Officer Academy

Phi Sigma Kappa held its third annual national Conclave: Officer Academy this past January. The Grand Chapter was excited to be able to train more local chapter officers than ever before, given the virtual format of the conference. More than 300 officers greatly appreciated the hands-on logistical training, the opportunity to network with others in similar roles and meet International Headquarters (IHQ) professional staff and Phi Sig volunteers, even over Zoom!

For the past two years, only the President and Inductor from each chapter was invited to this event that focused on a mix of leadership training, as well as overviewing expectations and the “nuts and bolts” of their individual roles. For the first time ever, tracks were offered for brothers in the role of Vice President, Sentinel, Secretary, Treasurer, and Recruitment Chairman.

The sessions for the virtual Officer Academy spread out over the course of a few weeks in January and included a kick-off event, risk management training, and brotherhood networking event for all participants, in addition to officer-specific tracks. These officer training tracks were held over two weekends, to give participants an option of which session would fit best within their schedules. All sessions were led by a mix of volunteers and IHQ professional staff; with the President and Inductor tracks having additional facilitators for small groups. Volunteers consisted of Phi Sigma Kappa Chapter Advisers and Regional Advisers and fraternity and sorority life professionals.

The Grand Chapter is thankful for the member and non-member volunteer facilitators for the conference:

Lead Officer Track Facilitators:

• Brother Brad Fliller (Adelphi ‘13) • Brother Jacob Defassio (Valparaiso ‘12) • Brother Len Gailes (Alabama ‘93) • Brother Matthew Gregory (Southern Illinois ‘94) • Brother Michael Haynes (Pittsburg State ‘16) • Renee Dubois, Gamma Phi Beta

Small Group Facilitators for President and Inductor tracks:

• Brother Brandon Paternoster (Ferris State ‘04) • Brother Chris Schrimscher (Eastern Michigan ‘14) • Christopher Miofsky, Delta Lambda Phi • Clare Denhollem, Zeta Tau Alpha • Brother Daniel Kobren (Minnesota ‘17)

• Diana Coyle, Chi Omega • Brother Ed Doherty (Massachusetts ‘74) • Evan Englander, Phi Kappa Psi • Jada Tompkins, Delta Sigma Theta • Brother Joseph Teeple (Valparaiso ‘13) • Kate Morales, Delta Gamma • Malcom McDaniel, Latino America Unida/Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity, Inc • Brother Mark Rowland (Ball State ’78) • Nolan Spaenhower, Sigma Phi Epsilon • Shauna Prentice, Kappa Delta • Sydney Porter, Gamma Phi Beta

Staff facilitators:

• Augie Farwig, Development Officer • Drew Kerwood, Associate Director of Prevention and Wellness • Grant Carpenter, Director of Chapter Services • Joe Kern, Associate Executive Director/Operations • Leslie Pedigo, Director of Education • Trevor Hartley, Growth Specialist

The agenda for the virtual event was jam-packed with a mix of Phi Sigma Kappa-specific training and skill-building in areas that can transcend the Fraternity experience. During the Officer Academy KickOff, Fraternity leaders including Grand President Chris Hoye, Executive Director/COO Nicholas Zuniga, Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation President John Sheehan, and Phi Sigma Kappa Properties President Shawn Shivnen, welcomed everyone to the event. Court of Honor member Sean Shingler served as a keynote speaker, focusing on different leadership mindsets, and encouraged brothers to stay motivated and engaged through the challenges of the pandemic. Brothers met other participants during small group networking and were able to learn more about the virtual conference events occurring in the following few weeks.

Within each officer track, running concurrently on each Saturday they were held, participants started the day off reviewing their position description, the expectations of them from the Grand Chapter, and resources available to them. Throughout the track they were able to meet with a small group of other officers to share ideas on best operational practices and brotherhood engagement. Officers also learned transferable skills that related to their role, such as managing a team, balancing being a friend and holding members accountable, and communicating and staying organized. Chapter leaders also set goals for their position and chapter, utilizing information provided through the Annual Membership Survey (AMS). The AMS is an assessment tool that is conducted in partnership with Dyad Strategies, a fraternity/ sorority research firm. Most officers at Conclave received their chapter’s AMS report that provided a summary of data from their members regarding Phi Sigma Kappa values, strength of brotherhood, health and safety mindsets, and overall commitment to the Fraternity.

The brotherhood networking event allowed participants to get to know other undergraduates as well as Grand Council members and alumni. Using Zoom breakout rooms, undergraduate participants were able to share about their experiences and solicit ideas from each other. Alumni participants were able to share their involvement with Phi Sig and showcase lifelong membership in the Fraternity.

