Pi Kappa Phi history was made last night when College junior Conor Daly became the fraternity's first member to be elected as InterFraternity Council president.
Daly is succeeding College senior Mark Zimring, a Delta Kappa Epsilon brother.
Daly currently serves as his fraternity's treasurer, and though he has no prior experience on the IFC board, he said that he does not believe this will hinder him.
"I really think that with the rest of the executive board, we can make a substantial difference in the way the Greek system is run, and the way that it's perceived by the University community," he added.
Daly said he plans to work on doing more activities with non-Greek student organizations.
"I hope to break out of the Greek stereotypes," Daly said. "We want to reach out to lot of other groups at Penn, and make them know that we're really interested in their concerns, we want to be a part of their activities."
"We're going to try to get away from the stereotype that the Greek system is in the ivory tower, or is isolationist," he added. "We don't want that because it's not true."
In addition to Daly, Wharton junior Yash Kasbekar of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was elected executive vice president. Wharton sophomore Mathew Winn, a DKE brother, was chosen as judicial inquiries board manager, and Wharton sophomore Daniel Bardes of Psi Upsilon was tapped for the position of Agenda for Excellence Chairman.
Engineering sophomore Ankit Kapasi, a Phi Psi brother, will be the vice president of rush, and College junior Michael Mittelman of Alpha Tau Omega will assume the position of executive vice president of community service. Alpha Chi Rho member and Engineering sophomore Robert Lavan will serve as executive vice president of academics, while Ran Holeman of Pi Kappa Alpha will be secretary.
St. Anthony's Hall member Patrick Willis, a College sophomore, was elected public relations chairman. College junior and Pi Lambda Phi brother Derek Tagliarino rounds out next year's IFC board as its new treasurer.
Daly also plans to focus on the IFC's relationship with the Penn Cancer Center, especially on its involvement with the male cancer programs.
"One of the things I'll be looking into is a charity golf tournament, involving faculty, Greeks and non-Greeks," he said, describing one possible fundraiser for the center.
According to Zimring, IFC elections were held earlier than usual this year to allow the new board more time to transition into their positions and meet administrators and student leaders.
The extra time will also be used to bring the incoming board up to speed on the new Agenda for Excellence plan, which revisits and expands on Greek issues discussed in the 21st Century Plan, an outline for the direction the Greek system should head that was published in 1996.
Daly and the new IFC board will focus on implementation of the Agenda for Excellence during the next year.
In addition to his involvement with the Greek system, Daly, a Philosophy, Politics and Economics major, is in the process of becoming a Kite and Key ambassador. He is also a member of the College Republicans.
Zimring said that he is excited about the new board and sees much potential in them.
He described the incoming board as "intelligent people, hardworking individuals who will really serve the Greek system well."
The newly elected IFC board will take office in early February, on the first day of new member education.
