Joey Crawford Plans to Work on Campus-wide Issues By Mike Gluck William Joseph Crawford Jr. takes pride in the fact that he's a Midwesterner, raised in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, a place where, as he notes, "people say pop instead of soda." But "Joey," as he's known around campus, has more on his mind than soft drinks. In addition to being involved in the Black Student Union and the Hopkins chapter of the NAACP, last fall Crawford ran a successful campaign to become president of the largest freshman class in the history of the university. "I'm not that shy of a person," he explained, when telling why he decided to run for class president. His philosophy was that even if he didn't win, at least he would meet lots of people. As president of the Class of '98, Crawford plans to address issues such as the quality of food offered in campus dining halls and the possible "round-the-clock" availability of teaching assistants for certain courses. While he participated in student government at his high school, he enjoys the challenge of dealing with more substantive issues that affect the whole Hopkins communi-ty, citing as examples the recent controversies regarding R.O.T.C. and Professor Robert Gordon. In addition to representing his class, an activity that he hopes to continue in future years, Crawford is the only undergraduate serving on the Presidential Search Committee, the group formed to select a replacement for outgoing President William C. Richardson. While some students, particularly upperclassmen, have questioned the choice of a freshman for the committee, Crawford sees his youth and teenage perspective as assets that will enable him to help choose a president who will serve future generations of Hopkins undergraduates. Crawford believes that he has spent sufficient time at Hopkins to know the concerns of students, and that one's experience is "pretty much the same" whether that person is a freshman or a senior. Crawford also noted that, as a freshman, he will have the most potential contact with the incoming president. This viewpoint was echoed by Robert Massa, associate dean for enrollment management, who said that he was encouraged by Joey's place on the committee, as a freshman who has more at stake than does an upperclassman concerning the selection of a president for the university. Despite the fact that Crawford is one of the most prominent black leaders on campus, he is uneasy when asked to speak about the black freshman class in general, and rejected the notion that he serves as a role model for other black students. "I'm no different than any other student on this campus," Crawford said. He noted that each student was admitted to Hopkins on the basis of individual worth, and that the Hopkins atmosphere allows students to contribute as much or as little to Homewood as they desire. "We're all just doing our own thing right now." Perhaps his reluctance to classify others stems from his own varied background. In high school, where his graduating class consisted of 74 students, Crawford ran track, played soccer, was vice president of student council and participated in musicals, orchestra (as a flutist) and a barbershop quartet. "I always had different interests in a wide range of things," he said. "I would run from track practice to Oklahoma! rehearsal." While these activities would be more than enough to fill most teens' calendars, Crawford also managed to establish a Habitat for Humanity chapter at his high school. He boasted that membership in that branch, of which he was president, nearly equaled that of the nearby Ohio State University chapter. But for now, Crawford seems resigned, if not completely content, to focus on his studies as an international relations major. "I find myself wanting to do everything," he said. His plans to enter the political arena after college--he already peppers his speech with phrases such as "microcosm of the macrocosm"-- will have to wait. Crawford wants to enjoy life as a Hopkins freshman first. As he continues to influence Hopkins, Hopkins seems to be having an influence on him as well. Crawford's latest endeavor? In the tradition of perhaps thousands of freshmen before him, he has taken to the Freshman Quad, stick in hand, to learn how to play lacrosse. You may not see him under the lights at Homewood field anytime soon, but this freshman promises to remain in the spotlight. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Enrolling of African American Freshmen Successful Joey Crawford is just one of 68 black freshmen who came to Hopkins last fall as part of the largest freshman class ever to enroll at Hopkins. This is also the largest number of black freshmen in the history of the university, said Robert Massa, associate dean for enrollment management. "Clearly there has been a growth in the number of black freshmen who have enrolled at Hopkins during the past five years," Dr. Massa said. He sees the rising number of black students as the result of a concerted effort on the part of Admissions to increase the number of black applicants. Last year's applicant pool included more than 550 black students, which Dr. Massa noted was the largest number ever. Many of the efforts to recruit black students are undertaken by the Admissions Office in cooperation with the Black Student Union, said Paul White, director of undergraduate admissions. For example, the Admissions Office coordinates phone-a-thons, during which BSU members contact black high school students who have been admitted to Hopkins but have not yet made their final college choice. Events such as annual phone-a-thons and the Discovery Weekend (when black freshmen are invited to spend a spring weekend on campus) allow current students to "speak honestly and frankly" with prospective freshmen concerning undergraduate life at the university, said BSU president Kenneth Anderson. Charles Sydnor, BSU admissions chairman, added that talking with black students at Hopkins and experiencing campus life for a weekend help the decisions of some pre-freshmen in choosing a college. One reason behind the targeted efforts to recruit black (and other underrepresented) undergraduates is that the larger numbers help students to feel more a part of a community at Hopkins, Dr. Massa said. "Part of our job is to try to make Hopkins a place where people are included rather than excluded," Dr. Massa added. -----------------------------------------------------------------