From among the All-AKPsi Academic Team’s 85 members, eight outstanding individuals have been selected as team captains and will receive educational grants from the Alpha Kappa Psi Foundation.
Eileen and Scott Howell Pledge $1 Million to Support Principled Business Leadership
Alpha Kappa Psi is excited to announce Eileen and Scott Howell have pledged a $1,000,000 gift to the Alpha Kappa Psi Foundation. The donation will go toward fulfilling strategic goals for principled business leadership educational programs and will honor lifelong Alpha Kappa Psi volunteers, Dave and Wendy Wendroff, with the naming of the new Alpha Kappa Psi headquarters as the Howell + Wendroff Professional Center.
Call for Nominations: Regional Director – Western Great Plains
Alpha Kappa Psi is seeking nominations for a volunteer to fill the position of Western Great Plains Regional Director. Due to unforeseen circumstances Ryan Miller, West Virginia State, ’12, has resigned as regional director.
Tribute to Women
This year we celebrated the 45th anniversary of AKPsi allowing women to join the fraternity! But did you know, it took several years before the opposition was finally defeated?
In 1972, President Nixon (and AKPsi brother), signed Title IX, which states that no person, on the basis of sex, can be excluded from participation, or denied benefits, under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
A Title IX exemption was introduced and in 1973, the Fraternity Alliance for Inalienable Rights, a 17 member organization which AKPsi was a member, was formed to oppose Title IX for professional fraternities.
During Convention in 1975, Alpha Kappa Psi initiated a fundraiser to combat Title IX, and a write-in campaign to attempt to sway legislators also began. A committee for female membership was created and proposed the Fraternity should bar women due to the Title IX exception legislation.
However, when it became apparent that non-inclusive legislation would not be approved, it was actually the Board of Directors that voted on August 7, 1976, to admit women into the Fraternity.
“Given the exposure we had to the business community-at-large, we could no longer deny women the same right to learn as we had learned.” John Eppinger Jr, Jacksonville ’75 Life
The Fraternity’s growth is directly linked to the admittance of women and makes up roughly half its membership. Women are chapter Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Pledge Educators. They are Chapter Advisors and Regional Directors. In 1985, AKPsi elected the first Female Fraternity Vice President, in 1991, the first Female Foundation Chairman, in 2003, the first Female Fraternity Chairman, and in 2007, finally, the first Female Fraternity President.
Board of Directors 2020 Update
During the weekend of August 7th and 8th the Fraternity and Foundation Boards convened via Zoom for the first ever all virtual board meeting. The weekend-long meeting included a Voting Members session to discuss changes to the Fraternity based on the effects of the Coronavirus and the election of directors.
Alpha Kappa Psi is proud to announce the Fraternity Board of Directors for the 2020-21 year:
Chair
Eileen L. Howell, Wisconsin-Milwaukee ’78-Life
Vice Chair
Chrissy M. Vasquez, Arizona State ’98-Life
Treasurer
Naneen Christopher, Seton Hall ’05-Life
Secretary
Micheal E. Dickson, Central Washington ’02-Life
Directors
John M. Levering, Boise State ’95-Life
Debora E. Barrett, Montclair State ’98-Life
Miriam V. Tomaselli, Marist ’97-Life
Michael G. Dickerson, CFV, Virginia Tech ‘04-Life
Donald T. Sechler, Arizona State ’96-Life
Director – Emeritus
Ken B. Hastey, Saint Louis ’76-Life
Thank you to Nancy Huebner, Richard Battle, and Alexander Sultan for their time on the Board. The terms for serving on the board ended for Brothers Huebner and Battle 8/8/2020, and Brother Sultan resigned his position on August 8, 2020. Don Sechler was officially appointed to the Board to full the vacancy left by Sultan.
Alpha Kappa Psi is proud to announce the Foundation Board of Directors for the 2020-21 year:
Chair
Eliza J. Hernandez, North Carolina – Charlotte ’09-Life
Vice Chair
Timothy W. Daniels, Indiana ’06-Life
Treasurer
Lisa A. Calandriello, American ’97-Life
Secretary
Stephen E. Smith, Florida ’86-Life
Directors
Jeff E. Frank, Eastern Michigan ’86-Life
Rodney C. Turner, Alabama State ’93-Life
Joshua Boddiford, South Florida ’00Life Mat D. Johnston, Boise State ’12-Life
Lea S. Goodwin, Louisiana State ’99-Life
We want to thank Manuel E. Pravia and W. Frederick Thompson for their time on the Board as their terms ended on 8/7/2020.
Additionally, the Board of Directors voted on the Area VPs for 2020-21:
Area I – Maya S. Richardson, Arizona State ‘12
Area II – Jonathon T. Pritt, Marshall ’11-Life
Area III – Andrea Nemeth, Montclair State ’91-Life
Area IV – Stephanie N. Potter, Auburn ’00-Life
We want to thank Stephanie Van Dellen for her service to the Management Team as her term as VP Area I ended 8/8/20.
