UNDERGRADUATE GRAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
#KLAVE2025
Above: Grand Board Member Venzor presents to the Council of Junior Province Vice Polemarchs. Right: Grand Strategus Ball in the Kappa Museum at IHQ.
“OUR GOAL IS TO LEAVE BEHIND A LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE THAT’S BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT ...”
“These aren’t just shout-outs,” said Justin Nave, who oversees portions of the nominations. “They are case studies. They are templates for excel- lence.” Meanwhile, Ryan Johnson, Grand Lt. Strategus, has leveraged his role to not only serve as a national figure but as a lead mobilizer of ser- vice. “We’ve elevated the expectations of our roles,” he said. “We do more than escort and post. We mentor, we mediate, and we mobilize.” INVESTED: CREATING A CULTURE THAT ENDURES Investment isn’t just measured in hours served. It’s visible in the legacy being built—programmatically, strategically, and personally. From modernizing undergraduate on-boarding to collab- orating with the Grand Polemarch on long-term strategic planning, Smith has made it clear: the undergraduate voice is essential to the Fraternity’s future. “Our goal is to leave behind a leadership structure that’s better
than we found it,” Smith said. “From how we train to how we retain undergraduate engagement, the next generation should have more access, more resources, and more mentorship.” That commitment has translated into support for the administration’s national priori- ties—from Kappa League mentorship to NAACP partnerships, and the continued expansion of Room to Read initiatives, which now include multi-chapter collaborations and book donation drives. In The Journal , Smith also reflected on his personal development and his leadership journey is a testament to
what investment in others can do. “I never thought I’d be in this position,” he said. “But Kappa gave me the opportu- nity, the training, and the belief that I could lead. Now, it’s my duty to pay that forward to every undergraduate brother who wants to serve.” Even as national commitments demand constant travel and account- ability, Smith and his fellow Grand Board members have been intentional about their academic and professional growth. “Being an undergraduate leader is not a detour from excel- lence—it is a part of it,” said Johnson. “We balance it all because our mission is greater than ourselves.”
SPRING 2025 ♦ THE JOURNAL 41
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker