Final Reflection – Phi Sigma Pi

How has your completion of the project changed how you would answer those questions?
How has this project furthered your educational or personal goals and experiences? How
does it connect to your future or current coursework? How did your project contribute to
the work of the organization or your partners? Do you see yourself continuing to work with
the organization or partners, or on issues related to this project? What did you learn about
yourself and the importance of this project over the course of the last quarter?

As the elected head of my fraternity’s chapter, I have had the challenge of balancing my personal
vision for my chapter with the interests and motivations of all members. The Zeta Sigma chapter
has been an important part of my college experience, providing me with a network of friends
outside of my major and enrichment in leadership activities, scholarship outside of my studies,
and increased fellowship among my peers. After having joined as a freshman, now as a senior I
see it as my obligation to invest myself in the business of the chapter and build a legacy for the
younger members to carry on. Before graduating from the University of Washington I want to
see my chapter grow in numbers from successful recruitment campaigns, increase retention,
foster fellowship among new and old members, and increase the efficiency of chapter business
including chapter and committee meetings. These were problem areas that the chapter had under
previous leaderships and as the elected President, I have been working to address and solve these
issues prior to my graduation. I want to help sustain the chapter after my departure. In the
process of doing all of this I built on my skills as a leader including delegation, oration, and
persuasion.

As President of the Zeta Sigma chapter, I have received first-hand experience balancing
competing interests and how to mediate unexpected conflicts. This past quarter I was a student in
the honors course “Leadership, Democracy, and a More Thoughtful Public.” In this course I
learned how leaders must act deliberately with consideration of the effects their choices will have
on people including themselves. The course highlighted the importance of information-seeking
as a tool for leaders to gain information and support from others but also how the act of
information-seeking can undermine the authority of leaders. Similarly, it was taught that leaders
must be able to persuade and motivate others when they are acting as passive recipients rather
than a thoughtful and engaged group. I was able to apply these concepts directly to my practice
as head of the fraternity. One such instance was when a newly joined member had failed to pay
her dues and was not in communication with anyone from the chapter on her activity status in
terms of membership. As President I had the responsibility of enforcing expectations for
members and those that have not paid dues with the threat of expulsion from the chapter. I had to
persuade the chapter that the possibility of expelling the member was an important precedent to
set to show that all members must be treated equally and chapter bylaws are to be followed
without exception. Fortunately, I was able to help the member to resign and pay dues before
officially quitting the chapter.

My role as President has helped to facilitate Phi Sigma Pi’s presence at the University of
Washington and in the Seattle community. I help to run the day-to-day operations of the local
chapter and uphold the duties and values of the fraternity. As the official representative of the
chapter, I am vested with the responsibility of making sure all of our members are upholding our
values, feel welcome within the chapter, and that our chapter’s activities fall within the grace and
dignity expected by the National Office. I lead the Executive Board and delegate responsibility
according to official responsibilities to ensure chapter events embody our values, minimize risk,
and maintain a professional attitude with outside partners.

My time in office will end upon the election and installment of the next Executive Board held in
spring of 2018. As thus I will continue to serve as President of the Zeta Sigma chapter after the
completion of this project until my time in office has ended. Following my graduation in June of
2018, I will be an alumni member of the fraternity and aim to continue my participation in a
different capacity. After my time as head of my chapter, I hope to advise the next president and
executive board as an active alumni member.

From my first quarter as President, I have learned that I am adept at facing the difficult nature of
decision-making that comes with leadership roles. There is no template for how to be a good,
effective leader; you must approach the privilege with consideration and caution but act
deliberately and consciously of the choices that you are making.