Delta Epsilon Iota, a Career-Oriented Student Organization, Launches at GSU

2008 marked the inaugural year of Delta Epsilon Iota (DEI), a new career-oriented, student-led campus organization, which plans to become an easily recognizable society in the coming months and years.

Stacy Smyk, the Career Counselor at Georgia State and Staff Advisor for DEI, took some time out of her day to speak with a Signal reporter about the new organization's goals and future plans.

DEI, which stands for Dedication, Enthusiasm, and Initiative, "embodies empowerment, allowing students to achieve their full potential. We provide skills and resources that will prepare students for their entry into the workplace," said Smyk.

This national organization will provide business students on campus that want to get involved an opportunity to interact with one another. DEI is intended to "put all the egg(head)s into one basket," so to speak. The organization will focus on developing its members' career development.

Founders hope that these students will, in turn, become ambassadors of the organization, providing other students with information about the Career Center and other career development and planning institutions. DEI also plans to become very active on campus and in community outreach projects.

To attract students' interest, DEI has a tentative list of on-campus activities planned for the first few months of the new semester. First among these are two DEI national initiatives: a "Get out the Vote" drive and a blood drive.

The voting drive will be held in late September in the Library Plaza and the lobby of the Commons. The blood drive will be held in October.

Other GSU-only events are in the works, such as an Etiquette Dinner scheduled for October 1, 2008 at the Sheraton Atlanta hotel and a Government and Non-Profit career fair at the Student Center scheduled for November 19, 2008. DEI also plans to join forces with the Minority Pre-Med Group for Hands on Atlanta on October 4.

The penultimate DEI event, the reception for new members, will be held on a Sunday in November; the date is being finalized.

The first DEI meeting was on September 13 in the lobby of the Commons. Attendees discussed future meetings and information about those are still being planned.

To begin expansion of DEI, Smyk has assembled a cadre of experienced and motivated individuals. The five-member executive board includes President Dammeon Marshall, Vice President Mariam Saibu, Secretary Tiffany Watkins, Webmaster/Public Relations Manager Kyndel King, and Treasurer Corderell Cuyler. Students interested in joining DEI will eventually join this core group of individuals.

Students are eligible to join DEI if they have at least a 3.30 GPA, and have completed at least 30 credit hours. While undergraduate students are DEI's primary target, graduate students are also encouraged to join.

Students interested in joining the organization should contact Mariam Saibu at msaibu1@student.gsu.edu.