The Alumni Association is excited to announce our Spring 2024 "Building Bridges, Building Brothers" Professional Development Grant Recipients! We would first like to thank all who applied, and appreciate the time and attention you put into submitting an application. This semester, the Alumni Association Board of Directors has chosen Kristen Davis, Brittany Woodruff, Kathrine Boyer, and William Click as our recipients. Read more about them below!
If you are interested in applying for the Fall 2024 Professional Development Grant, you can find more information here! Applications are due by August 15th, 2024.
Kristen Davis is a Brother from the Nu Gamma chapter at Robert Morris University. She also currently serves as the Chapter Sponsor for Nu Gamma. To better serve in her role as Chapter Sponsor, Kristen is looking to use the Professional Development Grant to engage in three trainings: Question, Persuade, Refer program's Gatekeeper Plus training; Mental Health First Aid; and The Safe Zone. Through these trainings, she hopes to be a resource to students who are navigating difficult times many today are facing. In explaining why these trainings are important to her goals as sponsor, she said "While I don’t pretend to know everything about mental health, nor can I serve in place of mental health professionals, I want to be able to serve as a better partner and resource to the students I work with, especially when their mental health is a major part of the equation." Congratulations Kristen, and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish with your chapter!
Brittany Woodruff is a Brother from the Pi chapter at Auburn University. Brittany is currently pursuing a Masters in Data Analytics and will concurrently be pursuing a certification in Tableau Desktop, a data visualization and business insight software. The Professional Development Grant will be instrumental in helping her achieve this certification, which is not offered through her graduate program. She is currently on track to complete both her masters and the certification by November of 2024. When asked how the principles of Kappa Kappa Psi guide her professionally, she said "Kappa Kappa Psi inspires me to not settle for status quo. It pushes me to be a better person and to constantly strive to improve myself." Congratulations Brittany, and we wish you the best as you finish up your education!
Kathrine (Katie) Boyer is a Brother from the Gamma Pi chapter at Purdue University. Katie has been accepted into the Masters of Sustainable Management Program at the University of Wisconsin. It is an online program dedicated to making the connection between businesses, environmental science, and social systems for sustainable outcomes. She plans to put the Professional Development Grant towards her tuition. In her job at Purdue Federal Credit Union, she hopes to use the knowledge gained through this graduate program to develop a sustainability program. "Kappa Kappa Psi has taught me the importance of service. I feel fulfilled in my life - professionally, socially, mentally - when I get to help serve. I volunteer my time outside of work, but want to seek that same fulfillment in my professional career. Kappa Kappa Psi has also taught me the importance of leadership. Instead of waiting for others to take action to help fill the needs of future generations, I want to step up and take an active role in accomplishing this goal." Congratulations Katie, and we wish you the best as you begin this new chapter!
William (Will) Click is a Brother from the Theta Epsilon chapter at the University of Kentucky. Will is an educator in Lexington, KY and over the past three years has completed a master's degree in elementary teaching and is pursuing an endorsement program for teaching English as a Second Language. He will soon be finalizing the ESL endorsement, and pursuing a second one to teach students who are identified as gifted & talented. The Professional Development Grant will help cover the costs of the PRAXIS exam for both of the aforementioned endorsements. Will had this to say when asked what impact our principles have on his role as a teacher "I do not wish to simply be a good teacher. I seek to be the absolute best teacher I can be and have taken steps to do this from day one of my career. Kappa Kappa Psi has molded and will continue to mold my outlook and work ethic in a way that helps me grow as a person, brother, and educator. Thus, I do not see the goals I have mentioned above as final steps. Rather, I see them as the next steps in what will be a long series of endeavors to improve over the entire course of my career." Congratulations Will, and we look forward to your accomplishments and the impact you will make on future students!
These Brothers truly embody everything it means to "Strive for the Highest". We again thank everyone for applying, and look forward to seeing your applications for the fall!
Congratulations to all! #AEA