Faith Academy graduate Ashlea Beckner on the CASE … ASAP

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

ABILENE — McMurry University sophomore Ashlea Beckner was selected to be an executive board member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Affiliated Student Advancement Programs (ASAP) in early May.

Beckner, a Burnet resident and a 2013 Faith Academy of Marble Falls graduate, will serve a two-year term and represent District IV. She will communicate with other university students located in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

“CASE ASAP are part of national organizations that support higher education,” she said. “CASE ASAP is an organization of students from all over the country that care about the future of higher education. We work closely with alumni relations, communications and fundraising to help further the work of their departments with student alumni associations and student foundations. As a district representative, I will serve my district at the CASE ASAP national level, on the executive board, in making decisions that will affect the overall CASE ASAP organization.” 

Beckner, who is a double major with honors in biomedical science with a concentration on pre-med and biology, was already working in the McMurry Student Foundation, which is charged with fundraising, calling alumni and encouraging donations.

One of her goals is to continue to have district conferences, which happened for the first time in several years in February.

Beckner, who is the daughter of Bobby and Lorri Beckner, said she’d also like to see student groups that are already CASE ASAP members take advantage of the resources offered by the organization and that other campuses start CASE ASAP chapters.

To be considered for the selection, candidates had to fill out an application and send a resume and an essay to the current district representative and adviser. The two then chose finalists, who were asked to submit a video in which candidates introduced themselves and conveyed why they were seeking the position. Video links were emailed to district members, who watched the videos and then voted on their top candidate. Each institution receives one vote. Votes are tallied, and the candidate with the most votes gets the seat on the executive board.

Her adviser, Jackie Jackson, the CASE ASAP District 4 adviser, said she wasn’t surprised Beckner was selected to the executive board. 

“She puts her heart and soul into every task I give her, and that puts her in a position to represent the institution,” Jackson said. “Her video submission to CASE ASAP really showcased her charisma and desire to engage potential new members, something our district needs. She is going to be a great district representative, and I am so proud to be her adviser.”

While Beckner admitted she is still surprised she was chosen for the executive board, she was thrilled for her college and what it could mean for McMurry.

“I know that I can do great things for and with this organization, and that is an amazing feeling,” she said. “This is really going to get the McMurry Student Foundation out there and help McMurry make strides in advancement and gain more experiences. I love my school, and I know that we are a smaller university, but this is an opportunity for us to come out and shine.”

The student believes she will improve her communication skills, better prioritize her tasks, and balance her other commitments as a result of serving on the executive board. One trip she will be taking is to the 2015 CASE ASAP National Convention in Washington, D.C., in August. 

“As a district representative, I will also have the opportunity to travel all over the United States to represent the needs of my district, a responsibility I do not take lightly but am excited to take on,” she said.

jfierro@thepicayune.com