It’s a mindset that has shaped his path from his upbringing
When Braxton Westbrook talks about his future, one phrase captures his guiding philosophy: striving “to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.”
It’s a mindset that has shaped his path from his upbringing in Johnson City to his role as a graduate student at Tennessee Tech University — and now to his service as student trustee on the university’s Board of Trustees.
Westbrook earned dual bachelor’s degrees in computer science and political science from Tech in May 2024, graduating magna cum laude. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in computer science and is expected to cross the commencement stage once again in May 2026.
On a recent episode of Tech’s “College Town Talk” podcast, Westbrook reflected on how his interests in technology and public service intersect.
“I’ve always been passionate about computers from a young age … but I wanted to kind of flip that on its head and see what can I do with my passion in technology for everyone else?” he said.
That desire has led him to pursue a career in federal cybersecurity policy and public service. A multi-year intern at the Naval Surface Warfare Center and a recipient of the Department of Defense Cybersecurity Scholarship, Westbrook hopes to work “alongside others nationally and internationally” to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity infrastructure.
At Tech, that same sense of service defines his leadership as student trustee. Appointed to represent the collective voice of nearly 11,000 students, Westbrook serves on the board’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee and participates in policy discussions that help shape the university’s future.
“It means that I’ve been blessed with the confidence of nearly 11,000 students through their elected representatives in SGA to represent them fairly and honestly,” he said. “When it comes to more detailed policy discussions, I’m responsible for applying that student perspective … and informing them what I genuinely feel is the best way forward for the university and for the university’s students.”
For Westbrook, the experience has reinforced one of Tech’s greatest strengths: community.
“There’s a saying that connections are the currency of life,” he said. “It’s that community that Tennessee Tech is wonderful in encouraging, and I think it even goes up to the highest level on the university’s governing board.”
That sense of connection extends across campus, including to Westbrook’s involvement with Tech Honors, the university’s honors program, where he previously served as head of the Honors Council and Associated Scholars Guild.
“I would highly encourage anyone who’s thinking about it to join that program,” Westbrook said of his time in Tech Honors. “It’s a group of like-minded people who are just dedicated to doing more … Tech Honors was really the thing that allowed me to come out of my shell and seek a deeper level of involvement and deeper level of community here at Tech.”
Even before his service as student trustee, Westbrook helped shape university decision-making through his work in the Student Government Association, holding roles over the years as student body secretary, chief of staff and parliamentarian.
“They really listened to us,” Westbrook said of university administrators’ engagement with student government. “SGA allows every student who serves to apply their passion and their expertise to giving back to their fellow students. I think that’s a positive cycle where giving back to others eventually results in the same happening to you.”
Ultimately, Westbrook credits Tech with shaping not only his academic and professional aspirations, but his personal growth.
“In one word, it’s given me confidence,” Westbrook concluded. “And I will forever be grateful to the university for that.”
Westbrook’s term on the Board of Trustees concludes in June 2026.
Listen to Westbrook’s full College Town Talk interview on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Pandora, YouTube and other podcast platforms. Learn more at www.tntech.edu/collegetowntalk.
Photo via Tech. Braxton Westbrook, Tennessee Tech student trustee and graduate student, speaks at a Dec. 2025 meeting of the university’s Board of Trustees.
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