An African American student has been elected student body president at Yale University for the first time in the school’s history.
Kahlil Greene, a junior from Maryland, was elected by his classmates earlier this month as head of the Yale College Council, which was established in 1972.
{mosads}“I wanted to kind of amplify the voices of the underserved communities on campus, especially students of color,” Greene said Wednesday in an interview with a Fox affiliate in Washington, D.C. “So, being the first black president, I feel like I’m in a position where I can really do that.”
When asked during the interview about whether he feels pressure given the historical significance of his election, Greene said: “In a way, but I feel like it more so symbolizes the progress the university has made over the years for the journey we still have ahead of us.”
“I think that we can be a more diverse and inclusive campus, and I’m grateful for the role I’ll have in making it happen,” he added.
Greene said he is majoring in economics and politics and is considering a career in politics.
His election also follows the university’s historical decision earlier this year to select Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the renowned author of critically acclaimed novels like “Americanah” and “We Should All Be Feminists,” as the first African to deliver the university’s Class Day speech.