Student Body President Mark Gold
Mark Gold was guided by two underlying principles when he picked his career path – he loved science and wanted to help people. The biomedical sciences senior from Palestine, who is serving as Texas A&M student body president this year, says that his commitment to serving the greater good prompted his decision to become a doctor.
“I have learned that there are many ways higher education can also help people, especially high school students, set goals and change their lives,” Gold says. “We need a lot of help in that area and we need it now.”
That’s not all Gold has learned. He asked his fellow students what they thought a perfect university would be like and, based on what they told him, he set goals for his term in office. Among them is to increase communication from the Student Government Association to the student body and from the student body to the government and its committees.
He wants to use every tool possible to build trust in student government through initiatives developed through student input, such as providing more effective programming and better-attended student events and increasing student participation in Aggie traditions.
Doing more by coming together
Another goal is to enhance campus unity by helping student groups interact with each other. As an example, Gold cites the campus-wide relief effort following the earthquake in China earlier this year.
Gold found that many Aggies had families who were affected. He brought several together to expand the campus response to the disaster. “When we came together, we could do more,” he says.
He is also mindful of the upcoming legislative session, noting that several bills affect Texas A&M and college students throughout the state. He is working to have Aggies at the forefront as policy is made.
Students are the best asset
Gold says he firmly believes that students are Texas A&M’s best asset. “They support and care for each other,” he says. “I have been challenged by my peers to give back and find purpose and live with integrity, character and honor. This is why I ran for student body president — because I wanted to be a part of that and have an opportunity to serve these students who have given me so much.”
He is one of five siblings, four of which are Aggies. Ruth’ 01 is a teacher, Elizabeth ‘05 is in dental school and Rebekah, the newest Aggie, is Class of 2012.
The one exception is his brother John, a junior at the University of Texas at Austin and #47 — the punter —on the Longhorn football team. “I want him to play a lot because that will mean they are not scoring,” Gold says with a grin.
Serving as student body president has been “great” so far, Gold says. “There have been difficult situations and unbelievable successes, but it is the experience of a lifetime. “
