Students at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics have a diverse range of nearly 30 student-led groups on campus, offering students opportunities to connect, engage and grow in their personal and professional interests.
Madelynn Murray, Class of 2025 marketing and operations management double major with a minor in entrepreneurship, is the president of the Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) professional business fraternity at Lerner College. Murray shared why she joined AKPsi, what makes this group stand out and how to get involved.
Lerner: When and why did you choose to join this student group?
Murray: I rushed Alpha Kappa Psi my freshman fall semester in 2021 and initially heard of it through my BUAD110 teaching assistant. Coming to campus, I knew I wanted to be a part of an organization that provides both social and professional elements, and I quickly discovered that AKPsi has an abundance of both. AKPsi provides a tight knit community that makes UD as a whole feel that much smaller and more like home.
Lerner: When and where does your student group meet and approximately how many members do you have?
Murray: We meet weekly on Monday evenings in Kirkbride Lecture Hall and have approximately 120 active brothers.
Lerner: What is the mission/goal of your student group?
Murray: Founded on the guiding principles of building brotherhood, lifelong learning, high ethical standards, improving communities, and enhancing the fraternity for life, we are dedicated to developing professional business leaders that are ready and prepared to enter the workforce.
Lerner: What is your best memory or proudest moment from this student group?
Murray: I would say my best memory was from this past fall semester where we hosted our annual Brosgiving right before everyone left for Thanksgiving break. Brosgiving is like friendsgiving but only with brothers of the chapter. Everyone brought a dish, there was a bonfire, and we were all just together and it reminded me why I love this organization so much. Even though we all have our similarities and differences, at the end of the day we are a brotherhood filled with people who will be there for you no matter what.
Lerner: What is unique about your student group?
Murray: Alpha Kappa Psi is unique in the way that we all support each other but still constantly push each other to excel and achieve great things. With there being so many high achievers in our organization, there is always someone who you could use as a resource to reach whatever goal you are pursuing.
Lerner: What are your goals for the future of your student group?
Murray: I hope that we can keep expanding our resources we provide internally to our members. Whether it is professionally to the social support we could be providing, I think there are always aspects that we can adjust so that everyone can get the most out of their time in our brotherhood. Also, during recruiting periods, I want to make sure we expand outreach so that everyone is aware of AKPsi so that we can continue to get the best of the best in our chapter.
Lerner: How has your student group helped you grow, personally or professionally?
Murray: I have grown in every way possible through being a member of AKPsi. On the professional side, there are so many opportunities to take up leadership positions and improve upon your public speaking skills. Socially, I feel beyond confident in networking situations where you are forced to talk to random people at any time. We always say that you get as much out of it as you put in so if you put in 110%, you will get exactly that back.
Lerner: Does your group have any social media handles?
Instagram: @udakpsi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-kappa-psi-omega-alpha/
Lerner: Does your group have a website?