Whitney Terrill

The road to becoming a Presidential Fellow was not easy for Whitney Terrill. Terrill attended Hampton University located in Hampton, Virginia. It was in 2006 that she first learned about the Fellows Program. Unfortunately, Hampton did not have an established program with CSPC, so Terrill had to fight her way into the program. Her strongest memories are of advocating for herself to be a part of the Fellows program. Terrill reflected on her experience, “I think what I learned was the opportunity to advocate for a dream that I had and to see that even if I didn’t achieve it, that I was still a part of this really amazing community of students who were interested in the presidency and Congress.” The Fellows program offered Terrill an opportunity to connect with worlds outside of her university and deepened her commitment to public service.

After the Fellowship, Terrill’s career has spanned several ventures but has consistently focused on public service. She worked in banking for a short while after college before working in state government for several years in Minnesota. Terrill is most proud of two experiences while working in the Minnesota state government: working with Governor Tim Walz and on the COVID Community Coordinator program. Working with Governor Walz, Terrill supported engagements with the African-American community and liaised with other Minnesota state government departments. Terrill was responsible for preparing remarks for the Governor related to those issues and if he was unable to present, she gave the remarks. With the COVID Community Coordinators, Terrill helped to empower non-profits that are not typically part of the public health care system to fund their cultural capital. Today, Terrill has started her own consultancy firm that focuses on social justice programs and organizing art.

Terrill is ultimately passionate about helping others, by either engaging in civic diplomacy or working locally on her city’s planning commission. This passion for helping led her to re-engage with CSPC and volunteer to serve as a mentor for a Fellow in this year’s cohort. Terrill said, “This particular opportunity is really rewarding for me because it’s an opportunity to think about ways to support an undergraduate student.” Whitney Terrill represents the best of the Presidential Fellows program and we are lucky to call her one of our own and feature her in November’s Alumni Spotlight.