The 2021 Conclave: Officer Academy saw great success in that participants felt more confident in their roles, built stronger relationships with the Grand Chapter and International Headquarters professional staff, and gained a better understanding of the expectations of them as officers and advisers. One of the major takeaways for all participants was networking with other brothers from all over the country to share ideas from those who come from similar chapters, especially through the challenges of the pandemic.

The Grand Chapter hopes to continue to provide educational opportunities and resources for the leaders in our organization to be successful. Future initiatives include providing educational opportunities for general members, through our new brotherhood development program, Cardinal Journey. With new challenges for fraternities and sororities presenting themselves on an almost-daily basis, it is necessary for Phi Sigma Kappa to change and evolve to remain a leader in the fraternal industry. We hope the continued focus on leadership and educational opportunities for all members will best equip our leaders to succeed in their chapters, on their campuses, and in their professions.

ORDER OF OMEGA CASE STUDY

Ten local chapters took on the challenge of competing in the Phi Sigma Kappa/Order of Omega Case Study Competition. Chapter officers participating in the competition were able to form teams of two to three officers to review the case and create a plan to present to a panel of judges. The case was focused around combating negative stereotypes of fraternity life, recruiting in a pandemic, and improving chapter morale and diminishing apathy among brothers.

Congratulations to the following chapters for placing in the competition:

First place: Igor Luiz Costa De Sousa-Vieira & Phil Pogrebinsky;

Alpha Chapter at the University of Massachusetts

Second place: Thomas Jakubiec & Alexander Ky; Delta Deuteron Chapter at the University of Michigan

Third place: Anthony Castrovillari, Jon Soldan, & Ethan Bilodeau; Phi Upsilon Chapter at Valparaiso University

We also would like to thank our partners at Order of Omega and our Phi Sig brothers who served as judges: Valencio Jackson (Delaware ‘97), Gregory Stack (Kentucky ‘89), and Ed Kovacs (Bowling Green ‘06).

PHI SIGMA KAPPA AND PHI KAPPA PSI PARTNER FOR CAREER SEARCH SUMMIT

The Career Search Summit was the result of collaboration between Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Kappa Psi fraternities and the PIVIT U Career Coaching team. What started out as a conversation on how to revive Phi Kappa Psi’s award-winning Professional Development Conference during the time of COVID-19, became the Career Search Summit.

Instead of gathering for an in-person weekend-long professional development bootcamp, the Career Search Summit was part virtual trainings and part one-on-one career coaching. Devin Basile, Senior Director for Member Development at Phi Kappa Psi, and Drew Kerwood, Associate Director of Prevention & Wellness at Phi Sigma Kappa, spearheaded the program, recruiting participants and organizing the meetings, while the PIVIT U team brought their content and expertise to the weekly meetings.

Each Thursday evening through March, members from both Phi Kappa Psi and Phi Sigma Kappa joined Jimmy and Liddie Palumbo as they shared their years of experience and insight in the career coaching world. In the first week, participants learned how to develop and refine their personal brand, including their resumes, LinkedIn profiles and other social media profiles.

During the second week, Jimmy & Liddie led an engaging conversation on how to find and apply for jobs and internships in today’s job market, and how to build and use your network effectively to make you a more successful candidate.

The third week saw a panel of past Phi Kappa Psi Professional Development Conference (PDC) attendees share their insight and experiences as young professionals, including some things they wish they knew when they were still in college.

During the final week, Jimmy and Liddy brought it all together and provided their wisdom and inside tips on how to come into an interview prepared and ready to “knock it out of the park.”

In addition to the weekly Thursday night meetings, participants were able to schedule one-on-one career coaching with Jimmy, Liddie, and the rest of the PIVIT U team. These coaching sessions included resume and LinkedIn profile reviews, mock interviews, strategies for supercharging professional networks, and ongoing support. The PIVIT U team generously agreed to continue working with members who were currently in an active interview process to help them throughout the task.

To learn more about PIVIT U and the services that they offer, you can find more Information at www. pivitu.com.

At the end of the day, the first Career Search Summit was a great success, reaching a total of more than 40 students from both organizations. Participants including everyone from first year students to graduating seniors with a wide range of majors, including finance, communications, software engineering, and graphic design.

Christian Lundy (Hope College ‘22) said the experience was very helpful. He particularly enjoyed learning the tips for making the best resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and how to effectively network with those who are in the same field or at the company where you would like to work.