Senior Class Secretary, Treasurer Selected

Deliberating late into the night last Monday, the Senior Class Committee selected two representatives, Stacey R. Borden ’06 and Prital S. Kadakia ’06, who will serve as the chief organizers for the Class of 2006 after graduation.

Borden and Kadakia were named to lifelong terms as secretary and treasurer, respectively. Until Commencement, they will also serve on the executive committee of the Senior Class Committee, along with First Class Marshal Tracy Tyrone Moore II ’06 and Second Class Marshal Neil K. Mehta ’06, who were elected by their classmates in early October.

“I think we picked two people who are fantastic,” said Mehta, who helped select Borden and Kadakia. “What set them apart is that they knew why they wanted to be secretary and treasurer and knew what they could most contribute to the jobs.”

Members of the class committee said that Borden was chosen in part for her extensive involvement in extracurricular life at Harvard. The president of Women in Business, she is also involved in Delta Gamma, a campus sorority, and the Charles River Growth Fund, an investment group.

“You often hear that the best thing about Harvard is the people, and that was really true for me,” Borden said. “I was really grateful for my Harvard experience, and if I could in any way help people stay connected, it’s something I’d love to do and something I think is really important.”

Kadakia, the new treasurer, is the former president of both the South Asian Association and the Investment Association, and now serves as vice president of operations for the International Relations Council. According to Mehta, Kadakia’s financial experience made him well-qualified to manage the senior class’s coffers.

“For someone who has never had a chance to do UC or HoCo,” said Kadakia, referring to the Undergraduate Council and House Committees, “this is a great opportunity to get involved in the class, and I’m really excited right now.”

In addition to their individual accomplishments, Moore said that Borden and Kadakia “complemented each other very well.”

As secretary, Borden will be responsible for organizing class notes, keeping all the class records, and acting as the “go-to” person for all events and communications related to the class. Kadakia will be in charge of fundraising, allocating money for class events, and overseeing class dues.

The subcommittee that selected the new secretary and treasurer reviewed roughly 16 candidates, each of whom submitted a resume and cover letter to apply for the jobs. Last Monday, the subcommittee conducted two rounds of interviews before contacting Borden and Kadakia later that night to tell them they had been chosen.

The seven members of the subcommittee were drawn from the entire Senior Class Committee, which is made up of the eight class marshals, two Senior Gift representatives, and a representative from each House.

Moore said he was encouraged by the unusually high number of applicants for the two positions. “This just goes to show that people are really excited about senior year and the Senior Class Committee,” Moore said. “We hope that that enthusiasm will stay strong throughout the year.”