Praise
Thank you so much for your time at the Leadership OU Opening Ceremony. I truly love Oakland and believe in my university, and it was so encouraging to hear the passion and heart you have for this school even while at another university. You had an energy about you that was so genuine. I left the ceremony feeling expectant and driven for the Leadership OU program, but I also left with loads of pride for my school and new ideas on how to make the most out of my time at Oakland and even my time after.
It was a privilege to hear you speak! Thank you again.
-Lindsey Hodge
I wanted to say thank you, Jonathan, for coming! It was a pleasure hearing you speak, but even more so to have the privilege to sit at your table. I will be sure to keep an eye out for any safe risks that I should take. I hope we meet again!
-Ben Nicol
Hello Jonathan! Thank you for taking time out of your day to speak to us. I'm sure normally there would have been lots of conversation to follow up the presentation, but given COVID we were fortunate enough to get to listen to you in person. It's great to hear from speakers that have the OU bloodline. It truly helps connect. I found your reasoning behind Oakland very comical and am glad that you were able to meet your wife here! Very cool, even though she wasn't the first girl you found here, she was your last. Lastly, I appreciate your work in the GEAR UP program, at both universities.
-Joshua Robinson
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. The race car analogy will always stick with me, when it comes to both mentors and people in my life.
-Cayla Smith
Jonathan, I wanted to say thank you for speaking at our Leadership OU event last week. I really appreciated your talk and it definitely made me feel more confident that I know what I'm doing to move forward in my development as a professional.
-Collin Kasper
Jonathan, thank you for taking the time to speak to our group. I especially liked the style of your speech; the stories you shared were about you, however, instead of focusing on yourself you raised up those who have helped you along the way. Very inspiring and impactful!
-Kyle Scharoll
Jonathan, Thanks so much for your encouraging words at the Leadership OU Opening Ceremony. Your experiences have very clearly shaped you and have inspired you to help others. I truly appreciate the time you took to talk about expectations that mentees should have for their mentor, as well as advice for incoming mentors. This will help us to build meaningful relationships and put our mentees first. I am thankful that you continue to give back to OU through different programs, and I hope to stay in contact in the future!
-Nicole Ensink
Thank you for speaking at the Opening Ceremony for LOU. I really loved learning about your time at OU and how it shaped you to be the professional that you are. I am an active OU alumni and it was refreshing to hear how the time you put in networking and volunteering really does pay off and helps others!
-Olivia Schwager
Dear Jonathan,
I think I speak for everyone when I say that your words spoke volume at the Welcoming Ceremony last week. Sharing your experiences with us as young developing professionals truly provides a sense of comfort. I really valued your advice on knowing when a mentor is bad for you. My mentor I have now is wonderful and a real asset to my success but I know that as I continue to grow not everyone will be for me and that’s okay thanks to your advice. Thank you so much for speaking!
Noah Hirsch
Thank you Jonathan for speaking with us at the opening ceremony, I learned a lot from your comparison of a mentor/mentee relationship to NASCAR. As an avid fan it was a perfect example how a mentor should help with student success. Thank you again for your time!
Kyle Gross
Thank you so much for your motivating words on Tuesday. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to speak to us. I especially liked when you said, "meet your mentees where they're at". This is great advice, and I'll use this when talking and meeting with my mentee.
-Sarah Tomaka
Thank you to Jonathan for giving us some awesome life lessons to help us in our personal and professional careers. Really thought-provoking!
Ruthie Paula
Dear Jonathan,
Thank you for your inspiring speech at the Leadership OU ceremony. It really made me realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to be a part of this program. You spoke about leadership, networking and knowing when to cut off a relationship with negative people. I have reflected upon your advice and I will try to put it into practice. I am excited for the rest of my experience with Leadership OU and appreciate you taking the time to be a part of this program.
-Michael Prechel
“Parks was keynote at a student leadership conference for my students at Wayne State University and his presentation went over great. His ability to meet students where they are and speak their language to get important messages across is a true talent. It was great to have a speaker who was innovative, motivational, and rooted in creative practices for students to accomplish success in life.”
— DR. EBONI N. TURNBOW, PH.D., INTERIM DEAN OF STUDENTS,
HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY
“Just want to express appreciation for your impact on our pre-college students and your support of our office and campus over the years. You continue to be a trusted and valued colleague as we seek your wisdom in our assessment and preparation for grants and programming. Your courage and consistency is inspiring to me. So, know that you are positively impacting more than just the students you reach.”
— DR. LUMAS J. HELAIRE, PH.D., ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AND
MULTICULTURAL INITIATIVES UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to work with Jonathan Parks during a very significant time in my life. I was transitioning out of a job I held for over 13 years and needed a little more direction as to what my next career move would be. Jonathan introduced me to the Myers-Briggs & Strong Assessments. I was intrigued by the idea of tapping into my personality & interests to find a career space where I could flourish.
Jonathan was extremely professional & knowledgeable. He made the process simple & digestible. My career transition could have been filled with uncertainty & self-doubt, however it was quite the opposite due to working with Jonathan. His follow-up & explanation of my results gave me the confidence to quickly transition into a career journey that I enjoy.
If you are looking for a new career path or simply interested in learning more about yourself to apply to your current career, I highly recommend the services offered by Jonathan Parks.
Thank you, Jonathan! I sincerely appreciate you for sharing your gifts to benefit the livelihood of others.
Shay Bailey
“In 2015, the GEAR UP program at Eastern Michigan University observed annual National GEAR UP Week with the College Bound Youth Summit. I served as facilitator for the event which was purposed to highlight homegrown influencers who hailed from the same neighborhoods as our students and had dedicated their post-college careers to giving back to those communities. Mr. Parks extraordinary magnetism coupled with his dynamic message of perseverance and success made him a natural fit for the thematic affair. His standing room only workshop was the hands-down hit of the conference. Jonathan’s participation proved to be a highlight of the Youth Summit and cemented our professional partnership which endures through the present day. I am thrilled to witness Mr. Parks evolution through this platform and excited for all who will come the benefit from his vast gifts and talents.”
— SAMANTHA AARON, M.A., DIRECTOR OF TRIO PROGRAMS,
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Bradley University invited Jonathan Parks to serve as the keynote speaker for the inaugural Men of Color Leadership Conference. A master of working with and empowering young people, Jonathan immediately captivated students with his entertaining, substantive, and down to earth style of delivering important information. In the span of an hour students laughed, answered thought-provoking questions, and reflected on their own personal stories.
All participants were dialed in from beginning to the end. This was evident when students provided feedback about Jonathan’s presentation. Engaging, informative, and entertaining were three words they used to summarize his session.
Over nearly a decade of working in higher education, I would confidently say that Jonathan Parks was by far one of the most dynamic speakers that I have witnessed grace the stage. His message was serious and entertaining; hard hitting and easy to understand; brutally honest and painfully relatable and funny. He is a master of his craft.
If you have any event or program where you are aiming to effectively engage your audience while simultaneously informing and empowering them, Jonathan is your choice! You would not regret it, I promise!”