Senior class and alumni officers announced

Kaye, Baer, Johnston, and Anusionwu are winners

Though the participants felt the competition was tough, the final results for both the 1999 Senior Class and Alumni Class Officers have been tallied. The new officers agree that they are excited about their roles within the College community and are looking forward to the opportunity to extend the traditional boundaries of these positions.

Senior Class President-elect Nicole Johnston said she is "totally thrilled." With 13 people running against her, Johnston said she was very flattered to have received so many votes from her peers.

Johnston currently works with Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman and serves on the Judicial Board of the Student Senate. She has also contributed to the development of the Women's Resource Center (WRC) and is one of the founding members of the Bi-Woman's Rap Group.

"Traditionally, the role of the Senior Class President is not very big. But I want to use my connections with the College administration to create a role for future classes that will go beyond a token position," Johnston said of her goals for next year.

Ijeoma Anusionwu, the 1999 Senior Class Vice-President, feels that all of the candidates who ran for this position were equally capable of fulfilling the requirements. Her election was an exciting surprise, and she said she was very proud of this accomplishment.

"I didn't know that I knew so many people," Anusionwu said.

She said she hopes to establish open communications with the senior class so she can represent them and organize activities that will allow them all to have an enjoyable senior year.

Joshua Kaye, the Alumni Class President, feels that his position has been traditionally limited to three basic functions: sitting on the Alumni Council, planning the fifth-year reunion, and contributing to the Alumni Newsletter.

Kaye said he feels strongly that it is necessary to use his new position to lobby for alumni issues. "We have a vital interest in the shape of Oberlin College. It's up to the alumni to make sure that Oberlin adheres to the principles that attracted us to it in the first place," he said.

Stephen Baer, Vice-President of the Alumni Class, also said he feels it is important to act as a liaison between the administration and the alumni.

"Being the Vice-President will allow me to be involved with the College after I graduate," he said. "It's a good way to stay connected to the College community. Like Kaye, Baer said he hopes to work closely with the administration to plan Alumni events and keep the graduates informed about changes at the College.