Delta Sigma Pi (DSP) is an international professional business fraternity, and the Kappa Nu Chapter was chartered at Longwood in 1981. For more than 100 years, DSP has encouraged, supported, and shaped the professional goals and personal aspirations of thousands of members. It is the foremost professional fraternity for men and women pursuing business careers. Membership is open to all business and economics majors who have completed at least one semester in a business or economics program and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.3.
DSP trains members in professional skills, leadership, ethics, and service. Like other Greek organizations on campus, a formal recruitment process is required, and a decision is made by chapter vote. Joining does not preclude you from being in a social group organization, and there are a lot of members who do both. Once initiated into the organization, members become part of a brotherhood with social opportunities that form lifelong friendships. They share a common interest and expand business knowledge through social and professional networking.
Karla Grijalva Lopez, current DSP President and business administration major with concentrations in management and accounting and an economics minor, was able to travel to St. Louis, MO in January for the 2024 Presidents’ Academy, a national training event for chapter presidents. While networking with business professionals like Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Marie Artim, Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Enterprise Holdings Inc., Grijalva Lopez developed her leadership potential for strategic planning, navigating difficult conversations, and building successful teams.
This program provided immediate benefits for Grijalva Lopez as well as Longwood’s Kappa Nu chapter. She shared, “I had the opportunity to learn new skills that I can take into my chapter as president and also as a business leader. We focused on many topics such as incentivizing, motivating, and accountability; navigating difficult conversations, and leading like a facilitator. I also got the opportunity to participate in The Birkman Method and learn about my strengths, behaviors, motivations, and interests and how they all affect the leader that I am.”
DSP is the best of both worlds, combining a wonderful social experience, community service, and getting close to people who share a passion for the study of business. Grijalva Lopez reflects on the many benefits of joining this professional business fraternity, “Delta Sigma Pi comes with so many opportunities and a lifelong brotherhood. I have gained so many experiences from being in this fraternity from attending national conferences to learning about my leadership qualities within the chapter. I know that I have a lifelong networking opportunity during my collegiate years and after. I am so grateful for all the wonderful memories I have created since I joined the Kappa Nu Fall 2021.”
The recruiting process occurs in both the fall and spring. More information about Delta Sigma Pi can be found here: https://www.deltasigmapi.org/, or by emailing svpkappanu@gmail.com. Follow Longwood’s Delta Sigma Pi—Kappa Nu chapter on Instagram at @ludeltasig.
