Delta Mu Delta chapter welcomes more members

Newly inducted members of Delta Mu Delta are joined by the Eta Chi chapter's advisors and student leaders.

By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau

The occasion was the induction ceremony for Grand Canyon University’s Eta Chi chapter of Delta Mu Delta, and Dr. Randy Gibb’s address was the best and most direct explanation of why the business honor society is important.

“As you all go out in the workforce and paint the Valley purple and put GCU alumni in businesses all over the country,” the Dean of the Colangelo College of Business (CCOB) told the new members Wednesday afternoon, “that’s one more thing to look for to help other GCU graduates. If you see Delta Mu Delta on their LinkedIn, on their resume, you know the type of student and type of employee you’re going to be getting.”

Membership, which is for life, is by invitation only for students who completed 24 credits at GCU and who are in the top 20 percent of their class. “It shows you stand out,” said Dr. Moronke Oke, the chapter’s co-advisor along with Tracey Lauterborn (an honorary inductee Wednesday). The chapter added 132 members this semester, and 24 were there for the ceremony – some coming from long distances.

One of the inductees was Laird Sillimon of Stockton, Calif.

“Delta Mu Delta confirms that you have a proven track record of academic achievement,” Conner Teich, the chapter’s president, said in his remarks at the ceremony. “It shows that you have the knowledge and drive to succeed in your business career.”

The chapter certainly has shown plenty of drive. In August, it was elevated to Star status, which means it meets or exceeds the society’s standards for chapter operation and administration. It also means Eta Chi is in the top 5 percent of chapters, considering that it is one of only 20 chapters to have received the prestigious award out of 354 local and international chapters.  

Oke said a big reason for the chapter award was its activity in the community, in addition to conducting the semiannual induction ceremonies and the annual Dr. Kevin McClean Research Colloquium. This fall, the student committee organized and conducted a supplies drive and service project at a local shelter, a social and a speaker series.

The high standards of Delta Mu Delta fall perfectly in line with the CCOB ideals. Again, Gibb said it well in his remarks:

“Remember what we’re all about in the Colangelo College of Business and take this out with you into business and into industry – how you touch people’s lives with your servant leadership, showing initiative, how you demonstrate integrity through your ethics, how you show innovation, which is needed everywhere in our world and in our society through an entrepreneurial mindset, and then in the end business is a force for good.

“You change people’s lives and elevate humanity through business. You create extra value. You run your business in a Christ-like manner and integrate your faith into how you work with people, how you work with customers, how you work with stakeholders.”

The value of Delta Mu Delta membership is such that Laird Sillimon came all the way from Stockton, Calif., for the ceremony even though he was on campus just two months earlier to get his MBA at fall commencement. 

Sillimon is Vice President of Operations at Christian Life College in Stockton, and even though earning his master’s from GCU meant what he called “26 months of nonstop living in libraries,” it was worth it.

“It was a great experience – I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said. “I learned a lot, and everything was very applicable to my job and made me feel more capable of doing my job.”

Doing his job even better is why he came to the Delta Mu Delta ceremony.

“I like to mentor kids and mentor young, flourishing talent,” he said. “I like to consider myself a person who wants to be a teacher of leaders. If I can use it in any way to influence them in that way, that’s what I’d like to do.

“I’m kind of a nerd, academics-wise. I love to encourage kids to do their best, and sometimes they don’t see that in themselves. It helps to have someone believe in you.”

Honorary members of Delta Mu Delta with GCU connections include Jerry Colangelo, President Brian Mueller and Provost Dr. Hank Radda.

In addition to Teich, the other Eta Chi officers are Shannon Walker, Vice President; Rosaura Carrillo-Garcia, Treasurer;  Connor Brinton, Secretary; Regan Roth, Marketing and Event Coordinator; and Nick Reidhead, Networking Coordinator.  Alyssa Walker, who has been Networking and Events Coordinator, is graduating Friday.

