Sitting up with Wendell C. Ocasio '90 into the early hours of morning two years ago, Henry C. Hsia '90 recalls, the roommates engaged in one of several intense talks they would share in the Yard that year.

"By the end of freshman year we were staying up late talking about all sorts of stuff," he says. One morning, conversation turned to philosophy: "the Heisenberg randomness principle, how it related to people's fate and religion and other metaphysical stuff," Hsia recollects. To himself, Hsia says, the notion of life's dependence on random chance posed no dilemma. But for the Catholic, intellectually committed Ocasio, the idea his actions might have no effect was unacceptable.

Always 'One the Top'

For Ocasio, who is president of the Puerto Rican student group at Harvard (La Organization) and spokesperson for the Minority Students Alliance (MSA), being in the forefront of movements and at the center of controversy has always been as natural as breathing and speaking.

Friends, family members and even sometime adversaries agree that in presenting arguments, sounding out opponents or seeking compromise, Ocasio is seldom intimidated. And, they add, his integrity seems unimpeachable.

"He strives for what he think is right," says Isabel Ocasio, in Puerto Rico. Wendell's mother, Isabel may not be his sternest judge, but she says that, after 20 years, his willingness to confront tough issues unflinchingly has earned respect from his friends and peers.

Even in high school, whether as student body president or head of every student group he participated in, Ocasio always emerged "on the top," she says.

A New Voice

If any quality led to Ocasio's appearance on the front line of Harvard activism, it was his ability to confidently articulate what roles minorities should be playing on campus.

Characterized by spontaneity, passion and receptivity to his audience, Ocasio's public statements have become a highlight of student demonstrations for hiring reform. Ocasio says that often he goes before crowds with only an outline of an idea rather than a prepared speech, and draws his cues from listeners.

Speechmaking at rallies, Ocasio says, "is kind of an interactive process. If people react to a certain topic I may go a little longer with that part of my speech."

Ocasio's emergence as a fiery spokesperson marks a far cry from the young man who grew up in Puerto Rico learning English as a second language, he says.

"It was hard to adapt to a different culture," Ocasio says, recalling his first year at Harvard. "I had problems communicating in my freshman year and people in my dorm thought I was very quiet."

A series of rallies on minority faculty recruitment gave Ocasio the opportunity to express his opinion openly at the College. Now he says he enjoys speaking to large crowds. Tailoring words to match his audience, exploring issues closed to more formal forums, Ocasio says he thrives on the challenge of public speaking.

"It really has been a positive experience for me because I feel the point of a rally is to go a little beyond what you would do when talking with faculty or administration," Ocasio says. 'Very Tough, Very Smart, Very Sensitive'