35TH ADMINISTRATION GRAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“ THE NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE GRAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO LEAD IN THE MANNER EXPECTED OF THEM BY THE MEMBERSHIP WHO CASTED A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THEIR FAVOR IN TAMPA, FLORIDA.”
One of Brother Watt’s most notable contributions to the fraternity is his work on Membership Intake. He was selected to chair both membership intake committees during the two moratoriums that the fraternity has experienced. Under his leadership, the Membership Orientation and Intake Process (MOIP) and the Member- ship Training Academy (MTA) were created, both of which have reformed the intake process and reduced the risk of hazing, ultimately extending the vitality of the fraternity. In addition to his work on Mem- bership Intake, Brother Watt worked on the creation of the Undergraduate Leadership Institute in 2004 and was the Chairman of the ULI for 15 years. During his stewardship, he spearheaded the solicitation of over two-million dollars in corporate sponsorships from companies like Home Depot, General Electric, Lowes, Regions Bank, J.P. Morgan, Citibank, and the U.S. Army. He also created LEAD Kappa, the equivalent program to the ULI that has helped over 750 undergraduates matriculate through these dynamic, life-changing programs. During Brother Watts recent tenure as a member of the Grand Board of Directors, he was tasked with several critical assignments: the Appeals Com- mittee where he assisted with timely reviews of all appeals; the Covid-19 Task Force, where he helped craft the guidelines for enabling Member- ship Intake during the pandemic; As co-chairman of the Insurance Task Force, he facilitated assess to creative solutions for managing the signifi- cance in insurance premiums; Further,
Brother Watt co-chaired the Dues Sub- scription Task Force, in this capacity, he was responsible for requirements gathering, process design, solution testing and the program successful launch. This tool has been integrated into the kappa.org platform, allowing members to enroll in auto-drafting of recurring dues payments. During his undergraduate years, Brother Watt served the fraternity at all three levels, including being elected Keeper of Exchequer and Polemarch at the Theta Eta Chapter, winning Large Chapter of the Year at the Grand Chapter Meeting. He also served as the Junior Vice Polemarch of the Southern Province, where he was responsible for undergraduate affairs in Florida and Alabama. Watt’s commitment to excellence led to a request from Ronald R. Young, the 28th Grand Polemarch, to join his campaign for the Grand Board of Directors. In 1995, Brother Watt was elected to serve as the Junior Grand Vice Polemarch, overseeing the Fraternity’s executive committee and operations of the international
Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA. He was appointed Chairman of several committees, including the Undergrad- uate Affairs Committee, Membership Services Committee, the Council of Junior Province Vice Polemarch’s, and the Membership Intake Committee. His tenure also featured the return of the undergraduate summit in 1996 in Philadelphia, PA. Brother Watt also served on the Kappa Foundation Board of Directors, which enabled him early exposure to corporate leaders respon- sible for civic engagement, fundraising, and social action. Brother Watt’s dedication to Kappa Alpha Psi has not gone unnoticed, as he has received numerous awards and certificates of appreciation. He has been awarded for keynote speeches in nearly every Province and has received the Guy L. Grant Award, the Joseph R. Jenkins Award, and Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles, Jr., on June 9, 2018, declared “Jwyanza Watt Day” at the Theta Class of the ULI in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also served the fraternity in three other provinces, including the Northern Province,
36 THE JOURNAL ♦ SUMMER 2023
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