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[Toby Hicks/The Daily Pennsylvanian] Panhel President-elect Catie Vuksich discusses her goals for the upcoming year. The Wharton junior wants to increase the group's diversity.

As the newly elected Panhellenic Council president, Catie Vuksich wants more diversity in Penn's sororities -- and the Wharton junior says she has the experience to do it.

The former Panhel treasurer was elected last week to succeed College senior Hayley Gross.

Vuksich, who cannot publicize her sorority affiliation due to National Panhel rules, sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss issues ranging from campus safety to leadership skills.

DP: What are your priorities for Panhel in the upcoming year?

CV: I'm going to highlight diversity again. I think it's really important. We had a wonderful first step this past week [by holding a discussion about diversity in Panhel]. It was absolutely fabulous. The dialogue was open ... between the sorority girls themselves, which is the first step. And girls came out of there smiling, beaming. ... If I accomplish nothing more than to continue that, I will be so satisfied.

DP: What is the greatest challenge facing Panhel, and how do you plan to approach it?

CV: One of our greatest challenges is going to be facing the adverse things that come against us with a united front. There are so many women that if we can just get onto one page, we will be an unstoppable force. We are fabulous women, and I think we need to realize that.

DP: What are those "adverse things?"

CV: I would just say one of them is safety on campus. Whether it's parties that everybody goes to or whether it is just walking from class to class, I think it's extremely important that girls know that they are safe wherever they are.

DP: How would you like to distinguish yourself from past presidents?

CV: One of the things that I'd really like to focus on ... is to help upcoming Greek leaders. I'd like to send a lot of them to conferences. ... I just think that our leaders are the base of everything we do, and if we can groom them and bring them up and just teach everybody a little about leadership it will go so much further for the Greek community in the end.

The new board must be unanimously approved by Penn's sororities to be instated, with each chapter voting as a unit.

College junior Margaret Mitchell was elected executive vice president.

Also elected were College junior Ali Lieberman as vice president of recruitment, Engineering sophomore Caroline Phillips as assistant vice president of recruitment, College junior Dari Horowitz as vice president of marketing, College junior Julie Wertheimer vice president of risk management and Wharton junior Jen Broadbent as vice president of judicial.

Wharton junior Joanna Chung was appointed treasurer and College junior Laura Kittell was appointed secretary.

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