Cox has always been bound for the BSL

The senior wants to make the organization even stronger Most people do not discover one day that their roommate happens to be their cousin. But then again, Wharton senior and Black Student League President Kendrick Cox is not like most people. And finding out that he is related to someone he had been living with for an entire year is only one of the many strange coincidences in Cox's life. It just happened that when Cox, known affectionately as "K.C.", was a pre-applicant in the fall of 1991, he was hosted by then-BSL Vice president Martin Diaz. And even more of a coincidence is that Diaz hosted Cox a following time in the spring of 1992 when Cox was a minority scholar pre-matriculant and Diaz was BSL president. "Before I came here, [Diaz] sent me articles about the BSL," Cox said. "That played an important role in my interest in the organization." Cox has been involved with the BSL ever since. For the past four years, he has held many positions within the organization ranging from regular member to board member and finally to replacing 1995 College graduate Robyn Kent as the president. Engineering senior and BSL Parliamentarian Cardell Orrin had positive comments about Cox's presidency. "He is well-suited for that role," Orrin said. "He does well delegating responsibility to the members of the board and he is definitely fun to work with." W.E.B. Dubois College House Faculty Fellow Eric Perkins echoed Orrin's sentiments. "[Cox] has demonstrated a sincere willingness and concerned commitment to ensure that African American students have the best possible advocacy and representation that the undergraduate student body offers," Perkins said. Cox said he is looking forward to the year and to the BSL's activities. "A lot of people tell me that being the president of the BSL is like being in a hot seat because it is the cornerstone of the African American community and the center of many discussions," Cox said. "I have had the opportunity to work with the past three presidents of both the BSL and the United Minorities Council and I feel ready to step into this position," he added. Since its inception in 1966, the BSL's mission has been to foster social, political, cultural and intellectual diversity in the African American community at the University and in the greater Philadelphia community, according to Cox. Cox said the BSL board members plan to accomplish that mission under an umbrella theme, "Alive in '95!" "The theme suggests energy and that's what we want to do?energize the African American community through different outlets," Cox said. This theme encompasses many different areas -- such as increasing the social interaction between students for networking purposes, increasing alumni support, co-sponsoring activities with other groups on campus and maintaining an active political voice in the community and an active membership, Cox said. This year the BSL should be stronger than ever, since it has a lot of returning members to the board, Cox said. Many of the board members are heads of different organizations within the African American community, he added. Engineering junior and BSL Recording Secretary LaShanta Johnson believes the organization is headed in the right direction. "We are definitely raising some important issues this year," Johnson said. "One issue we are focusing on is developing better relations between faculty and students. In late October we will be holding workshops for a week to address that." The BSL just wrapped up its Out-in-Penn freshman orientation this week. BSL board members went to into dorms each night of the week holding forums introducing the freshman to the organization and its goals. Cox said he benefited from programs like these when he was a freshman. "People on this campus don't know what they have given me these past four years and I can't say thank you to everyone," he said. "This is a way to show that I care deeply about the African American community at Penn and a way to give back."