The Organization of Black Business Students (OBBS) has a new president. Catherine Reeves, junior pre-marketing major, is the recently appointed president for the OBBS.

When asked about why she is interested in OBBS, Reeves replied, “Since I’ve been on this campus I had changed my major six times because I didn’t find my niche. When I saw the title, Organization of Black Business Students, I saw business and that was it!”

Reeves has been involved in and has held many positions on various campus committees such as the Student Association, the Minority Relations Committee, Springfest Committee, Mardi-Gras, Unity in Diversity, Lifeline Newspaper, Cooperative Education, the Black Student Union and the NAACP.

As a result of such extensive campus involvement, Reeves is dedicated to making her experience work not only for herself, but also for OBBS.

Reeves said, “I want to give OBBS a dream, set short- and long-term goals,” she said.

As a part of this dream, Reeves said she would like to start peer mentoring programs, create a family atmosphere and hold many fund raisers to benefit OBBS.

“I want to turn individual thinking people into sharing, goal oriented people. I want people to share their dreams. I want people to have a help mentality: help your brother, help your sister,” she said.

Reeves also is the president of the Pre-Law Opportunity Program, a program started by five students in 1985 to offer service to minority students interested in obtaining a law degree.

Reeves was approached by Van Anthony Amos, coordinator of the Center for Black Studies, about the position.

She originally accepted the position because she intended to go to law school after receiving her undergraduate degree at NIU.

She since has changed her mind, but still holds the position to be able to help minority students by making the necessary information accessible and less intimidating for students.

“I want to help minority students, whether it be through OBBS, or the Pre-Law Opportunity Program,” Reeves said.

Despite all the experience and positive social contacts, Reeves said she still feels there is a need for improvement in NIU politics and unity.

To those disheartened students frustrated by the lack of unity on NIU’s campus, Reeves said, “Never say never. Never say it’s impossible. Never say it’s going to cause too much conflict. Never believe there are barriers in front of you.”