Students start second business fraternity on campus

This semester, two Saint Joseph’s University students, Tim Brandt, ’19, and Samantha Zimmerman, ’19, founded an on campus chapter of the co-ed professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi.

Noting the interest among peers in starting another business fraternity, Brandt and Zimmerman took it upon themselves to contact Alpha Kappa Psi’s national office to start a colony, the first step before becoming a chapter.

“We both wanted to start something new and have it grow from there,” Zimmerman said. “So communication was the biggest thing and making sure that we had people who wanted to join and are going to be dedicated and have effort and have time to do it.”

Nationally founded in 1904, Alpha Kappa Psi upholds the values of brotherhood, knowledge, integrity, service, and unity.

Zimmerman believes that aspects of the fraternity such as being inclusive, helping other people, service work, being professional, and meeting new people align with the values of a Jesuit institution.

Last semester, Brandt and Zimmerman received some initial resistance from the Office of Student Life and from the Erivan K. Haub School of Business.

“We don’t try to make starting an organization hard because we want to engage as many students as possible in campus life, in co-curricular activities,” said Beth Hagovsky, director of Student Leadership and Activities. “But running an organization is the hard part because you have to engage your peers, have to be able to balance your own priorities, and still make something that seems interesting to your peers, that’s is the hardest thing.”

The two students’ persistence left an impression on Patrick O’Brien, associate dean of the Haub School of Business.

“People need to have commitment at the ground level so that they can build in enough student interest to keep it going,” O’Brien said. “That commitment level was obvious in them and they had a strong, well-thought out plan.”

While previous efforts in the early 2000s to start another business fraternity failed to come to fruition, the amount of students in the Haub School of Business has still increased.

Nevertheless, the colony that Zimmerman and Brandt are forming is open to all majors, not just students in the Haub School of Business.

“Anyone who has an interest in business can join,” Zimmerman said. “People who just want to grow, personally and professionally. It is a brotherhood.”

The two are interested in people who want to better themselves as individuals, according to Brandt.

“We were told by our colony advisor that if you rush into becoming a chapter, it usually doesn’t work out as well,” Brandt said. “So getting to know your people for months, becom[ing] a chapter, and swing[ing] into recruitment definitely is to an advantage.”

After spending the semester with the colony, the two plan to start recruiting new members next fall.

Once installed, Alpha Kappa Psi will be the second co-ed, professional business fraternity on campus, in addition to the Zeta Pi chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, which was reinstated in 2003.

“Some might think of it in terms of competition but I look at it as more opportunities for more of our students to become involved,” said O’Brien. “Maybe some students will feel more comfortable in one of the two fraternities, based on what either organization’s goals and missions are.”

The last day for individuals to notify their interest in joining the colony is Jan. 27 and the ceremony for installing the colony is set for Feb. 5.