On Monday night, the Panhellenic Council held elections to fill seven of its eight board member positions.
The new Panhel president, College junior and Sigma Delta Tau sister Rachel Abeles, met with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss her upcoming term.
DP: What is your previous involvement with the Greek system and with the Panhellenic Council? RA: From the beginning I was pledge class secretary ... I was in charge of rush chair decorations ... And then I served on our executive board as the social chair, which I’m currently serving on.
DP: Why did you choose to run for this position? RA: When I came to Penn, there were a lot of things I thought I would do, and to be honest, being part of the Greek system wasn’t one of them. But naturally, with the hundreds of other girls that rushed freshman year, I participated in recruitment. I fell in love with the house, and from then on I’ve really never looked back.
DP: What are your goals for your future presidency and what issues do you expect to address first? RA: I think first and foremost is the colonization of Zeta Tau Alpha … Not only is it a really great thing for us to be expanding … but it really is also a way for us to bring our Panhellenic community together under a common cause of bringing this new amazing organization to campus.
DP: What will be other priorities for you as president? RA: Philanthropy is really a large part of being Greek … This year and the past years we’ve adopted the cause of Operation Warm, in which we raise money to donate coats to children in elementary schools in the local areas … I really see this as a great cause not only for us to raise money and help the surrounding area, but also to involve other organizations on campus.
DP: Currently, the Interfraternity Council is working on its five-year strategic plan. Will Panhel’s incoming board begin working on its own strategic plan in the coming year? RA: The Panhellenic board has begun to create a five-year plan. It is in its infancy and that, as I understand, will be a major part of the new board that’s coming in … It will be a group effort, building off of the platform IFC has made.
DP: Is there anything else you want DP readers to know about your future presidency? RA: I’m really, really excited about the opportunity I have before me. If you would’ve asked me a year ago where I would be today, I don’t know that I would’ve expected that I would be here. But I am, and I’m so excited to work with the board that I have, with the IFC and the MGC and all of the amazing people who are involved with the Greek system and Penn’s campus at large.
