For one student, the impact she has made on Vanderbilt will not end with graduation.

Seniors Elizabeth Bennett, Cara Bilotta and Taylor Imboden are this year’s nominees for young alumni trustee, a member of the graduating class who serves a four-year term alongside accomplished alumni on the Board of Trust.

Every year seniors are nominated by their peers to be YAT, and the winner is elected by the graduating class and the classes one year above and below. A nomination committee, comprised of members of the years above and below the graduating class, narrows down the nominees to a slate of three finalists.

“Though there is no list of qualifications that we check off for each nominee, all candidates exhibit strong character, honesty, integrity and are committed to Vanderbilt,” said Christina

Barnes, the student alumni program coordinator. “Each young alumni trustee exhibits a passion to continue their connection with Vanderbilt even after they have graduated.”

The tradition began in 1968 and requires YATs to attend the two board meetings held each year, where he or she provides the perspective of a recent student and recent alum. Voting closes Friday, April 11, and the winner will be announced April 16.

Elizabeth Bennett

Bennett is a human and organizational development and economics double major. She has been a member of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity and a participant in Alternative Spring Break, and she is the co-founder and president of Net Impact. Although she says her biggest time commitment on campus was her involvement in her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, as executive vice president and membership education vice president, Bennett said her biggest impact has been as a VUceptor for the past three years.

“It gave me the opportunity to meet so many new people, and I was able to form a unique relationship with my Vuceptees and guide them through their first year here,” Bennett said. “The experience probably shaped me as much as it shaped the students.”

Bennett said she would be a good YAT because she is a good listener and a very critical thinker.

“The reason I am interested in this position is because I love Vanderbilt,” she said, “and I would love having the opportunity to influence and shape Vandy.”

Cara Bilotta

Bilotta may be best known as president of Vanderbilt Student Government, but the Spanish and medicine, health and society double major is also a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and has been a VUceptor since her sophomore year. She plans to take a year off after graduation to teach English in Spain and then to attend graduate school in public policy.

“My experience has helped to give me a broad view on the university and the role the young alumni trustee is expected to play in it,” she said.

Bilotta said her only regret at Vanderbilt was not being able to be involved in more without her academics taking a fall.

“I am grateful to Vanderbilt for all the opportunities they have given me, and I wouldn’t be here without the board members raising the capital for students without the financial capabilities,” Bilotta said. “I would love to be on the board because I would get to work with the individuals who gave me this opportunity in the first place.”

Taylor Imboden

At Vanderbilt, Imboden said she focused all her service on projects that directly affect the Vanderbilt community.

As a counselor and director of the pre-orientation trip Squirrel camp, Imboden said, “I knew about 200 incoming students and had the opportunity to welcome them myself into the Vanderbilt community.”

Imboden, a communication studies major, has also been involved in Project Safe and trained as a Hand in Hand volunteer with the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center. She is also a member of Chi Omega sorority and served as Greek Ambassador and vice president of Interhall. She says Vanderbilt has given her opportunities to hone her style of leadership and allowed her to be a leader in different communities.

“This position is an honor and responsibility,” Imboden said, “and it is really exciting after investing myself for four years to be recognized. It’s an affirmation that I did mean something for someone.”

—Allie Morris can be reached at allison.d.morris@vanderbilt.edu