McKenzy Heavlin, a fourth-year studying electrical engineering, is this year’s student body president. Heavlin is not new to Student Government (SG), as he was student body vice president last school year. But what does the student body president actually do?

Heavlin said the president’s job is a very social one, and that’s his favorite aspect of the job. 

“Being student body president is a very interpersonal role,” Heavlin said. “There are a lot of meetings, talking to several different people about projects to complete… To be able to know what is personally happening to everyone and building that relationship with them is crucial”

Other tasks include serving as chief executive officer of Student Government, advocating for students, overseeing all of Student Government, and working with Chancellor Woodson and his leadership team. 

Natalie Bress, a fourth-year studying electrical engineering and student body vice president, said Heavlin is an important liaison between students and administration.

“McKenzy serves on a lot of different committees,” Bress said. “He acts as the medium between student government and the administration.”

According to Heavlin, his calendar is always full, but he feels like it is his responsibility to stay busy to help the student body.

“Any week my calendar is bare, it makes me feel like I’m not doing a good job and upholding my oath to the student body,” Heavlin said. “[I would] rather have a busy week than only be doing student things.”

While he’s new to being president, Heavlin said his past time in SG helped him fill his new role. 

“My experience as vice president really helped me understand what we were going through with COVID-19 and helped me know what to do surrounding COVID,” Heavlin said. “I felt like I was up to date with how the previous president handled it.”

Additionally, Heavlin said his interest in students and their struggles makes him a good president.

“I think I have a really good personality for it because I love hearing about student experiences and how to make them better,” Heavlin said.

Heavlin said he wants to help others have the same experience at NC State that he has had.  

“I’ve had a very good experience at State, and I look at these experiences and look at the system to help every student have that experience,” Heavlin said. “I want everyone to have the same caliber of experience. I want to leave NC State a better place than how I found it.”

Heavlin’s advice for running for student body president has three components. 

“You need to know why you want to run,” Heavlin said. “Specifically, why do you want to be student body president? You must have a strong answer for that because you’re competing for the spot. You also need to know how you’re going to run; that comes down to your platform and who you are running with. There is a lot of strategy in that. Lastly, and most importantly, be true to yourself, because you’re not going to please everyone.”

Heavlin said one of the most important parts of the job is caring about each and every student. 

“You are here to serve every student, so you need to learn and listen to everyone you encounter,” Heavlin said.