Giving freshmen food, waiting to fish hoping for fishing

After beating 11 candidates with 239 votes, Wharton freshman Keith Williams landed the one of the most coveted roles among his freshman peers: class president.

The new leader, whose term begins immediately, sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to share his to-do list for the year to come, a bit about his past and why he already thinks he can read your mind.

Daily Pennsylvanian: So Keith, do you have a nickname?

Keith Williams: Special K . I got it in seventh grade when some of my teachers started calling me that. It's because I'm special, I guess.

DP: Why do you think you won the election?

KW: Face time. I knocked on doors, went to common rooms, went through the cafeteria. Also, I think I had the biggest posters.

DP: If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

KW: Creative, rhythmic and opinionated.

DP: What issues really get you riled up?

KW: Diversity issues. You could get me talking all day about diversity issues.

DP: What did you promise the freshman class?

KW: I set reasonable goals. I promised to increase the freshman-class budget since we only get $7,000. I also promised freshmen that anything we do has food.

Also, I stressed freshman-class unity. I didn't want to give any false promises.

DP: What else are you involved with on campus?

KW: Black Wharton Undergraduate Assembly [and] the Hill Services Center.

DP: Ever done community service?

KW: I did a lot with Head Start during high school, since I was in the program when I was little in Dallas.

It's a preschool program that helps underprivileged inner-city kids.

DP: What are some of your hobbies?

KW: I'm an avid fisherman.

DP: Where are you going to fish around here?

KW: I don't know yet - the river over there looks pretty dirty.

DP: How has life at Penn been so far?

KW: Really great. I've met a lot people. Almost every person I've met, I've kept in touch with, and that's a lot of people.

DP: Did campaigning earn you a lot of acquaintances?

KW: I feel like I made some deeper connections. I tried to be a real person.

DP: If you were throwing a party right now, what theme would it be?

KW: Disco. . I like the whole afros, bell-bottoms theme.

DP: If you had one superpower, what would it be?

KW: I want to read people's minds. I feel like I can already do that sometimes.

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