RSO Profile: Alpha Kappa Psi

By Josh Holderbaum
Western Herald

While traveling in Toronto with fellow fraternity members, Alpha Kappa Psi President Adam Taylor didn’t expect to meet anyone new.

“We were walking along, and [an Alpha Kappa Psi member with the group] had her letters on her jacket,” Taylor said. “We passed some guy and he said, ‘Hey, you’re AKPsi.’ I didn’t expect to meet a brother all the way up there.”

Established in 1954, WMU’s Gamma Tau chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi has 35 active members and seven pledges this semester.

“Our objective is to be the premier developer of business leaders at [WMU],” Taylor said. “We have members work with their pledge classes to put together community service proposals, financial reports, and put on professional presentations.”

Nationally, AKPsi has graduated big names, including James C. Penney, founder of J.C. Penney; Lee Iococca, former president and CEO of Chrysler; and former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.

Alpha Kappa Psi partnered with Haworth College of Business Career Center to put on Business Career Day Oct. 1, attracting 200 employers from around the nation to interview and network with WMU students.

“Career Day went very well, we got great feedback from employers and students,” said Brandan McBride, Career Day co-director. “Even with the economy so bad, it was a great turnout. It really exceeded our expectations.”

While other colleges experienced around 35 percent drops in employer participation at similar events, WMU lost only a few.

Around 10 companies interviewed candidates after the event in the Career Center, with others still scheduling interview times.

AKPsi has also done work for the City of Kalamazoo, Habitat for Humanity and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

At their last national convention held in Orlando, Fla., Gamma Tau was named the most improved chapter in the nation.

“We take a lot of pride in our diversity,” Taylor said. “We try to hit all kinds of students, not just by race or business majors. We also utilize our members. A finance major is our vice president of finance. We also have lot of e-board members.”

Members also get the added benefit of having a roof over their heads.

“We’re also the only professional co-ed [fraternity] with a house on campus,” Taylor said. “That gives us a place to have meetings and it’s a great place to form a brotherhood. All our active members are allowed at the house any time.”

Taylor said his work with AKPsi has been an eye opening experience.

“If you start asking me myself, it’s opened up so many doors,” Taylor said. “I never knew I was so passionate about projects. If you’re looking for a leader role, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Interested students must have a business or business-related major such as communications or economics and a 2.5 GPA or higher, but those are not the only criteria being considered.

“We’re looking for positive, proactive attitudes — people not just here for their resume,” Taylor said. “People looking to better themselves professionally, have fun and make lifelong friends.”

For more information, visit www.wmuakpsi.org.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=11039

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Oct 29 2009. Filed under Campus, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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