From March 30 to April 4, professional sales, marketing and management coed fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon held its Virtual National Convention, welcoming students from chapters across the country to compete in 19 competitions and be recognized for their chapter’s development and growth.
Chris Williams (B.A. Economics ’20), Eta Beta president, 2019–2020
Michigan State’s PSE chapter, Eta Beta, made its presence known at the event, ranking first among Amethyst-level chapters and earning the 2020 Lloyd L. Antle Top Amethyst Chapter.
According to a press release from PSE, this award is given to the chapter that excels in all levels of operations, such as programming, membership development and recruitment, while attaining the Amethyst level of the Chapter Operations Guide (25,000 points or more). Eta Beta proved itself by earning more than 30,000 COG points and recruiting 29 new members over the course of the year.
“Success for me is to see the chapter grow, not just in size but also member development,” Chris Williams (B.A. Economics ’20), president of the chapter for 2019–2020, said. “We want our members to learn useful things from PSE and be able to apply it in life or their future place of employment.”
At the event, Williams was recognized as a finalist for the President’s Award for Innovation. With four years of experience in the chapter, he was able to draw on success patterns he observed at other chapters, including Zeta Nu, Central Michigan University’s chapter. He leveraged new members’ talents and created five new executive chair positions within the chapter.
Michael Anthony Valente (B.A. Supply Chain Management ’21), Eta Beta president, 2020–2021
“Chris brought an entirely different perspective to the table,” Michael Anthony Valente, supply chain management junior and Eta Beta’s current president, said. “He brought all of that knowledge to MSU and quickly implemented new structural changes and ideas that benefited us immensely.”
In addition, MSU’s chapter earned finalist spots for Most Improved Chapter, for Top New Member Development Process and in the event’s case study competition. The chapter’s national recognition is a testament to its growth after beginning in 2014.
“Being awarded the Top Amethyst Chapter this year really puts into perspective the strides our chapter has taken in its short six years of life,” Valente said. “We as a chapter have always desired to scale our fraternity to a high-ranking national level, and this is really the first time we were able to prove to PSE Chapters around the nation that we embody the principles that PSE was founded on and have what it takes to compete at a high level. Accomplishing this truly shows the hard work and dedication that our members bring to the chapter each week.
“Personally, my time in PSE has gone much further than improving just my sales and marketing skills,” Valente continued. “It has also taught me the importance of organization and time management skills and being able to quickly develop solutions when needed.”
