Candidates, family and friends gathered at the 12th Man statue by Kyle Field to hear the results of the spring 2021 student body election.
The announcements were made at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, by business sophomore Cara Maxwell, the 2021 election commissioner. Communication junior Natalie Parks was elected the 2021-2022 student body president, with 4,097 votes. The 5 For Yell campaign swept Yell Leader elections with Zac Cross and Kipp Knecht chosen to be junior Yell Leaders and Memo Salinas, Noah Ferguson and Woods Johnson chosen to be senior Yell Leaders.
Parks, surrounded by her campaign team, accepted congratulations from other student body president candidates. Parks, who will be the fifth female student body president in A&M history, said the moment feels surreal and she is still processing her victory.
“It’s an absolute dream come true,” Parks said. “I cannot wait to serve the student body. It is beyond the greatest honor that I could have ever received.”
Cross said he is hoping for a COVID-19 free world where the Yell Leaders can rally to bring the student body together to carry on Aggie traditions.
“I can’t get it out in words,” Cross said. “It’s amazing, an amazing feeling and I can’t wait to get to serve this university and the students that are here.”
Knecht said he was looking forward to everything this next year while getting to serve as a junior Yell Leader.
“I’m just at a loss right now,” Knecht said. “It’s incredible and such an honor.”
Ferguson said he has no words to describe his excitement at being elected.
“I’m honestly speechless,” Ferguson said. “It’s beyond humbling knowing who’s stood here before me and you don’t really feel the gravity of it and then your name is called.”
Representing the student body and supporting the Aggie family are the main goals for next school year, Johnson said.
“It’s just an amazing honor to just stand before here [by] Kyle Field with these Aggies,” Johnson said. “They elected me to serve them and just the opportunity to be able to do that just makes me smile.”
Salinas, the only returning Yell Leader, said to have another run at being a Yell Leader is a dream come true and he looks forward to serving in the role as senior Yell Leader everyday no matter what the next school year will look like.
“I am very blessed to have gotten to do this last year,” Salinas said. “I am so happy for the new guys, I remember that a year ago and I know the feeling. I am so happy to get to see Kipp, Zac, Woods and Noah get to do this and to get to do it alongside them. They are such good people and I know that Texas A&M is going to be very happy and very proud that they are going to be represented by those guys and I’m just so happy for them.”
All student body election results are uncertified at this time. Results for the election will be certified following review by the Chief Justice of A&M Student Government Association’s Judicial Court. Election results and vote tallies for every race can be found at vote.tamu.edu.