Zhen, Brunson and Ikpeazu Lead Class of 2016 as Class Reps

After this article was published, details from the Boston Globe revealed that Chudi Ikpeazu ’16 now faces a misdemeanor charge of sexual assault. The editors who assigned the article and the writers and the students who commented would not have been aware of potential charges at the time. Please know that the content of this article could be discomforting for anyone with ties to Ikpeazu’s alleged sexual assault case.

Seniors Kevin Zhen, Levon Brunson and Chudi Ikpeazu served as president, vice president and treasurer for the senior class in Student Council this past school year and worked to connect their class with faculty and alumni. They will continue work for the class of 2016 as their officers for the next four years, keeping class members in touch and organizing the traditional five-year reunion.

Zhen said that the representatives have worked diligently to complete their duties, including the organization of class events and the designing of gear. In addition to ensuring a packed senior class social calendar, he said that they have been working to prepare for graduation, to decide the class gift and to write speeches. They also planned the annual senior skip day.

Although they had a great deal of ambition, Zhen said that the reps have only completed two of these goals: designing gear for E/A and gear for the class of 2016. He said that they had anticipated more events as the weather got better. Zhen said that he hoped to organize barbecues, free ice cream and maybe even a beach day.

Some of the representatives felt that the adults they worked with prevented them from achieving these plans.

“I think the reps have done a great job this year. The current game of Senior Assassin went well going well—they did a great job of organizing and keeping the game interesting with new rules.”

Ikpeazu explained that despite their desire to make the last year for seniors memorable and smooth, the class officers were impeded by miscommunication with adults in the community and an inability on the officers’ part to put in the necessary time. “We were busy and this position requires input from people who aren’t as informed as us, and it got really annoying,” he said.

Further detailing the troubles the class officers had in working with adults, Ikpeazu said that “it was annoying working with the adults in the community. I feel like they weren’t as competent as they should’ve been but I also feel like I could’ve worked harder to work with people.”

Zhen, however, felt that the adults were easy to work and communicate with. “The class advisers and the alumni office have been really helpful [in] guiding us as we plan events and figure out the specifics of the class gift,” he said.

Senior Holly MacAlpine felt that the senior reps worked well highlighting the game of intra-class Assassin. “I think the reps have done a great job this year. The current game of Senior Assassin went well going well—they did a great job of organizing and keeping the game interesting with new rules,” she said.

MacAlpine also felt that the reps kept in communication with their constituents. “They are also good at reaching out and getting the class’ opinion on senior spring events,” she said.

On the other hand, many seniors contacted for the article were both unaware of who the reps were and what they had accomplished.

“I don’t even know who my senior reps are. I’m unaware of any accomplishments made or changes enacted this year. Did we even get gear? Who knows? Not me,” senior Joe Bartkovich said.

Senior Oscar Suen was also uncertain of what the representatives have done for the graduating class. “I have no idea what any of them have done,” he said.

Looking onwards to next year, Brunson hopes that the ’17 representatives plan more events in the winter term rather than just focusing on the fall and spring terms. “I hope they work on getting more events in the winter term—we really focused on fall and spring this year” Brunson said.

Ikpeazu urges the rising senior class’ officers to lower their expectations. “I hope next year’s officers have patience and that their advisors are good. They should be innovative, but not too far reaching,” he said.

However, Ikpeazu expressed that the position of senior representative was effectively useless and was largely a figurehead.

“This job is basically just a show, like the Queen of England. You don’t have that much power, they just need people in these positions for alumni events and graduation,” he said.