About Ethan
Born and raised in Richardson, Texas, Ethan Gillis has always been the ambitious type. Passionate about music from a young age, Gillis became heavily involved in fine arts throughout his schooling, performing in the school musicals and competing at national theatre showcases, picking up the cello in the orchestra, and leading his section as his ensemble’s principal tuba player. Gillis was accepted to the University of North Texas College of Music in early 2020, beginning his tenure at the place he would soon consider home.
After moving to Denton in 2020, Gillis became heavily involved on campus despite the drawbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during this time Gillis became passionate about mental health, and found his first on-campus involvement in the Student Government’s Mental Health Coalition Committee.
That Fall, he planned and orchestrated the community service-oriented events during Homecoming Week and was appointed a Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. In this role, he supported legislation that made Juneteenth a campus holiday, rewrote the SGA constitution and passed a piece of legislation that worked to make on-campus housing more accommodating to the LGBTQ+ community.
He also joined the Student Alumni Association, where he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Director after his second semester. He made history as the Association’s first director to serve two terms, and under his leadership, the ambassador program grew both in scale and in its impact on campus.
In the Fall of 2023, Gillis was accepted into the Disney College Program, where he worked as a Merchandise Host at Saratoga Springs, a Disney Vacation Club Resort. During this time, Gillis connected with executives and leaders within The Walt Disney Company, building bridges and connections between Orlando and his home state of Texas. Following his program, Gillis helped countless students apply to the program, resulting in every one of them being accepted.
After returning to Denton, Gillis began working full-time in the UNT Office of International Recruitment. He works with recruitment agencies across the world helping students find their place at UNT.
In May of 2024, Gillis was appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to serve on the UNT System Board of Regents as the Student Regent. Gillis will serve a year-long term ending May 31, 2025.
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