Meet The 2021-2022 Texas A&M University Student Body President
Natalie Parks, a communication major, is ready to serve as Texas A&M University’s 2021-2022 student body president.
By Tiarra Drisker ‘25
Photos by Anna Burson ’24
Natalie Parks ’22 has a plan of action as she takes on her new role as student body president.
Natalie Parks ‘22 is a communication major with big plans for her service as the 78th student body president of Texas A&M University in the upcoming school year.
Her presidential plan for the 2021-2022 academic year is based on wellness, inclusion, tradition, visibility, and outreach. Parks said she would like to increase the visibility of the Student Government Association (SGA) so more students feel represented.
“A lot of individuals don’t know that SGA is a thing or that a lot of people are working behind the scenes with those direct lines of communication to university administration and those people that make those tangible decisions,” Parks said. “We advocate for the students as a whole.”
Parks began her time in Aggieland as one of the people who didn’t know about SGA. She had never been to Texas A&M’s campus or Bryan-College Station before committing to attending school here. Even so, Parks arrived as a freshman ready to become involved in organizations and sororities. She attributed her desire to get involved to Texas A&M’s culture of selfless service. During her time at Texas A&M, Parks has been in class councils, the Kappa Delta sorority, and has served on the Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) for the University. She got involved in student government at the end of her freshman year where she served as the vice president of communications.
“Vice president of communications was one of my favorite positions I’ve held in my time on campus and I knew after I concluded that role, I wanted to hold a similar position eventually.”
Parks got her chance to be in another SGA position when she became junior class president in the 2020-2021 academic year.
“That’s where I got into student elections and putting myself out there to run,” Parks shared. “My ultimate goal was being able to serve the class of ‘22 initially, and that stirred my desire to serve the entire student body.”
Parks said it took introspection and self-analysis to get to where she is now. She was originally a business major, but had a change of heart the first semester of her freshman year.
“I wanted to be a CEO,” Parks explained. “I realized in my freshman year that I am not good with numbers. I remember I was in a basic economics class and realized that this is not the path that meets up to my personal strengths.”
“Being able to give back to the place that gave me so much, even though it’s just a small gesture, is going to mean something to a student who gets the scholarship,” Parks said.
Within the College of Liberal Arts, Parks found the major that fit her: communication. She realized that being able to communicate was critical to any job in this digital age. Parks also said she realized she had a passion for social media, the creative space, communicating with others, and getting to know people. Now, Parks would like to work in the field of social media management.
“The classes I’ve been able to take and the things that I’ve been able to learn are applicable to what I want to do in the future and my growth as a student, individual, and even just an Aggie,” Parks stated. “Overall, the things that I’ve been able to learn in my liberal arts classes have definitely helped me grow as a leader and will help me polish those different skill sets that I was not as proficient at before I started the curriculums.”
Though still attending Texas A&M, Parks is already giving back to the university monetarily. She said this is the least she can do to show her gratitude for all of the positive experiences she has had as an Aggie.
“Being able to give back to the place that gave me so much, even though it’s just a small gesture, is going to mean something to a student who gets the scholarship,” Parks said. “Those things you can do as a former student that impact the current students are still life changing, incredibly appreciated, and can overall just make the Aggie experience better and show that Aggies really are here for each other.”