In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to Prairie View A&M University and did an interview with K. Nathaniel Hall the 2022-2023 Student Government Association president.
The position of SGA president is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes in being elected by their peers to lead. Hall, who is majoring in Business Management, is from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a proud Spring 22 initiate of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
We interviewed K. Nathaniel Hall, and talked to him about his position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2022-2023.
Read the full interview below.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far?
The biggest thing I’ve learned as SGA President is that everything is not always going to go according to plan, and you have to make sure that you can adapt efficiently and effectively. There have been quite a few unexpected and difficult situations that have arisen during my tenure, but I have been fortunate enough to adjust myself in a way that mitigated their negative impact. Due to this, I’ve been able to accomplish many of my campaign points while also working on other vital initiatives on-campus as they have presented themselves. The second biggest thing I’ve learned is that this title is a lot more than what you’ll ever expect, but it prepares you extremely well for organizational leadership and a variety of future career paths. From leading an organization of over seventy members, to speaking and traveling on the behalf of the student body and university at least weekly, to meeting with administration daily and working long hours just to accomplish my goals, all while being a full-time student, being the Student Body President is no small feat.
Photo Credit: Carlton Jones, @clutchgodx
What made you decide to attend Prairie View A&M University for undergrad?
Ultimately, the money. While I have always grown up around Prairie View A&M through my parents’ alumni status, the university was not initially my top choice. I was considering four PWIs and a few other HBCUs before deciding two things: first, I definitely wanted to go to an HBCU, and second, I wanted to pursue a business degree in a major urban area, which PV provided more than any of my other choices. In the end, it came down to PV blessing me with a full-ride scholarship, and choosing this incredible and historic university turned out to be the greatest decision I’ve ever made.
How has Prairie View A&M University molded you into the person you are today?
Prairie View has molded me into the person I am today in numerous ways. It has introduced me to an even broader network of the world’s most outstanding future leaders and innovators, whom I’ve met through my involvement in the Honors Program, the College of Business, the Rho Theta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and other organizations on campus. It has also helped me to develop my interpersonal and leadership skills through the positions and responsibilities that I’ve held during my time at the university. PV has been a great stepping stone for my future by developing many of the strong attributes that I already possessed when I first became a student here.
What specific initiatives have you headed up this year (or are planning) and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?
I, along with the Vision Administration, have led numerous initiatives on our campus throughout this school year. One of the biggest aspects of my platform is the university’s interstate outreach and its representation of out-of-state students like myself. I’ve been working towards recreating the “city clubs” that previously existed at our university in the 1980s and 1990s, which has been successful thus far due to the partnering students involved. The idea behind these organizations is to provide out-of-state students with a community away from home for networking, travel, and service-oriented purposes. I have also been working on creating the Honors Panthers Immersion Weekend at PVAMU, which will give highly qualified high school seniors an in-depth experience of what it means to be a Panther for a few days and conclude with them receiving a scholarship to come to our great university. Outside of these two major projects, the other main focuses of this school year have been increasing the visibility and communication of our SGA to the student and alumni bodies, which I have been achieving through two missions: getting to know every aspect of the student body and being more public about what we’re working on as an SGA. I’ve been doing so by visiting each college and department at all of our campuses and increasing our social media presence. This school year has come with a lot of unexpected occurrences that have caused me to shift my focus toward resolving housing issues and ticketing issues for student events. I have also coordinated several partnerships with the Student Government Associations at some of our neighboring universities, including the University of Houston and Texas A&M University. Other great initiatives that I have to give credit to my members for include the month-long voting registration and mobilization initiative put on by my Chief Justice and the Judicial Branch and the revival of the Student Advisory Board by two of my Executive Branch members.
How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?
Our university is working on ensuring the mental health of our student body by increasing the amount and availability of counselors across all of our campuses. There has also been a partnership created between the university and a telehealth service that provides students with 24/7 virtual counseling. Outside of these initiatives, there have been campaigns to inform students of how they can take care of their personal mental health and better support their friends and peers.
What does leadership mean to you?
When I think of a leader, I think not only about the innate ability to lead others, but more importantly about the individual’s ability to listen, adapt to the people and situations around them, and follow others when necessary. Leadership is a desirable but demanding position that requires poise, confidence, and humility.
We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2022/2023?
Because of the digital nature of our world, the utilization of social media platforms is key for universities to connect with their students, alumni, and other interested parties.
Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture?
I believe that Watch the Yard is important to Black students and university culture because it connects black students at both HBCUs and PWIs through their shared interests in black prosperity, education, and wealth. The additional emphasis on well representing the works of the National Pan-Hellenic Council is one of Watch the Yard’s most impactful programs.
Photo Credit: Quest, @q.shotit
What do you plan on doing after graduation?
After graduating this coming May, I plan to pursue a Master of Business Administration at UCLA Anderson or the Wharton School of U Penn. My primary career aspiration is to continue working in the music industry as an artist manager, tour manager, journalist, and music executive while owning my own multimedia and distribution platform, Students of the Culture. I also plan to dive into franchising, commercial real estate, and investing.
We at Watch The Yard would like to commend K. Nathaniel Hall for his work as the SGA president of Prairie View A&M University.
