The Kappa Alpha Psi ®
An Ocial Publication of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
THE UNDERGRADUATES CONVENE Led by Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Cross and Grand Board Members Raxton, Earls and Garcia
GRAND POLEMARCH’S MESSAGE
Collegiate Kappas: Emerging Leaders in Development
Brothers all,
D uring the past few decades, the pathway to leadership for the undergraduate mem- ber of our Noble Clan has evolved greatly. Brothers in the bond for 30-plus years can attest that our leadership development opportunities for these young brothers have matured as evidenced by the range and depth of programs now tailored to them. His- torically (since 1961), the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference has been fertile ground for growing young brothers’ leadership potential in college and community settings as well as the fraternity. However, Kappa’s current portfolio of opportunities shows a lot more than how far we have come. Our portfolio also reflects how serious we’ve become about ensuring that we actively cultivate tomorrow’s campus, communi- ty and fraternity leaders. The Undergraduate Leadership Insti- tute (ULI) is a prime example. Not only does ULI demonstrate how far we’ve come since the 1961 C. Rodger Wilson milestone, it shows how dead serious we are about building leaders. Since 2004, the fraternity has held this weeklong, carefully structured and rigorous leadership program each year when there is no Grand Chapter Meeting. And, as the years progress, we are finding the participants to be some of the most intelligent and talented students in our bond. I applaud this continuing trend.
capability for leading within the frater- nity, on campuses and in their home or college communities. The foundation for their learning and development is Kappa Alpha Psi’s mission, tenets and goals. They serve as the basis for ULI’s professional and career development agenda, which accounts for most of every student’s time during that week. The settings for this agenda vary from small group discussions to interactive leadership workshops to large audience lectures. Subject matter experts facil- itate the instruction using a case study approach, which is common in graduate level curricula, particularly for business. It’s fascinating to watch how our un- dergrad ULI participants expand their knowledge and experience through the practical, real-world examples the case method brings to their learning process. Ian Grant II, former Northern Province Junior Vice Polemarch, 2010 Sigma Chapter initiate and 2012 ULI alum- nus, captured the essence and ultimate lesson of the ULI experience but also the fraternity’s rationale for focusing so heavily on growing future leaders: “I feel like I can go throughout the United States and have a connec- tion to all these brothers personally, socially and especially profession- ally since we’ve been here learning about how to professionally brand ourselves, how to put a resume to- gether and a lot of other lessons in life that are important to becoming a man and holding down the
ULI is designed to expand students’
GRAND POLEMARCH'S MESSAGE
Our portfolio also re ects how serious we've become about ensuring that we actively cultivate tomorrow's campus, community and fraternity leaders. The Undergraduate Leadership Institute (ULI) is a prime example. Not only does ULI demonstrate how far we've come since the 1961 C. Rodger Wilson milestone, it shows how dead serious we are about building leaders.
household.” Building on ULI, LEAD Kappa
tional and relationship gap that some- times exists between undergraduate and alumni brothers. Their strategy was to help mold area students into the out- standing leaders that their progress and potential had indicated. Their collegiate protégés represented the four chapters that Queens oversees: Mu Omicron (State University of New York at Old Westbury), Mu Pi (St. Johns Universi- ty), and Xi Omicron (Long Island Uni- versity- Post) and Pi Rho (Stony Brook University). One of the workshops centered on lead- ership training and presented separate tracks that coincided with the positions found in Queens Alumni, including Po- lemarch, Keeper of Records, Keeper of Exchequer, Guide Right, Social Action and Fundraising. Queens closed the event with a clothing etiquette session that highlighted do’s and don’ts for pro- fessional attire. The younger brothers even learned to tie a bow-tie, mastering the full Windsor knot. You can call that mentorship and guiding right, but it also reflected leadership at one of the most root levels. Also documented in recent Kappa history is Beta Eta Chapter’s delivery of leadership basics through its “Chris Cooper: Motivation for Success, Achieve Your Dreams College Tour.” Held at the University of Cincinnati, this program featured Chris Cooper, a motivational speaker and 2004 Atlanta Alumni initiate. Brother Cooper at that point had been a consultant for an
illustrious roster of Fortune 500 compa- nies, with IBM, AT&T, General Motors, Home Depot and Texaco among them. The U.S. Marine Corps sponsored “Chris Cooper” through the facilitation of Sergeant Andy Smith III and Captain Jason Smedley, also fraternity members. More than 80 students attended. As Kappas, we must never take for granted our responsibility to help our undergraduates maximize their poten- tial and become outstanding leaders of tomorrow. Kappas always have been called to lead, and so many have demonstrated their proficiency at it in every field of human endeavor. There- fore, I call on alumni members to make leader development of undergraduate Kappas a personal and chapter priority.