The new members, which include Jeff Orr, one of the speakers in the TEDx event at GCU earlier this year:

Brian David Royston

Anthony Hurtado Jr.

Jennifer M. DeWitt

Magdalena B Bujan

Jonathan Lyle Riedberger

Brian Michael Dillon

Brandy P. De León-Kona

Rebeccah Marie Sylla

Jordyn Rogers

Andrea Kristen Noline

Marissa M. Frias

Lance Christian Zielinski

Tobi Francesca Quain

Meghan Chandler Lloyd

James F. Weeks

Michelle L. Lathon

Jamie Lynn Caldwell

Desmond C. Aladu

Bridget Marvin

Lana Catherine Rinaldi

Grace Morganne Moser

Jazmine Ariel Scroggins

Richard V Lake Jr.

Kylee Lauren Mitchell

Consuelo Olivia Ligus

Vanessa Dian Bryant

David G Minguez

Nada Yousef Al Shibani

Grant D Wood

Matthew Ryan Kanady

David Anthony Chevallard

Amber S Exley Mitchell

Michael P Bradley

Levi Q. Myers

Wendy Michele Hopkins Faber

Jordan Dale Thompson

Nandacia A. Jason

Lucas Grego

Rusty W Johnson

Fernando Ortega III

Gail Jeanette Moxley

Brandon R. Smith

Katelyn Gene Smith

Felipe L. Soriano

Geraldine R Dixon

Luke Russell Elliott

Tracy Lyn Gordon

Regan Jane Fischer

Isabelle Clausen

Caden Williams

Laird Gordon Sillimon

Laurissa Ramirez

Erik Clarillos

Daniel N. Shoup

Mary W. Waweru

Brody Thompson

Darrian Michael McIver

Gabriela Villarreal

Hannah M. Scott

Jennifer Ann Long

Roy Lazaros

Amanda Ego

Philip R. Stigsson

Ana Maria Farr

Brian Christopher Robinson

Caleah Faith Xiong

Sanjiv Girish Faldu

Ra'Lene Teerink

Benjamin David Esh

Justin Brandon Williams

Taylor Torgersen

Stephanie Ann Ruby

Michelle Marie Crawford

Ashley Adam Gagnon

Xiang Li

David L. Jensen

David Erisola Popoola

Camilo Unigarro Guerrero

Mirela Hadzic

Jeanine M. Lewis

Monica M. Bejarano

Joel Renji Kuruvilla

Paisley Layne Miller

William Patrick Lambert

Duane L. Hodgson

Eric Austin Merrill

Misty Dawn Deegan

Mollie Malovoz

Susana Cabrera

Elizabeth Marie Reeve

Phillip Douglas Bates

Takisha Tylise Rowzee

Cassandra Marie Demison

Michelle Kay Wagner

Tchere Christian Meda

Steven Michael Peterson

Nykole Erlinda Vavrick

Reynaldo Mendoza

Sylvia Ann Wester

Marvin C. Scott

Crystal Rae' Baker

Jacob L Amado

Marisa Danielle Alejandro

Samantha Jo Keck

Shannon M. Katris

Janeen Marie Elliott

David Teply

Danielle Marie Rincón

Ryan Mitchell Severyn

Jeff Scott Orr

Chloe Suzette Nanasi

Yvette R. Mendoza

Christopher S Morin

Joseph Carlos Ramirez

Samantha Leigh Stanley

Paul Jay Bumgardner

Isaac M Knepp

Alec Gene Holzer

Cheryl L Hartman

Helen M Soliz

Tavis W Evans

Magaly Judice-Moore

Tracyann Brewton

Samuel Brian Benfer

Isabel Marie Johnson

Evelyn Ruth Greer

Mitchell Blaine Summers

Riwaj Bhattarai

Carolyn Michelle Clegg

Joseph Thomas Steckmann

Andrea Nicole Northup

Regan C. Roth

Corey  Snowden

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or [email protected].

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