On April 9, a banquet will be held at Elkins Lake to induct and honor new members of Beta Gamma Sigma. Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor fraternity for business students.
Annually, the fraternity invites an average of 50 students into the organization. This year there were 44 invitees.
According to Dr. Keith Jenkins, who is not only the faculty advisor but also secretary and treasurer of Beta Gamma Sigma, to be invited into the fraternity is the highest honor a business student can receive in a college of business in the United States.
“Only 6 percent of students in the nation receive this honor,” Jenkins said.
Only schools accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International may be associated with Beta Gamma Sigma.
Business students must meet national and local requirements to be eligible for membership. National requirements include being in the upper 5 percent of the junior class, the upper 10 percent of the senior class, or in the upper 20 percent of a master’s program.
Locally, business students must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average and possess the qualities of what the Beta, Gamma, and Sigma stand for. Beta refers to integrity of character. Gamma refers to wisdom of knowledge and Sigma is the earnest enthusiasm in seeking knowledge.
According to Darla Chisholm, assistant professor in finance and a faculty member on the committee, being a member basically states you’re the best of the best.
Jenkins said people in business know what Beta Gamma Sigma is when they see it on a resume. To give an idea of just how prestigious the fraternity is, the president of Beta Gamma Sigma at SHSU is also the dean of the College of Business Administration.
For more information on the fraternity, contact faculty advisor Dr. Keith Jenkins at 294- 1286.