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.
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