UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State fourth-year political science major Jacob Roth was unanimously appointed to the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners in December 2022. The Schreyer Scholar and Allentown, Pennsylvania, native will serve in the role through January 2024. South Whitehall Township is located in Lehigh County.

Roth’s appointment to the board came after a history of involvement in Allentown’s local government. For the past five years, Roth has attended Allentown’s local meetings for citizen concerns about land development, financial matters and transparency issues. There he gathered input about local interests, and with a group of other residents, helped create a “citizen watchdog group” on Facebook to help residents not in attendance learn what was being discussed at the meetings. Additionally, Roth helped with the campaigns of others running for the Board of Commissioners and served on the township’s parks and recreation board.

These experiences helped him apply for a spot on the Board of Commissioners last fall when former commissioner Michael Wolk resigned. In December, Roth was selected unanimously by the four other board members of South Whitehall to fill the empty spot. As a commissioner, Roth is part of a five-member board overseeing an $18 million budget and providing input to township managers and staff members who carry out legislative priorities for day-to-day activities.

Roth said he views his appointment as a new step in his community service, which he’s developed through his involvement in local government.

“I like local government because it encompasses a lot of different areas that touch everyday lives,” he said. “Local government is responsible for the roads you drive on every day, to the water and sewer, to ensuring that the local economy is good and that we are supporting small businesses, while also making sure that communities and neighborhoods are safe. We oversee the police department, support public responders and promote public safety.”

Roth has also made his mark at Penn State. In fall 2021, he joined the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Student Advisory Board, where he met other undergraduate students during group discussions with institute faculty and staff on ways to promote and provoke civic engagement throughout Penn State, often through in-person or virtual guest presenter visits who discussed research or their political experience.

Roth also joined Penn State’s Lion Caucus in fall 2021 because of the organization’s mission to educate and provide members professional development skills, such as building a professional portfolio with a cover letter and résumé. Lion Caucus also pushes for members to use that knowledge to better their advocacy skills and professional presenting techniques.

Roth is looking forward to their big event in the spring — Capital Day — where the caucus acts as student advocates for Penn State. Caucus members will travel to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to show legislators the various opportunities Penn State offers its students.

Roth expressed his thanks to the College of the Liberal Arts for the enriching experiences he has undergone while majoring in political science at Penn State. He said he also finds the classes within his major helpful in his current role as a commissioner because of the focus on investigating politics within different levels of government.

“Political science curriculum encourages civic engagement, and as a locally-elected official, I’ve been able to apply some of what I’ve learned in the classroom to my work,” Roth said.

“The College of the Liberal Arts also encourages students to get involved and take opportunities. In spring 2022, I was able to live in Washington, D.C., for a semester where I took an internship at Capitol Hill for the House of Representatives under now former congressman Fred Keller who represented State College at the time. Being able to have that experience and network at Capitol Hill while also taking classes was something I am thankful for.”

As a Schreyer Scholar currently working on his honors thesis, Roth is also grateful for his thesis adviser Michael Nelson, professor of political science. With Nelson’s supervision, Roth is writing a thesis on the impact of nominee qualifications on the Senate judiciary process for a traditional nominee. In particular, he is looking at how qualification and professional experiences have impacted nominations into the Senate. His research has been insightful for his understanding of how such political nominations are undergone.

Roth encourages other Liberal Arts undergraduate students to undergo similar opportunities for involvement within Penn State and notes that students should get involved both inside and outside the University.

“Penn State provides lots of opportunities, but there is just as much learning outside as inside. Get involved outside the classroom and in your local community,” he said.

After graduating this May, Roth will attend Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law. He is also eligible to run for a full four-year term on the board this year.