Recent Penn State Graduate Brent Rice Running for State College Borough Council

Brent Rice, a 2018 Penn State graduate, will run for a seat on the State College Borough Council, he announced this week.

Rice, a Democrat, was the speaker of the assembly for Penn State’s University Park Undergraduate Association and graduated last May with bachelor’s degrees in political science and corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. He worked closely with the borough through UPUA, especially on the “You Are Welcome Here” banners that hang around downtown State College.

“My campaign is born both out of frustration with the current system and a positive vision for the future that is possible,” Rice said. He chose to run, he said, because he feels that his voice and the voices of others in the community have ‘not been heard by many of our current elected officials.’

Rice currently works for the university’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations as an assistant director of annual leadership gifts. As a student, he was also involved in THON as a finance captain and was a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy.

His platform for the election focuses on six themes he feels will enhance the State College community:

• A government that listens and cares
• An accessible community
• Affordable living
• Innovative ideas
• Transparent decision-making
• Embracing our history

“Since arriving in State College and as a student at Penn State, I have dedicated my time to improving the quality of life of State College community members and Penn State students,” Rice said in a release. “I ask that you join me in my campaign so that we can move State College forward together.”

Four borough council seats are up for election in 2019. The primary is on Tuesday, May 21.