The Archons’ Academy is an annual event started in the 1990s that allows our chapter presidents to network with one another and share best practices while learning valuable skills to assist them during their time as president. This year we returned to an in person event and 20 of our 26 chapters were represented.
We took some of the best lessons we had from last year’s virtual event and centered much of our leadership program around the Birkman Method, a personality assessment tool, and created the “Know Thyself” program with our partners at Plaid. The Birkman Method reveals four key perspectives of every person: Motivation, Self-Perception, Social Perception, and Mindset. In understanding these perceptions and how they influence each other, individuals can better understand the emotions and actions that drive their life. Every Archon completed the assessment prior to arriving in Indianapolis and much of the programming Saturday was built around helping them understand how they could best relate to others, manage their time, handle conflict and difficult conversations, and best lead their chapters. We’d especially like to Thank Chris Woods, Kappa Alpha Order, who facilitated this program and helped make it possible.
Additional sessions in the academy reviewed Psi Upsilon’s history, values, and rituals, motivating and incentivizing members, reviewed campus resources, how to manage a meeting, and gave Archons a chance to share best practices.
This event is always a highlight of our programming year and, most importantly, helps show the chapter presidents that they are not alone in the challenges they face and that they have resources to assist them. We hope to compliment these relationships by continuing our monthly Town Halls and chapter visits.
You can view photos of this event on our Flickr site or browse the gallery below.
