Passing the baton, three of Penn's minority groups held their annual elections late last night.
The United Minority Council, the Latino Coalition and the Black Student League have all selected their leaders for the upcoming year.
The UMC, which is the umbrella organization for several minority groups on campus, elected College junior Carlos Rivera-Anaya as its new chairman.
"I want to focus on our strengths and fix our weaknesses," he said. "The biggest thing is communication within the group. We need to involve the constituent groups... not be top-heavy in our decision making."
Rivera-Anaya also said he hopes to see the UMC receive more attention across campus.
"My goal is to really bring the UMC to the forefront of issues on campus," he said. "The UMC might seem to be very exclusive... [but] it is definitely the contrary."
Also named to the UMC's new board were College sophomore Terry Shu, who will serve as vice chairman; College sophomore Fatimah Muhammad, who was named political chairwoman; College freshman Elaine Braithwaite and College sophomore Steven Parks, who were named admissions co-chairs; Engineering junior Shalin Patel, who will serve as treasurer and College sophomore Rocio Polanco, who will serve as corresponding secretary.
The selection for the positions of recording secretary and programming tri-chairs will be postponed until January.
The Latino Coalition, which serves as the umbrella organization for 15 other Latino groups, elected College junior Jesse Salazar to serve as its new spokesman.
Though Salazar has not previously held a position on the coalition's board, he has worked with other minority groups on campus, including those within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Salazar's goals for the upcoming year include extensive fundraising in addition to facilitating communication between the coalition and its constituent groups.
"I [will] personally meet with every single representative and head of the [Latino Coalition's] constituent organizations... to find out what their motivations are."
Also elected to the coalition's new board were College junior Cecilia Ramirez, who will serve as internal projects coordinator; College sophomore Arlene Fernandez, who was named political officer; College junior Kathy Aguero and College freshman Veronica Polanco-Moreno, who will serve together as admissions strategies and initiatives officers and College freshman Carlos Hernandez, who was named secretary.
"I'm pretty confident that the new board can step up to bat and definitely do a good job," former Latino Coalition spokesman and College senior Nicolas Rodriquez said.
"Their dedication is definitely there," the Daily Pennsylvanian columnist added.
The BSL also selected its new board, electing College sophomore Elizabeth Curtis-Bey as president.
The group named College sophomore Desiree Tunstall vice president, Wharton junior Preston Lewellen treasurer, College freshman Ewurama Sackey secretary, College sophomore Voncia Barno UMC representative, College freshman Desiree Thompson parliamentarian and Engineering freshman Dominique Harris freshman liaison.
"I am ecstatic with the new board, and feel that the future of the BSL is very strong and bright," outgoing President and College senior Yewande Fapohunda said. "I look forward to this new board pursuing various issues that affect the students of the African diaspora as well as issues concerning other minority organizations at Penn."
"I believe that this board will work to bridge a gap between minority and majority populations at Penn," she added.
