PROFILE: New BSL pres. considers the big picture

Like many other College juniors, Obinna Adibe is spending many long nights studying for next weekend's MCATs. But this Biological Basis of Behavior major will soon be spending much of his time working for a larger cause--as the newly-elected president of the Black Student League. Adibe joined the BSL as a freshman. Within the organization, he has served as freshman representative, treasurer and most recently, vice president. "I wanted to take part in BSL for the betterment of the black community at Penn," Adibe said. "For me, it's all about working for my people." Adibe said that one of his primary concerns as BSL president is to determine the location of $35 million that the University allegedly raised between 1988 and 1994 -- money that should have gone toward the advancement of minority permanence. "We don't know where all that money went," Adibe said. "All we know is that nobody asked black students or black faculty members for input about how it should be spent." He said that as president, he wants to resolve the situation in order to make a difference for the black community. Although Adibe said he believes learning is his foremost responsibility at the University, his devotion to his community remains extremely important as well. "I've grown up with a strong belief in God and my family," Adibe said. "They have served as a base for me." He explained that the support provided by his Nigerian parents and his reading of the Bible has enabled him to value the importance of keeping his word. "God gave word to man as the most valuable things humans have," Adibe said. "As head of the BSL, I will try my best to use it responsibly and act on it efficiently." Adibe said he was initially attracted to the University because of the outstanding academic opportunities it offered. He noted that it is also relatively close to his home in South Orange, N.J. When thinking back on his experiences at the University, Adibe recalled the significance of living in W.E.B. DuBois College House during his freshman year. "My graduate fellows had a great influence on me," he said. "When I see them around I still thank them for helping to make me who I've become." Adibe explained that he has never been the type to sit back when he could be taking action. Even in high school, he took every opportunity to become involved in extracurricular activities. Adibe currently belongs to other black organizations. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, the African American Arts Alliance and the Penn African Students Association. "Being active makes a difference," Adibe said. "I guess I just have it in my blood."

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