Alpha Kappa Psi Mission Statement
Alpha Kappa Psi's Mission is to develop well trained, ethical, skilled, resourceful and experienced business leaders. Our overall goal is a special one: the preparation of men and women for future success. Colleges and universities teach valuable lessons in the classroom. However, the living laboratory of Alpha Kappa Psi gives our collegians the practice they need in developing advanced communication skills, a true understanding of the value of teamwork, and firsthand experience with the unique challenges of motivating a team project.Goals of Alpha Kappa Psi
Alpha Kappa Psi, the first professional fraternity in business, was founded at New York University in 1904, followed by the establishment of Delta Sigma Pi in 1907 at the same institution. The Alpha Epsilon Chapter located in the Southeast region at the University of Georgia was founded on March 18, 1922. Alpha Kappa Psi was the first professional business fraternity to become co-ed. The objects of Alpha Kappa Psi, adopted at the time of its founding, are1. To further the individual welfare of its members;
2. To foster scientific research in the fields of commerce, accounts, and finance;
3. To educate the public to appreciate and demand higher ideals therein;
4. To promote and advance in institutions of college rank, courses leading to degrees in business administration.
Over 140,000 members have been initiated into Alpha Kappa Psi. Of this number about 4,000 are faculty members, approximately 6,000 are college students working for degrees in business administration, and the remainder are engaged in business throughout the United States and Canada, and in other parts of the world. Of Alpha Kappa Psi's alumni membership, over 17,750 are life members. Members are viewed as being very loyal, friendly, sympathetic, honest, dependable, and trustworthy. Among the benefits of being a member, each member has the opportunity to participate in a number of chapter activities and to be a part of an organization with a strong sense of pride, honor, history and tradition. Each member is encouraged to take an active role in the fraternity. There are tremendous opportunities for growth and leadership on the executive board, committees, and throughout the organization as a whole.History of Alpha Kappa Psi
When New York University announced in 1900 that it would open an evening school for instruction in commerce, accounts, and finance, and would give a university degree to those who, having successfully qualified for admission, should successfully complete the course, the announcement was received with doubt throughout the country. The doubt manifested and the need of student loyalty in supporting the new idea were in no small measure the reason for Alpha Kappa Psi's coming into being.Prior to 1900, schools of business had been established at the University of Pennsylvania (1881), University of Chicago (1898), and University of California (1898).
The class that entered NYU in the fall of 1902, four months after the first of the new degrees had been awarded by the university, was unique in several respects. First, it was the three-year class; second, all students studied the same subjects; third, there were no textbooks -- everything was new and somewhat crude; fourth, Dean Haskins died during the first semester; and fifth, Dean Johnson was promoted to the deanship during the same year.
Other things occurred that had a strong bearing on the early development of the Fraternity. The founders occupied the same seats five nights a week. They became acquainted with one other. Four men from Brooklyn (Bergen, Jefferson, Lane, & Leach), later known as the Brooklyn Four, walked home from school together over the Brooklyn Bridge. The spirit of brotherhood grew so strong in the hearts and in the minds of the men from Brooklyn that early in the second year they decided to suggest to the other members of their class that something be done to perpetuate it, and Alpha Kappa Psi, the first professional fraternity in business, was founded at an organization meeting help October 5, 1904.
On March 20, 1905, formal application was made to the State of New York for a charter of incorporation for Alpha Kappa Psi. This application was drawn up in the handwriting of Frederic R. Leach and was signed by the ten Founders: George L. Bergen, Irving L. Camp, Robert S. Douglas, Daniel V. Duff., Howard M. Jefferson, Nathan Lane, Jr., Frederick R. Leach, Morris S. Rachmil, William O. Tremaine, and Herbert M. Wright. The application was approved and the charter of incorporation officially issued in the name of Alpha Kappa Psi on May 20, 1905.
In 1910, Beta Chapter at the University of Denver was installed; in 1911, Gamma at Northwestern University; in 1912, Delta was established at the University of Pittsburgh. Thus began the national development of Alpha Kappa Psi.
Now, over 230 college chapters and over 75 alumni chapters have been installed, over 140,000 members have been inducted and Alpha Kappa Psi is one of the largest of American college fraternities.