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The Battalion
June 22, 2004
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eflections, advice from the most visible student government position on campus
By David Barry
THE BATTALION
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uring his senior year in high school. Will Hurd had set his
sights on attending Stanford University. At the time, Hurd
viewed Texas A&M as "a redneck, Podunk University.”
Jut then he made a visit to College Station which would prove to be
e-opening.
"I saw that the opportunities at A&M were going to be incredi-
le,” Hurd said.
He enrolled at A&M and led an active career in student govern
ment, culminating in his election as student body president in 1999.
Kurd now lives in Delhi, India, where he has been an antiterrorism
joordinator for the U.S. Consulate since 2003.
Wherever former SBPs can be found around the globe, their lives
bear the mark of their experience in student government.
Hurd said his experiences at A&M, especially as a student leader,
lave strongly influenced who he is today.
I “You get things from (participating in) student government that
lou can’t get in a classroom,” Hurd said. “The MSC is a microcosm
|f the real world.”
Hurd, who had traveled outside of Texas only twice before he
nrolled at A&M, said he encourages students to study abroad, learn
foreign language and “attend more class than you miss.” Some of
is advice, he admitted, is an example of a “Do as I say and not as
do” philosophy.
Joe Jordan, elected student body president in 1983, remembers
pending 40 hours each week on his presidential duties.
“It was an honor to be able to represent the students,” he said.
As student body president, Jordan developed simple skills such
s time management and phone etiquette. “It’s a learning experi-
nce, and if you aren't having fun you won't enjoy it,” he said.
That's why Jordan advises future student body presidents not to
ake themselves too seriously.
“Somebody will always write The Batt and say something nasty,
mt don’t take it personally,” he said
Jordan said being student body president helped him stand apart
rom the other job candidates when he first applied to IBM, a com-
)any which he said he would not have considered before he held
he position.
He is now a business development executive and lives near
prefiffort Worth, managing the marketing and sales force for IBM
iurfAid Analytics.
Another former student body president, Fred McClure, has
one from the halls of the MSC to the halls of the United States
apitol in Washington, D.C. After earning a degree in agricul-
ural economics from A&M and a law degree at Baylor
niversity, McClure lobbied the Senate for former President
eagan and served as head of congressional affairs for former
resident Bush.
He currently works as a lawyer and lobbyist at the law firm
onnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal LLP in Washington, D.C.
McClure earned the distinction of being the first black student
ody president at A&M in 1976. Previously, he had been state pres-
dent of Future Fanners of America and speaker of the Student
enate at A&M. Running for student body president, McClure said,
‘was a natural thing to do.”
McClure said that being student body president and working as a
Former A&M student body presidents, clockwise, from left: Will Hurd ‘99;
riences after leaving A&M have included living near Tokyo while pursuing
lobbyist in Washington, D.(L, have at least one thing in common:
“The simple issue of having people with disparate views find some
ground of commonality, where you can reach some sort of accord or
agreement that lets things go forward.”
He said that future student body presidents should not forget that
they are there to be a servant of the students.
Just outside of Tokyo, former student body president Schuyler
Houser House is earning a masters degree in international man
agement at the University of Maryland University College. (She
said the similarity of her maiden name and her married name
House is due to an alphabetical seating arrangement in a fresh
man course).
“(As student body president) I learned more in one year about
other people and about myself than I’d learned before or have
since,” said House, who was elected SBP in 2001.
House presided over a rocky time in student government, when
students were working to save the Bonfire tradition in the aftermath
of the Aggie Bonfire collapse.
“As student leaders, we had to deal with complicated and emo
tional issues, make difficult decisions, face a lot of public pressure
and wrestle with our own sadness,” she said.
Will Hurd was student body president at the time of the
File Photos Courtesy of The Accieland and The Battalion
Fred McClure 76; Schuyler Houser House 01; Joe Jordan ‘83. Their expe-
a masters degree to lobbying the Senate for former President Reagan,
tragedy. He said he still has a difficult time listening to
“Amazing Grace” because he associates the tune with the
Bonfire tragedy.
After a pile of logs collapsed on the A&M campus, killing 12
students, Hurd faced a media avalanche on behalf of the student
body. He said he conducted close to 70 interviews over a three-
week period.
“I was able to bring the face of the good things about Bonfire
and A&M to the world,” Hurd said. “I would love to have never had
that experience.”
Despite many visible changes to the A&M campus, Jordan said
the attitude of students hasn’t changed much since the early 1980s.
He recalled a prank where he was dragged by his dorm mates and
thrown into a pigpen on the west side of campus. The pigpens are
gone, perhaps replaced by a research lab, but A&M and its leader
ship opportunities have made a permanent impression on Jordan and
his fellow student body presidents.
“Learn as much as you can from every person you meet and give
as much as you can to the University community while you are
there,” House said. “Understand... the core meanings of the tradi
tions and values that make Texas A&M great, and don’t forget to
uphold those steadfastly after you graduate.”
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