Student Leadership Initiative

Seth Whitaker

A Raleigh native, Seth Whitaker majored in civil engineering and political science. He characterized his term in office by an insistence on formality and neutrality while presiding over meetings of the Student Senate. Having served as Parliamentarian before becoming Student Senate President, Whitaker consistently enforced Robert’s Rules of Order and tried to maintain decorum in Senate meetings. Whitaker claimed that his strict neutrality (with one major exception on a proposed tuition increase) was a necessity of his position due to his role as negotiator between different constituencies and his role of presiding officer. Outside of role in the Senate, Whitaker was a nominee for the Leader of the Pack as well as a finalist for the Truman Scholarship. Note: Although a senior during his term in office, Whitaker stayed an additional year to complete both of his majors and a minor in History. Therefore, Whitaker is a member of the class of 2001.

Years at State

Student Senate President

1999-2000

Accomplishments

Seth Whitaker founded a seminar series for students for the purpose of engaging in campus leadership. Students had to apply for admission and pay for the costs of the seminars once admitted, yet the program became a success for training campus leaders. Whitaker’s nomination for Leader of the Pack derived primarily from the success of this program.

Whitaker took his sole position of his term against raising the tuition at NC State. Along with Student Body President Rajesh Mirchandani, Whitaker led the student protests against the increase. His efforts were unsuccessful, as Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, and later the UNC System Board of Governors, raised the tuition at NC State and elsewhere.

Activities

  1. Leader of the Pack
  2. Parliamentarian, Student Senate
  3. Phi Alpha Theta
  4. Phi Beta Kappa
  5. President Pro Tempore, Student Senate
  6. Student Senate
  7. Student Senate President

Currently

Seth Whitaker is currently an associate attorney with the firm Duffy & Young LLC in Charleston, South Carolina. Whitaker received his J.D. from the University of Virginia in 2004.