As of last week, all four University of Minnesota Greek councils have elected new board members to lead for the next year.
Most recently, the Multicultural Greek Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council held elections on Nov. 14 and Nov. 27, respectively.
Samson Ghirmai, a mechanical engineering sophomore and member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, is the new chairman of NPHC.
Seth Green, another member of Kappa Alpha Psi and a Gophers quarterback, will serve as the NPHC’s Vice Chair.
Kevin Dinh, a computer science junior and member of Beta Chi Theta Fraternity, will be the new president of MGC. Dinh will be accompanied by Rosa Ruiz Mendez, member of Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, as vice president of MGC.
Former NPHC Chairman Richard Pittman and former MGC President Jonang Thao will pass on their responsibilities in January, after the University’s winter break.
Ghirmai is also the treasurer for the National Society of Black Engineers and a member of the Black Student Union.
He said he also is a maintenance worker at Bailey Hall and front-desk attendant in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on top of his newly acquired leadership position in NPHC.
“He brings a fresh fire into the position and to the community,” Pittman said. “I’m actually very excited to see what he has on the horizons for NPHC.”
Dinh, who joined his fraternity last spring, has also been a part of the Vietnamese Student Association of Minnesota and sees MGC as a bridge between other multicultural organizations and Greek Life on campus.
The newly elected chairman hopes to maintain a strong foundation for his council by continuing Pittman’s work and by assuring the success of next year’s Minnesota Stampede Show.
“I currently don’t have a position in my own fraternity, so that was a good opportunity for me to get some experience and leave an impact on campus,” Ghirmai said. “Greek life for me has helped me become a better individual. Helping make events and stuff to spread what we do on campus is really important.”
As the newly elected president of MGC, Dinh plans to connect with other Multicultural Greek councils across the country and host more events to adjust the climate on campus regarding ethnic minorities.
“I feel very appreciated and also very grateful for those who showed support for me when I was running for president,” Dinh said. “They all have high hopes for me and I hope to be able to help improve the community in MGC and the campus itself.”
