KAPPA PSI
Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc
 

Samantha Seivert

 

I personally enjoyed the pledging process. It was one of the most difficult things I have faced since in pharmacy school; however, I also feel like it once one of my biggest growth opportunities. While I enjoyed the pledging process and was able to see the bigger picture in terms of growth, I was also very aware of how people struggled through the process and found it to be more frustrating than beneficial. This past pledging season a lot of great changes were made in terms of pushing the pledging process to be one focused on growth and development and I want to run for Vice Regent to continue to shift the pledging process in that direction.

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As Vice Regent I want to continue to foster and improve upon the changes that have been to the pledging process thus far. The pledging process can be viewed in two ways by the pledges: (1) a tough process that the pledges are eventually able to see as an opportunity for growth and (2) a tough process that is hard for no other reason than it is what previous brothers have endured. My overarching goal for the pledging season is to continue to work with the feedback form the brothers, GCD’s, and even the new pledges make the pledging season tough so that it fosters the growth and development of the new pledges.

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I have been on both the Pledge Planning Committee and the Pledge Evaluation Committee. I have seen the behind the scenes work that goes into planning the pledge season. I am very familiar with the events and the changes that have been adapted this past pledge season. In addition to helping plan and put together the pledging season I have also been on the Evaluation Committee and have heard the feedback the brothers have given in regards to the pledge season. If elected Vice Regent, this information will be very helpful when planning the pledge season so that I can work with the pledge parents, the GCD’s and current committees, to make the changes that have been brought up by the brothers.

As fundraising chair, I have developed my organization skills as well as my communication skills. Coordinating Soldier Field events took much pre-planning, communication with Soldier Field Staff, and communication with the brothers. I learned to work ahead on things as much as possible and to not put things off to the last minute. Working as Stand Lead at the Soldier Field events also helped my refine my skills of leading a group of people as we work towards a common goal.

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Planning my wedding last summer also helped me improve both my ability to make quick adaptations and to go with the flow when no other option is available. The pledging season can be all planned out but once the pledging process actually beings, it needs to be taken day by day making changes whenever necessary. Sometimes the changes will result in alternative plans and sometimes the changes will result it just having to go with the flow. Wedding planning taught me to get events planned in advance so that when things do not go as planned there is time to make adjustments. Wedding planning also reminded me that sometimes things do not go as planned and there is no alternative and you just have to go with the situation at hand and make the best of it.

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One of the biggest things I want to accomplish this pledging season is to find a way to make the transition to Chi Council more smooth. In doing this I do not want to move backwards and make the whole pledging season as difficult as it was in previous years; however, I would like to talk to the Sigma class so that I can use their feedback to make the necessary adjustments for a more smooth transition. I want to hear directly from the source how they believe we could have improved the transition as well as find out at what point, if any, they thought things took a turn to being considered “too difficult.”

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Another big thing that I noticed many brothers missed this pledging season was having to adapt field day due to cold weather. While I do not claim to have any control over the weather, I would like to work with both the GCD’s and pledge parents to schedule this event earlier in the pledging season to give us the best chance to have good weather. This is a beloved pledge event and I want to do everything in my power to bring it back.

Overall I want the pledging process to be a time where the pledges are pushed to their limits to really see what they are capable of, but I also want it to be something that they look back on as a positive growth experience rather than 3 months of being miserable. It should be difficult and it should be challenging; however, there should never be a question of why the pledges are doing an activity or the growth they may get out of the experience. Coordinating the pledging process is not easy task and I do not claim to be able to do it alone. Instead I want to work with the pledge parents and all of the active brothers to welcome in a new group of pledges and to help them develop into strong Brothers of Kappa Psi.