launched in 2013 at the 81 st Grand Chapter Meeting in Houston. As you can see, our fraternity offers significant leadership development opportunities during conclave years as well. LEAD (Leadership Enhancement and Devel- opment) Kappa is a four-day, 50-hour training session that positions under- graduates to improve their professional knowledge, skillsets and capabilities, with leadership underscoring everything that takes place. Like ULI, LEAD- Kappa enables these brothers to apply the concepts covered, fostering critical thinking, which is the best way to learn and grow in today’s workplace. I’ve told you before but I cannot say enough how fulfilling it was for me to see recent graduates return to LEAD Kappa at the 83 rd Grand Chapter Meeting in Orlando and give back to that group of aspiring young leaders. These alums expressed how their time in LEAD Kappa even- tually paved the way to their successful entry into corporate America. Now, I must emphasize that Grand Chapter is not the only level where there has been innovation in providing leadership opportunities for our under- graduates. Local chapters have forged ahead quite boldly and impressively in countless ways. In fact, I recall a few years back that Queens (N.Y.) Alum- ni Chapter produced a series called Collegiate Development and Leadership Workshops. The chapter set out to seal the age-old (and unfortunate) genera-
Yours in the Bond, Thomas L. Battles, Jr. Grand Polemarch
THE SUMMIT
COVER STORY
200 + CONVENE inTampa UNDERGRADUATE NEWS M ore than 200 undergradu- ate members from around the country convened with Grand Polemarch Thomas • Meeting Kappa Compliance Pres- entation In working with alumni members, Province Polemarchs and the Executive brothers had the opportunity to pres- ent a panel of some of the top mental health professionals and therapists in the nation who noted the importance of maintaining a positive state of mind.
L. Battles, Jr. and Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Christopher Gross present to oversee this historic event, which was held during the 14 th Annual National Founders' Day weekend A primary objective of the Summit was for undergraduate members to work through internal issues facing Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Having so many undergraduates in one room allowed the opportunity for the brothers to think through these internal issues from many diverse perspectives. Throughout the time at the Undergrad- uate Summit, not only were these inter- nal issues discussed, but also they were clothed in an open dialogue in which brothers attempted to get to the heart of the issues rather than just scratching the surface. Other features of the Summit were: • Mental Health Panel • Financial Literacy Presentation • Created first anti-hazing certifica- tion for Undergraduate Summit participants • Holmes & Murphy Insurance Pres- entation • University Presidents Panel Discus- sion • The Endless Cycle of Hazing Pres- entation • Title IX Today Presentation
Committee, the brothers were able to make significant progress in their preparation to continue enhancing the communities they serve. Because of this, they deemed the Undergraduate Summit a major success. Outside of working through internal issues, the Undergraduate Summit also invested in members by exposing them to several speakers with subject matter expertise. The speakers imparted their wisdom and experiences in an edifying manner. For example, Brothers David A. Chris- tian, Senior Vice President from Regions Bank Corporate, and J.B. McGinnis presented on the importance of finan- cial literacy. Christian and McGinnis explained the values of being financially stable and understanding how to invest your money to grow generational wealth. The undergraduates also heard from Ms. Sydney Brunson, Diversity Programs Manager and Chief of Staff, Inclusion & Diversity at Pinterest. Ms. Brunson highlighted the importance of a great work ethic, grade point average and networking skills. Ms. Brunson relayed her own life expe- riences to highlight the ways in which these situations allowed her to reach the success that she has attained very early in her career.
The mental health panel presented the information from an undergraduate pro- spective, allowing the undergraduates to better understand the importance of mental health, especially for others who often have high stress levels from college and life matriculation. Eight presidents of Historic Black Col- leges and Universities (HBCUs) partic- ipated in a panel discussion. This elite panel shared their concerns about Greek letter organizations on their campuses, and various actions that have been taken to keep fraternities on their respective campuses.
The Undergraduate Summit
“Our undergraduate adminis- tration vows to continue to reas- sert Kappa's relevance in an era where more African American voices must be heard. We will utilize our unique perspectives and skill sets in order to do work that moves the fraternity for- ward.”
—Christopher Cross
During the Undergraduate Summit
Opposite page: Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Christopher Cross.
