(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – A Warrensburg resident was sworn in Thursday as the student member of the University of Central Missouri board of governors.

Mathew Martinez will serve on the board until Dec. 31, 2017, and was sworn in by Sue Dodson, associate circuit judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit, according to a news release.

The board of governors is the university’s main policy making body, and consists of seven members who have authority to vote on matters that concern the university, as well as one nonvoting student member. All board members, including the student, are appointed by the governor, and their appointments must be confirmed by the Senate before they can serve.

Martinez is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from UCM, and has been active in the community and in numerous campus organizations. While maintaining his studies, he founded the Innovation Development Collective, which is a social entrepreneurship business incubator. He also has held numerous leadership roles such as president of the College Democrats, a chapter he founded on campus; senator and floor leader for the university’s Student Government Association; and chair of the campus Ad Hoc Committee for Gender Violence Prevention.

Martinez was a student recipient of the Learning to a Greater Degree Award in 2015.

Martinez’s campus involvement and volunteerism also includes membership and participation in the Honors College, Model United Nations, the Talking Mules debate team, Mulez II Men Acapella Group, It’s On Us Coalition, homecoming community service site leader; SGA Public Relations Committee, and the Wheelchair Challenge.