On Feb. 16-17, members of the University's Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) chapter participated in the "Innovation in your Chapter" section of the BAP Mid Year Meeting 2024, showcasing their best practices within their organization.

Among them, Karlin Weisinger, Kate Wong, Jerod Zboinski, Hannah Taylor and Macy Perez demonstrated excellence, securing second place in the Best Practices competition, accompanied by their uplifting co-faculty advisor, Matthew Hayes.

This victory marks BAP's third consecutive win, highlighting their chapter's consistent dedication to excellence. Notably, it's their second consecutive second place win, showcasing their commitment to continuous improvement and innovation within the organization.

One key goal for BAP was to get more students to attend their professional and community events. They wanted to figure out what would make these events interesting for their members, so more people would want to get involved.

"When I became president, my main aim was to keep members engaged," said Wong. "To achieve this, I focused on involving our entire chapter. This meant reducing the number of E-board members and simplifying our community service requirements to better fit our members' schedules."

An essential ingredient in their recipe for innovation triumph was leveraging the Flare app—a powerful tool that not only connected them seamlessly with their organization but also facilitated dynamic collaboration and idea sharing among fellow college students.

“Initially, getting people to join the Flare app was a challenge," said Zboinski. "Secondly, trying to persuade our members to actively engage with the app was difficult, especially when many were already accustomed to using platforms like GroupMe. However, by consistently discussing the benefits of the Flare app and exclusively offering resources through it, we successfully transformed the dynamics within our organization."

After securing their place in the competition through the Flare app, BAP received valuable feedback that will guide them in preparation for their annual competition this summer in Florida.

"The judges appreciated how we used the Flare app, but they suggested we dive deeper into how it benefits our organization and others in the competition," Taylor said. "Overall, they thought our presentation and visuals were excellent." 

BAP's journey underscores the power of dedication, innovation and teamwork in achieving success. Their story is not just about winning competitions but about fostering growth and unity within the organization. As they look ahead, armed with valuable insights and a strong resolve, BAP is destined for even greater accomplishments. Congratulations, team!