Olivia Shike Elected to BHC Board of Trustees

Olivia Shike is appointed student trustee on the Black Hawk College Board of Trustees, representing East Campus students. She was elected by her peers to serve as the student voice on the board.

Olivia Shike, a first-year student at the East Campus, was elected by her fellow East Campus students to represent BHC students on the board. The student trustee is elected in alternating years from each of the two BHC campuses. “I (am) honored to represent my peers and ensure that their voices are heard,” she said.

She brings experience in leadership, public speaking, organizing and running events, and a passion for policy. She is a member of the award-winning BHC Livestock Judging Team and the BHC team that won the 2025 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference Sweepstakes Award. At NACTA she competed in Knowledge Bowl, Livestock Judging and Livestock Management.

She is in the Black Hawk College Honors Program and is a member of the Agribusiness Club. Fun fact: she was the 2024 Miss Champaign County Fair Queen and in March 2025 was named Emerging Farm Leader of the Year by The News-Gazette.

Olivia is pursuing an Associate in Arts degree. After graduating from Black Hawk College, she plans to transfer to a four-year school to study ag business and policy and continue livestock judging. She wants to earn a master’s degree or go to law school. Her hope is to have a career advocating for the agriculture industry and bridging the gap between the producer and the consumer.