THE SUMMIT
COVER STORY
Front row: Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack (Harris-Stowe State University), Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr., and Dr. W. Franklin Evans (Vorhees College). Back row: Dr. Richard J. Gallot (Grambling State University), Dr. M. Christopher Brown (Kentucky State University), Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins (West Virginia State University), Dr. Mi- chael J. Sorrell (Paul Quinn College), Dr. Melvin T. Stith (Nor- folk State University) and Dr. Herman J. Felton (Wiley Col- lege). Below: Grand Board Member André Ju- wan Earls addresses the delegates.
Kappa Alpha Psi’s 14 th Annual National Founders’ Day Observance gave birth to the Inaugural Undergraduate Summit. Friday, January 4, 2019, day two of the Undergraduate Summit was quite gratifying as it was overflowing with an all-star lineup of leaders from around the nation. Day two of the Undergraduate Summit featured the University Presidents Panel which was met with immense curiosity and great expectations from our undergraduate members of Kappas primarily because of the philosophical diversity of the panelists, nature and topics of the panel discussion. The dialogue between the brothers on the panel and our undergraduate brothers was existential and provocative based upon the complexities and transforma- tive dynamics within the various iterations of the initiation process. Safeguarding our fraternity, maintaining, sustaining and establishing a paradigm designed to preserve Kappa for the arrival of its bicentennial was the underlying objective and perspective of both the panelists and the undergraduates in attendance.
33 RD ADMINISTRATIONLEAVESALEGACYDURING14 TH ANNUALNATIONALFOUNDERS'DAY Historic Undergraduate Participation, Endowments Announced by Fraternity and Foundation in Honor of Dr. C.W. Grant and Dr. Ralph J. Bryson
H istory was made on the evening of January 5, 2019, where Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. gathered in Tampa, Florida to observe the 14 th Annual National Founders' Day. Stories from that evening will be told for years to come. With nearly 25% of the room filled with undergraduate members, they filled all of the “prized” tables in front of the dais. The room was set off by the seals of each of the 12 provinces of Kappa Alpha Psi for the first time in recent memory. The room was aglow in crimson, set off by the formal wear of the brothers. From the start of the evening, the activities seemed brack- eted by the words of Dr. Samuel D. Proctor as recorded in The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi ® : “Those ten men gave birth to
a great concept, the idea that if we are going to be brothers, let us be brothers on the best terms that we know. If we are going to bind together, let it be around something that is strong enough to hold us; if we are going to sing, let us sing about something that will have a lasting refrain; if we drink a toast, let it be of something beyond the trivial and the vulgar. Let us exalt the theme of achievement.” Then, it happened. The Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts III delivered one of the most powerful, interconnected words ever heard during National Founders’ Day. In honoring Dr. C.W. Grant and Dr. Ralpha J. Bryson, the brothers were able to view a video of their stories recounting their person- al relationships developed with several Founders of Kappa Alpha Psi. More than $50,000 was raised for undergraduate student scholarships. The evening was truly memorable.
Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr., walks into the ballroom to warm applause. Photo credit: Michael L. Hume
Kappa Alpha Psi’s First International Chapter: The Rho Mu Chapter is Chartered
Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr., and Southern Province Polemarch Bertram K. Orum with the members of the University of the Bahamas Chapter the Rho Mu of Kappa Alpha Psi.
F or the seven brothers initiat- ed at the University of The Bahamas (UB) made history on August 18 th when they became the Charter Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity's first international undergraduate chapter, and the second to be chartered outside the continental United States with the University of [U.S.] Virgin Islands Chapter, the Xi Psi of Kappa Alpha Psi ® being the first chap- ter in 1996. After 108 years of existence, the organization officially established its presence on a college/university campus outside of the United States through the Rho Mu Chapter. According to their chapter’s presi- dent, Dominic Parker, who is finance
major, said their work is just getting started, as their goal is to have their presence felt in a meaningful way. “We’re not here to just wear our letters,” the polemarch said. “Our mission is to leaving a lasting impact on the lives of those who attend our institution as well as the many young people in our community who need some sort of guidance. You will be seeing a lot of us, whether it’s just through your regular community service initiatives or going deeper to leave our community better than the way we met it.” The young men spent the past year serving as a colony within their frater- nity. But given the strides they’ve made
within that year, were granted the honor of having their own chapter. “It’s been a long time coming and we feel great, because we worked really hard to make this a reality,” the Rho Mu Polemarch said. “We have a lot we want to do in the community, from a scholarship program to just helping to direct the younger generation of Bahamians along the path to success.” The fraternity has functioned in The Bahamas since 1973 through its Baha- mas Alumni Chapter. Now, brothers will be able to transition to that chapter after their undergraudate studies are complete. Here’s to the Rho Mu Chap- ter! Here’s to Kappa Alpha Psi!
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