Martin but across the UT System.
That same determination carried her through over 300 pages of board materials before her first official vote, countless Zoom meetings with UT System officials and the intimidation of walking into her first official meeting. It is all a careful balancing act, but to Mallon, it is a privilege.
“This is one of the things I hold very close to my heart,” she said. “This is one of the biggest things I have ever done.”
