As the 2024-25 academic year comes to a close, Wharton sophomore Steven Li spoke with The Daily Pennsylvanian about his thoughts as he steps down from his two-year tenure as president of Class Board 2027.
Li — a former DP staffer — has been class board president since his first year at Penn, focusing his term on student engagement, large-scale event planning, and building partnerships across campus. He traced his experience in student government to his time in Penn’s Pre-First Year Program, where early exposure to campus life and a background in leadership motivated him to pursue a leadership role on campus.
“There’s always … two or three people from PFP that decide to run for student government because they have that … supporter base already, and they’ve had that month to be a part of campus,” Li said. “I was class president back in high school. I decided I had a possibility at student government, and I [thought] I’d put my all into it and do a pretty decent job.”
During his time on Class Board 2027, Li said he prioritized creating third spaces for students to connect by launching large-scale social events and creative partnerships. Among his most notable accomplishments were hosting Wellness Week “right before finals” in the winter of his first year and organizing a Six Flags trip for over 200 students during Second-Year Orientation — which he called “NSO part two.”
“I just try to innovate as much as possible,” Li said. “It’s been a really fun growing experience for me, and I’ve really championed the idea of partnership.”
Li explained that forming connections with Penn community members and hearing responses from students were some of the most meaningful parts of his presidency.
“It’s definitely fulfilling, leaving bits of impact here and there,” he said. “To get that response — because I think this job is mostly a thankless job. There’s a lot of it that isn’t shown.”
He added that, in his view, the focus of student government is to serve students. “We were elected to help students create community,” Li stated.
Beyond planning events and drafting emails, Li also sees student government as impactful amid growing tension and uncertainty across higher education.
“I think it’s one of the most divisive times in higher education history right now, and playing some role in just making students’ experiences better day-to-day has been fulfilling for me,” he said.
Li added that while he has “gotten a lot” out of the past two years, he feels it’s the right time to “step aside and have a journey of my own.” He plans to “fulfill that desire” to travel and study abroad during his junior year — a decision he described as “very hard,” but necessary.
“I didn’t really travel growing up. … I just thought that was a lot more worth it for me,” he said. “I had to do it for myself. To have fun, collect my thoughts, be more creative with things.”
Although he’ll be away next fall, Li said he hopes to return to class board his senior year to help lead Feb Club and other senior traditions.
“Fingers crossed, I can come back … to plan Feb Club and all the craziness that goes on senior year,” Li said. “I’ve loved the experience so much.”
As Class Board 2027 transitions to new leadership under College sophomore and incoming president Natasha Kobelsky, Li said he’s optimistic about the board’s future.
“I genuinely wish the best for [Kobelsky],” he said. “I’ll try to give as much advice and help as I can, but I’m excited to be on the other side of this whole class board thing.”
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