Class of ’07 Picks Its 8

Eight seniors who will craft the springtime social calendar for the Class of 2007 and lead the class as alumni were informed of their election as class marshals yesterday.

For all the pageantry, pomp, and circumstance seen at Harvard’s yearly commencement exercises, the news of the marshals’ lifetime appointments came through e-mail.

Peter G. Asante Jr. ’07 said he was reading when he heard a noise from his computer, signaling the 10:10 a.m. e-mail.

Instead of another house list debate, Asante found himself entrusted with the responsibility for moonlight cruises and casino nights.

Asante said that “wow, this is awesome!” were the first words to come to his mind once he learned of his appointment.

“I’m happy that my class believes in me enough to elect me as class marshal,” said Asante.

First marshal Chrix E. Finne ’07 received a louder introduction to his new position.

Finne said that his friend Charles J. McNamara ’07, also elected marshal, called him Tuesday morning shortly after he woke, “screaming into [his] cellphone.”

Finne called his election a “huge honor.”

“I feel so lucky, and kind of touched,” he said.

Finne said that his campaigning for the coveted spot did not extend beyond sending e-mails reminding classmates to vote. “Certainly not a very public election in the way that the UC’s are,” said the former Undergraduate Council (UC) member.

The first marshal—who holds the title after receiving the most votes in the marshal elections—struggled to identify what propelled him to victory.

“It really is what you’ve been involved in in the past that builds upon itself,” said Finne. “I guess I’ve had a rather schizophrenic extracurricular history here, so I’ve gotten to know a lot of people.”

McNamara, like Finne, said that he didn’t do much campaigning for the marshal position, but that his fellow Lowell House residents were supportive of his candidacy.

“I was definitely surprised,” said McNamara of his election. “I even handed in my submission to be nominated with maybe two minutes to spare.”

Hoopes Wampler, director of college alumni programs and administrator of the class marshal elections, said turnout for this year’s elections was “a little bit better than last year’s,” with roughly 800 votes counted.

Wampler said that while he hasn’t yet gotten to know the new class marshals, he looks forward to working with the new marshals and plans to meet with Finne on Wednesday.

Also elected as class marshals were Victor Alcalde ’07, Nana M. Ayensu ’07, Julia M. Chandler ’07, Akash Goel ’07, and Lauren N. Westbrook ’07.

—Staff writer Nicholas A. Ciani can be reached at nciani@fas.harvard.edu.