Executive board members of Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) echo the same reasons why they wanted to join the co-ed business fraternity: the sense of community and business knowledge of the members.
When third-year finance and data science major Daniella Navia switched to a business major as an underclassman, she felt lost in her academic progress and professional development. After hearing about AKPsi through mutual friends, she decided to explore what the fraternity had to offer.
“I was drawn to the camaraderie, professionalism, and support of all the members demonstrated at the recruitment events,” said Navia, the chapter master of rituals for AKPsi. “Initially, I knew little about internships, how to network, and business overall, but I left each AKPsi event with knowledge and advice that I am grateful for today.”
Miriam Shih, a second-year marketing major, shares similar sentiments.
“As a first-year student I didn’t know any other business majors,” said Shih, vice president of marketing for AKPsi. “After I joined AKPsi and talked with the members I got to know a lot of business majors. They really guide me through a lot of stuff, like what classes I should take, what professors I should talk to or who I should go to if I need help as a marketing major.”
AKPsi is the oldest and largest co-ed professional business fraternity in the United States founded in 1904. The fraternity seeks to further the individual welfare of its members through a combination of professional, philanthropic and brotherhood events.
This year, AKPsi celebrates 25 years of its chapter at Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management.
The Weatherhead chapter has about 50 members with over 26 different majors and minors represented, as any undergraduate from the university interested in gaining business skills can rush. The rush periods happen at the start of each fall and spring semester with usually five events. If you attend three out of the five events, you get an invitation to be interviewed and based on the interview you’ll get a bid to join the fraternity.
As vice president of membership for AKPsi, Casey Slaterbeck said she is focused on making sure the pledge process is as impactful as it can be.
“The executive board as a whole is really focused on growing the chapter,” said Slaterbeck, who is a fourth-year student majoring in finance and economics with minors in FinTech and mathematics. “I work a lot with potential new members during rush to help them receive a bid.”
Once you’re a member, you will be invited to attend AKPsi’s weekly chapter meetings, which can focus on different areas around professional development, service and brotherhood.
“The chapters are meant to help them develop their passions or figure out a path for them,” said third-year finance major Nick Laurencelle, who is also the president of AKPsi. “We recognize that we have two groups of students in AKPsi—we have those who know what they want to do after graduation and those who don't know what they want to do and we try to care for both of those.”
Among the professional development events are hearing from professors on topics about networking, interviewing and other soft skills, and from business professionals and alumni about their current roles and industries. Service events are catered towards giving back to the community, such as making toys for local dog shelters and blankets for the homeless. Brotherhood events are more social and focused on bonding members. Recent outings include going to a Topgolf and escape room together.
A favorite event of Laurencelle is the barbecue that is held almost each semester. “Those are always fun because we can just unwind, enjoy ourselves and talk to one another.”
One of Laurencelle’s biggest priorities as president is the people in AKPsi—making sure both underclassmen and upperclassmen have a voice and are getting the most out of their experience. At each meeting, he tries to ask a different member questions about what they want to see and learn while in the fraternity. He then writes it down and discusses it with the executive board members.
“I always want to have our members go into the business world and understand values that are really important to them like community empathy, emotional intelligence, service and integrity,” Laurencelle said. “AKPsi is definitely more people focused and I think if you ask anyone, they will say the best thing about AKPsi is the people. That's what makes us unique and I'm going to try and push to continue it that way.”