Yesterday was the first day of Alpha Kappa Psi’s 62nd Convention in Indianapolis!
Our first day of Convention was filled with celebrations and reunions as we kicked off another historical gathering of Alpha Kappa Psi members. Brothers explored Indianapolis through a number of different excursions, kissed the bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and gathered for the Welcome Reception!
Either you love group projects, or you don’t. But inevitably, you will find yourself involved in a group project in your coursework, your job, or another role in your life. Therefore, effective teamwork should be important to you.
Asana shared eleven benefits of teamwork in the workplace. Most notably, teamwork cultivates effective communication, improves decision-making and problem-solving skills, improves culture, helps build trust, and develops individual strengths.
Alpha Kappa Psi saw the importance of teamwork in its chapters and members as an opportunity to offer all student members access to an assessment that would help them work better together to achieve operational and professional goals. In 2019, AKPsi introduced the Birkman Method Assessment to chapter presidents and chapter advisors at the former joint event, Presidents Academy and Fraternity Advisor Conference (PAFAC).
The Birkman Method is a scientifically developed assessment that provides insights into your personality, motivations, and behaviors. This comprehensive understanding of your and your team members’ strengths, interests, and communication styles can transform how you collaborate and support one another.
Every team is a unique blend of personalities, and understanding these dynamics is critical to effective teamwork. The Birkman Method helps you learn your team members’ motivations and stress behaviors. This insight lets you anticipate and manage potential conflicts, ensuring a more cooperative and productive environment.
Effective communication is crucial for any team’s success. The Birkman Method identifies how you and your teammates prefer to communicate, highlighting differences and similarities. By understanding these preferences, you can adapt your communication style to better connect with others, leading to more straightforward and valuable interactions.
Every team member brings unique strengths to the table. The Birkman Method helps identify these strengths, allowing you to assign roles and responsibilities aligning with each member’s abilities. This alignment boosts individual satisfaction and enhances overall team performance by ensuring everyone is working in their areas of strength.
A team thrives when every member feels valued and understood. The Birkman Method promotes inclusivity by helping team members appreciate the diverse perspectives and contributions of others. This understanding fosters a collaborative spirit, where members feel empowered to share ideas and work together towards common goals.
Effectual leaders understand and address the needs of their team. The Birkman Method gives aspiring leaders insights into their leadership style and how it impacts their team. This self-awareness enables leaders to adapt their approach, motivate their team, and create a supportive environment that encourages collaboration and growth.
Taking the Birkman Method Assessment is simple, and its benefits for teamwork are substantial. Here’s how you can get started:
The Birkman Method Assessment is more than just a personality test—it’s a powerful tool for enhancing teamwork. It provides deep insights into individual and team dynamics, helping Alpha Kappa Psi members communicate better, leverage each other’s strengths, and work together more effectively. Take the Birkman Method Assessment today and start building your team.
[Noblesville, Indiana] – [April 9, 2024] Alpha Kappa Psi introduced a new organizational structure for chapter-operations to better align with the programmatic improvements implemented over the past five years. Further, the changes to the volunteer structure (the “Management Team”) will improve coordination with the Professional Staff to deliver more consistent support of student chapter officers and chapter advisors. The implementation of this new structure went live on April 1, 2024.
Over the last several years, the Fraternity implemented several new programs and resources for chapter officers and leaders, including the launch of MyAKPsi, which includes several new resources and online tools. The goal of the new organizational structure is to assist in the delivery of these programs and resources:
This transformation is the first significant change to roles and responsibilities within the organizational structure in 30 years, other than the periodic adjustments to our geographic regions.
[Noblesville, Indiana] – [March 20, 2024] – Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) is pleased to announce a new mission statement: “To develop a diverse global community of courageous, principled business leaders with the capability to drive positive impact throughout their lifelong journey.”
This revised statement reflects AKPsi’s commitment to evolving alongside the ever-changing landscape of business. It emphasizes the Fraternity’s core values while positioning it as a preeminent organization for fostering the current and future generations of impactful business leaders.
“The new mission statement expresses AKPsi’s commitment to being an important part of how our members grow as leaders, with the expectation that we, the collective we, will have the motivation and means to make our communities better, on the small scale and beyond,” said Michael G. Dickerson, Chair of the AKPsi Board of Directors. “The world of business is more dynamic than ever before. Our new mission statement acknowledges this reality and reaffirms our commitment to equipping our members with the skills and character they need to navigate complex challenges and achieve success.”
Professor, Mentor, Devoted Brother
William “Bill” Callarman, beloved professor, cherished friend, and dedicated member of the Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) fraternity, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2024, at the age of 80. Bill will be deeply missed by his family, friends, students, fellow church members, and brothers.
Bill was passionate about working with people, establishing as his personal mission statement, “The greatest investment you can make is the one spent on others.1”
He studied business at West Texas A&M University (now West Texas State University), where his father was the dean of the business school, where he was initiated into Alpha Kappa Psi in 1962. He continued his education at Arizona State University, earning a Ph.D. in Business Management. He eventually moved his family to Florida for a faculty role in 1972 at Florida Technological University (later renamed the University of Central Florida).
Bill’s career flourished at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he served as a professor in marketing and management2 and was eventually named faculty emeritus for his many leadership roles in and out of the classroom. A pillar of the UCF community, he was known for his engaging teaching style, unwavering dedication to his students, and unwavering commitment to fostering a love for learning.
Beyond the classroom walls, Bill was actively involved in the Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity. His dedication to the organization’s values of brotherhood, unity, integrity, service, and knowledge was exemplified by serving on the Board of Directors and by serving as the faculty advisor of the Nu Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi at UCF for 30 years. For his service and for the guidance he provided hundreds of AKPsi members over the years, AKPsi recognized Bill with the Gold Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor for a volunteer given by the organization.
Bill was also an active church member and a long-time youth soccer coach. He played pivotal roles in NCAA athletics, chairing the UCF athletic committee in the 1990s. He utilized this post to further advocate for gender equity and women’s athletics. Bill was also the chief designer of the business curriculum at UCF, providing critical leadership to the fledgling university.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Helen Ayres Callarman, and is survived by his son, Michael, and daughter, Julia, and granddaughters, Kate and Mary Quinn.3
He will be remembered for his warmth, humor, intellect, and steadfast dedication to his family, students, fraternity brothers, church family, and loved ones.
Sources
1 Mangual, A. (2011, March 29). The Resume of a Man Who Got All He Dreamed. ALEXIAMANGUAL. March 22, 2024, https://alexiamangual.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/the-resume-of-a-man-who-got-all-he-dreamed/
2 University of Central Florida, “The UCF Report, Vol. 05 No. 03, August 11, 1982” (1982). The UCF Report. 133. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/ucfreport/133
3 Newcomer. (n.d.). Newcomer family obituaries – dr. William Glen “bill” callarman 1943 – 2024. Orlando. https://www.newcomerorlando.com/Obituary/275190/Dr-William-Callarman/Orlando-FL
