Nwokike and Kim Aim To Bridge Gap Between UC and Student Body

Historically, political campaigns have chosen theme songs about topics like hope and change.

But Chika-Dike O. Nwokike ’15 and Una Kim ’15, campaigning to run Harvard’s Undergraduate Council, prefer songs that are a bit less predictable.

Vice-presidential candidate Kim said her current favorite band is Yelvis, whose recent song “Massachusetts” may be an anthem for Harvard students.

Presidential candidate Nwokike’s choice of campaign song? Any song by Kanye West, he said.

These choices of songs that resonate with students today reflect Nwokike’s and Kim’s desire to bridge the divide between the UC and students.

THE PAIR

Kim and Nwokike first met on the UC’s executive board during their sophomore year. Kim said that Nwokike impressed her as competent and congenial.

“People on the council immediately recognized him and all the great things he had done at the time,” Kim said.

Kim also made a lasting impression on Nwokike, as someone who is capable and pleasant to be around.

“I always had a really deep admiration for the work that Una did on the council,” Nwokike said.

The two have remained friends since, and they believe their separate strengths would help them lead the UC.

“We have a balance,” Kim said. “Dike is a visionary and steps hard into each game; I’m detail-oriented and focused on logistics.”

Nwokike echoed her. “I have larger goals and see larger things. Una can build a very detailed road map for how we’re going to get those things done.”

In addition, as the two of them laughed together, they said that their interpersonal relationship is key to their work. As Kim put it, “It’s important that we like each other.”

The duo also points to the diversity of their backgrounds and academic experiences.

“We’re very diverse, not just in race and ethnicity, but also in what we’re studying and the different organizations we’re a part of,” Kim said. “We’re successful because we bring new ideas to each other.”

THE VISIONARY

Nwokike’s friends say he is a strong and considerate leader.

“Dike is a team player,” said Chris H. Cleveland ’14, who worked with Nwokike on the Harvard Black Men's Forum. “He’s good at playing his role while working with other people.”

Originally from New Rochelle, N.Y., Nwokike has been an active participant in a wide range of activities on campus. He was a photographer for The Crimson and was at the forefront of the newspaper’s newly established diversity committee. He was also a chair of the Black Men’s Forum.

He said that his commitment to diversity would influence his tenure as UC President. He said he would convene discussions between students and administrators on topics like racial sensitivity, sexual assault policy, and mental health.

Nwokike, who hopes to pursue a career in finance, has sought the UC presidency for a long time, according to his friends.

“I’ve been hearing Dike talk about wanting to be UC president since he got here,” Cleveland said. “I’m glad he’s following through with his desires and I know he’ll do a really good job.”

THE TASKMASTER

Kim, an economics concentrator in Eliot House, is described by her friends as a passionate and organized go-getter who tends to get the job done.  When planning nights out on the town, Kim is typically the person who arranges destinations, transportation, and activities.

These skills, according to her closest companions, go further than just scheduling social gatherings. “Una is not just going to take up the ideas that she knows will have success,” said Daniel S. Park ’15, who has been friends with Kim since their freshman year.  “She’ll take the bigger, more creative ideas and actively try to make them reality through her meticulous and detail-oriented nature.”

Originally from Chicago, Kim has served on the UC since her sophomore year. During that time, she was elected to the executive board as parliamentarian and oversaw a rare meeting of the Council and Harvard’s Board of Overseers.

“I was alarmed to see how disconnected the board was with students,” she said. “Through that meeting, I got to learn how to effectively work with the administration.”

She said that the experience fueled her desire to improve relationships between students and administrators.

Kim has experiences in many facets of campus life, from participating in the Harvard College Consulting Group to singing for Christian a cappella group Under Construction to volunteering through the Phillips Brooks House Association.

“She’s very caring and takes a lot of time to take interest in her friends, which I appreciate,” Park said. “Together, Una and Dike have the ability to make both practical and substantive changes to the Harvard community.”

CHANGE FOR NOW AND LATER

In their years on the UC, Nwokike and Kim said, they have observed a disconnect between the UC and the student body.

“I realized that this situation could be ameliorated if UC presidential tickets were more relatable to the undergraduate community,” Nwokike said. “I strongly believe Una and I are.”

They said they hope to increase student interest in what the UC has to offer, starting by engaging UC members themselves. In addition to increasing student engagement, their campaign emphasizes practicality and feasible initiatives.

“The Council hasn’t always been able to follow through with their initiatives,” Nwokike said. “Students and Council members become disengaged, and people take the Council less seriously.”

The pair has devised practical projects, from enabling online ticket purchases from the Harvard Box Office and providing longer dining hall hours.

And they said that while they plan to follow through on their campaign promises, they also feel responsible for building a strong foundation for future changes.

“It’s our job that even if change isn’t instituted in our year, we have to lay the groundwork for the advocacy of it in the following years,” Nwokike said.