By Steven Krolak
(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–The IU Southeast School of Business chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) has earned “honors” status.
It’s kind of a big deal.
“Beta Gamma Sigma is the premiere business honorary society in the world,” said David Eplion, dean of the School of Business. “Achieving honors status means that we have a chapter that actively engages with our students and ensures they can take full advantage of all the benefits that BGS supplies.”
Those benefits include worldwide networking opportunities with BGS alumni, full access to the BGS career center with opportunities for internships and volunteering, and the ability to apply for graduate school scholarships and tuition discounts.
Tracing its roots to a commerce honors club at the University of Wisconsin in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma now boasts hundreds of chapters worldwide. Its mission is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business, to cultivate and celebrate leadership and professional excellence, to advance the values of the Society, and to serve its lifelong members, according to the BGS website.
BGS programs include master classes as well as certifications in ethical leadership and the Global Leadership Summit.
To achieve honors status, the IU Southeast chapter completed a number of required tasks relating to upholding the mission of the BGS and promoting BGS ideals of leadership, social enterprise and service to fellow students.
Student membership is by invitation only and is based on class rankings by GPA: top 10% at the undergraduate level, top 20% at the graduate level.
“Fewer than five percent of business schools worldwide have been approved to host BGS programs, and of those, only about 20 percent achieve honors status every year,” Eplion said. “This puts the IU Southeast School of Business in very elite company and is another indication of the quality of our degrees.”