UNDERGRADUATE GRAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
This engagement hasn’t gone unnoticed. As Undergraduate Chapter of the Month and Undergraduate Brother of the Month honors circulate across the fraternity’s official platforms, broth- ers feel seen, valued, and inspired. The selection process itself has become a model of transparency and excellence. The use of social media to highlight some of the incredible accomplish- ments of individual brothers and chapters on a monthly basis has not only yielded cash prizes for the winners but also garnered increased recognition on their college campuses. This has made chapters, for example, prime candidates for Greek Life and Student Organization awards at a time when showcasing the merits of achievement has taken on additional resonance. “When I think about what it means to lead in this moment, I think about legacy, what we inherit and what we build. As Junior Grand Vice Polemarch, I’ve been blessed to serve alongside a team of visionaries who are deeply committed to the future of Kappa Alpha Psi. From campuses to communities, from city halls to study halls, we’re showing that undergraduate Brothers are not just the future—they are the now. This isn’t leadership for the sake of titles. Its leadership is rooted in purpose, built on brotherhood, and driven by a relentless desire to serve. We are informed by those who came before us, involved in the issues shaping our generation, and invested in leaving this fraternity stronger than we found it. To every college Brother reading this: know that your voice matters. Your ideas, your passion, your grind—it all matters. We see you. We represent you. And together, we’re redefining excellence, one step, one service project, one meaningful connection at a time. Let’s keep building." - Jordan Q. Smith, Junior Grand Vice Polemarch
Undergradudate Grand Chapter Officers with Grand Polemarch Jimmy McMikle during the Leadership Retreat in the Dominican Republic.
markers and realized that justice, sacrifice, and liberation are global languages,” said Grand Board Member Brent White, who also represents undergraduate affairs internationally. “It deepened our understanding of what achievement really means—on and off American soil.” This awareness has fueled Smith’s drive to improve systems that benefit undergraduate brothers. “I’ve spent time studying how we do training, how we do on-boarding, how we connect undergraduates to national leadership—and I realized we could do better,” he said. “And we are.” INVOLVED: SHOWING UP AND SCALING IMPACT The commitment to involvement is exemplified in their on-the-ground service. From St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraising events to the expansion of the Learn 2 Live
program, this board has prioritized real engagement. “We’re showing chapters how to host community impact programs that speak directly to issues like suicide awareness, mental health, and peer leadership,” said Grand Strategus Trayln Ball, who’s helped oversee Learn 2 Live implemen- tation in multiple provinces. “It’s real talk, not just rhetoric.” Grand Strategus Ball has traveled the country representing the Grand Board at various Province Councils and will be starting full-time at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital later this year. The fraternity’s collaboration with Room to Read, a global literacy organization, has also been championed by the under- graduate board. “Books are power,” said Grand Board Member Amari Venzor. “When we help children access education—whether here or across the globe—we’re aligning our legacy with liberation.”
40 THE JOURNAL ♦ SPRING 2025
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