Amongst the five pairs running for Clemson University’s student body president and vice president, there is Jameson “J.T.” Stroupe, a junior marketing major, and Kendall Parrish, a junior management major.
Both accustomed to hectic days, Stroupe and Parrish’s lives rarely consist of days that can be considered ‘normal’. However, from one day to the next, they both work towards completing schoolwork, interacting with other students on campus and getting in a regular workout. Now, the two want to add one more responsibility to their plate and act as leaders for the entire student body.
Having known each other since freshman year, Stroupe and Parrish love being Clemson students, and they love the community and family values that the university has to offer. They’ve experienced plenty of support since announcing their run for office, and they are particularly partial to the relationships that being a Clemson student encourages.
“I noticed that students will go out of their way to help me accomplish my goals because they genuinely care about my success, and that is what makes Clemson so special,” Parrish said.
A strong connection to Clemson students is part of the reason Stroupe and Parrish decided to run. Stroupe wants to be a leader for Clemson students and work towards positive change on campus. Parrish believes those ideals will work to better the idea of home and family that pervades Clemson University. They both want to make Clemson “the best place it can be,” according to Stroupe.
The way they aim to go about doing so is to enact their slogan, “Yours. Ours. Together.” By joining students with different facets of Clemson administration, Stroupe and Parrish aim to shrink the divide. They want to increase communication and highlight unique ways to bridge boundaries, building a more transparent foundation for the students as they work with student representatives, faculty and staff. Through stronger partnerships between all at Clemson, Stroupe and Parrish will work towards shared successes.
The aspect of Stroupe and Parrish’s platform that most abides by these ideals is “conversation.”
“Our goal is to satisfy the student body by encouraging conversation between all levels of Clemson University,” Parrish said, when speaking of different parts of their platform.
One such success that Stroupe and Parrish will work to pursue through conversation is achieving more study spaces for Clemson students. They will also encourage student engagement with organizations through social media and further connections.
With such goals and hope in mind, Stroupe and Parrish want to leave Clemson having cared and acted as a leader for their peers. Born of passion for the Clemson community, the two want to positively impact the people who have enabled them to be effective student leaders.
Dedicated to the people that make up Clemson, Stroupe and Parrish believe in bringing something currently unseen to the roles of president and vice president. With the fresh perspective of students who have yet to be members of CUSG, Stroupe and Parrish also possess unique engagements in the Clemson community.
“I feel we can relate to the average student much more effectively because we interact with such diverse groups on campus, not necessarily the largest or most influential,” Stroupe said.
“We love Clemson, it’s where the blue ridge yawns its greatness and students behave in a Solid Orange manner,” Parrish said.
For more information on the candidates visit their Instagram @jtandkendall2020. There will be continued coverage from The Tiger through elections.
