The Greek Senate has officially elected their new executive board members for the 2020-2021 academic year. The new members promise to fulfill the mission to unite the Kean Greek community, continuing the legacy of the members who came before.
Holding a position in the Greek Senate executive board adds to the excitement of joining a Greek organization on campus. The opportunity allows the new members to practice their leadership skills by being the face of Greek life at Kean, putting on events for students on campus as well as representing them at national conventions.
The new members of the executive board are:
- President: Roshorn Shivers Jr.
- VP of Programming: Marialis Vazquez Pena
- VP of Membership Development: Iayna Wright
- VP of Standards and Conduct: Adelina Iscoa
- VP of Community Service and Multicultural Affairs: Tariq Williams
- VP of Public Relations: Katie Lewandowski
- Treasurer: Robert Cosme
- Secretary: Amani Saleem
Shivers Jr., a senior majoring in psychology and one of the founding brothers of Lambda Delta Chi, is excited to be serving his third consecutive term on the Greek Senate executive board, this time as the president. He hopes to bring together the Kean Greek community to help them feel more connected with each other than ever before.
"This is a position I did not expect to receive, however, throughout my years of serving not only within my chapter but within the Greek Senate, I have proven to myself that I am capable of taking it on, and am very excited to work with my fellow executive board members," said Shivers Jr.
Pena, sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc., who is a junior majoring in marketing, decided to run for a position on the executive board to represent her organization as well as a community that has given her a great deal of opportunity to grow professionally and socially.
"One of my goals would be to unite the Kean Greek community on campus and to have programs that impact both campus life and outside campus life. There is so much we can do with the platform that is provided for us in order to make the best memories out of everyone's college experiences. I am very grateful for what my organization has taught me, and will use those skills for my new position on the executive board," said Pena.
Wright, a junior sister of Theta Phi Alpha majoring in special education with a concentration in psychology, just like her fellow executive board members, wants to build on the foundation of the board by uniting the Greek community, and promoting a positive environment where students are excited to join Greek life.
"We definitely want to bring together the Kean community especially in rough times such as this one. There are some things that definitely need improvement but my team and I are committed to making concerns heard by taking action for the future of the university. We have a fantastic community and incoming students who are interested in Greek life should see the positive impact of joining," said Wright.
Iscoa, a junior majoring in marketing with a minor in communications is a proud sister of Omega Sigma Psi, ran for a position on the executive board to grow her leadership skills, as well as to contribute to a community that has helped her shape who she is today.
"I am very excited to have the experience in a new setting. I look forward to representing my organization and just being a part of the Greek Senate, as well as something bigger that is not just my organization or local organizations. It is literally every organization at Kean. I'm just excited to be a part of it, help with events like KDM as well as plan events with the Greek Senate programming. Having this position is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is going to help me grow professionally and socially," said Iscoa.
Williams, a sophomore majoring in communications and a brother of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., decided to run for his position on the executive board to help find different ways to bring community service to the rest of the Greek community.
"My current mission as part of the new executive board is to not only to find more opportunities for community service at Kean, but also just to plan more events in general [where, instead of seperating],we can all learn more about each other's orgs and what all of us do within them. The Greek community is united, but we want to showcase that more to those who are not a part of it, as well," said Williams.
Lewandowski, proud sister and president of Delta Phi Epsilon, who is a junior majoring in early childhood education decided to run for a position on the executive board to help with the public relations of the senate, showing an interest from being the president of her sorority.
"As PR, one of the things I really want to get around to is showcasing Greeks as students and members of Kean University's community, as opposed to being uniquely Greek, showing that they are integrated in the school as well-rounded role models. It will basically show that there is a place for everybody inside of the Kean student community, as well as Greek life, if they choose to join," said Lewandowski.
Cosme, a sophomore majoring in history and pre-law with a minor in criminal justice, who recently crossed into his fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc., decided to run for the executive board to gain a better sense of the Greek community at Kean, as well as to represent them for the entire university both on and off campus.
"Ever since joining my fraternity, my confidence has grown a lot...I wanted the chance to represent them as a member of the executive board to not only give back to the Greek community at Kean, but also to support a community that has helped me build my confidence and networking skills. I was nominated by one of my brothers for the position, and it feels great to know that I have a strong support system," said Cosme.
All of the new members of the executive board look forward to starting their new positions when the fall semester starts. They also want students to know that, if they are interested in joining Greek life, or getting involved in general, they should venture outside of their comfort zones and not be afraid to try anything new. Becoming a part of the Greek community at Kean is a rewarding experience that helps build lifelong connections, no matter where the brothers or sisters end up in their careers. The mission of the Greek Senate is to unite both the Greek community and the rest of the student body on campus through events that are open for everyone.
For any inquires into Greek life or the Greek Senate, students can email greeks@kean.edu, or contact Alex Louis in the Center for Leadership and Service by phone at (908) 737-5170.
