Three Penn alumni addressed the Black Student League to discuss the problems that black students at Penn face in Houston Hall Wednesday night.
The forum, the first in a series entitled "What Every Black Student at Penn Should Know," featured Rasool Berry, Kevin Johnson and Ayinde Stewart, all black alumni of the University and current activists.
The speakers cited various issues that they deemed important for the black community at Penn, including black enrollment and retention rates that are significantly lower than those of white students.
All three speakers encouraged black students to get involved in various organizations on campus that advance the interests of minority students.
"That you're here tonight is a good first step," Stewart told his modest audience of roughly 25.
He went on to say that entrance to Penn is analogous to a "blank slate," and encouraged students to turn that slate into an "A-paper."
Berry, a former president of the Black Student League, stressed the importance of recognizing the contributions of former black students at Penn and urged current students to follow in their footsteps.
"When you understand how much people sacrificed for you to be here in these seats, hopefully it will give you the motivation to excel," Berry said.
All three speakers emphasized that the Penn experience should include more than academic success, noting especially the positive effects that networking and a tightly-knit community have had on their careers.
Berry said that the connections he made with Penn alumni encouraged him to return to the University and help other students.
At the close of the forum, the speakers invited questions from audience members and asked students to identify what they perceived as the most important problems currently facing black students at Penn.
One student said that he had encountered criticism from students for his choice to live in W.E.B. DuBois College House, the traditionally black residence.
Berry stated that he had encountered similar sentiments when he was a student. He said that more people needed to realize the importance of a "physical location dedicated to the study of us and where we came from."
One college senior complained that he had a hard time getting black students involved in activities.
Other students echoed his complaints, identifying complacency with the status quo and cynicism as major problems within the black student community.
Wharton freshman Preston Lewellen agreed with this view, saying that "complacency is definitely the biggest problem that we face."
He added that he thought the forum was very useful overall because "it's important for students to know there's an alumni network out there."
