Senior Class Marshals Chosen

Just four weeks before the U.S. presidential election, Harvard seniors have selected their own leaders--eight senior class marshals.

The winners, in order of the number of votes received, are seniors Amma "Yo' Mama" Y. Ghartey-Tagoe of Mather House, Rachel L. Brown of Pforzheimer House, T. Christopher King of Leverett House, Andrew S. Chung of Cabot House, Xunhua Wong of Dunster House , H. Wells Wulsin of Eliot House, Matthew S. O'Hare of Currier House, and Kenneth N. Ebie of Dunster.

They were elected by their classmates from a pool of 77 candidates and 16 finalists.

Ghartey-Tagoe garnered the most votes and was elected first class marshal. Brown took second place and will serve as first vice president. The remaining marshals all serve as vice presidents to the class.

Nearly 50 percent of the senior class voted in last week's election, according to Associate Director for Classes and Reunions Diane Jellis, who helped oversee the election. The results were released at about 8 p.m. on Friday.

The marshals serve as core members of the Senior Class Committee--a group which also includes representatives from each House, a secretary and a treasurer. They are responsible for organizing senior class events such as the class dance and Commencement as well as coordinating alumni activities after graduation.

The newly-elected marshals said they were excited and grateful to get the good news.

"It's such a humbling thing to be chosen by your classmates to be their representative," Ghartey-Tagoe said. "I got on my knees, and I thanked God. I cannot express how phenomenal this entire experience is."

"I just went nuts," Ebie said. "I started jumping and screaming. Then I called my mom."

Wulsin, who was asleep when the alumni office called, didn't find out that he had won until he woke up.

"When I got the message, I was surprised and really excited," Wulsin said.

Though they were only recently elected, the marshals have already begun to collaborate about their plans for the semester. Over the last few days, they have exchanged a series of e-mail messages discussing goals for the year.

"I want to make sure senior activities are as fun, inclusive and purposeful as they possibly can be," King said.

For Ghartey-Tagoe, the class marshals' top job is bringing the class together.

"This year is about making sure that everyone on this campus realizes how blessed we are to be at Harvard University and to have the kind of education we have had both inside and outside of the classroom," Ghartey-Tagoe said. "By the end of this year, every senior should know each other. We're about to set a legacy. We're going to do it well."