UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society that recognizes business excellence, will email invitations this week to high-achieving upperclassmen in the Penn State Smeal College of Business.Smea
Qualifying juniors and seniors should be checking their inboxes. Formal printed invitations will be mailed to students and parents in the near future.
“BGS is a way to qualify my academic performance, even after leaving college. It also presented itself as a way to connect with a network of high achievers, and I heard that employers often look for it in prestigious jobs,” said senior risk management major Kaitlyn Maglietto, the appointed vice president of the Penn State chapter.
“I highly recommend joining and taking advantage of your membership," she said. "The student vice president (my current role) changes each year, and has the opportunity to attend the Global Leadership Summit. There are also scholarships available for other members as well. We also have a food drive in April, and it’s a great opportunity to give back.”
The Epsilon Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma at Smeal was established in 1957. Only the top 10 percent of the senior class and the top seven percent of the junior class are eligible for an invitation to join. Department chairs and parents are informed of a student’s accomplishment.
Charles H. Whiteman, the John and Becky Surma Dean of Smeal, is the chairman of Beta Gamma Sigma.
The benefits to joining Beta Gamma Sigma include lifelong recognition and membership in an international organization of business professionals, a career resource center, an active alumni network and a scholarship program.
“I've been able to use the BGS job posting boards, and will be attending the Global Leadership Summit in November. I'm very excited about the opportunity to learn more about leadership and ethics, while networking with other students and recruiters. BGS has served as a way to relate to recruiters who are also members, and stand out at career fairs,” Maglietto said.
“A great deal of our business careers depends on networking — and BGS is a prestigious way to do exactly that. It's an opportunity to distinguish yourself with academic honors after you graduate, while connecting with a unique network of professionals. BGS also provides great graduate school resources, including application and testing discounts, scholarships, test prep, and fairs.”
Invitees can learn more about the organization and submit their application at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 in Room 217 Business Building. The application deadline is Nov. 10 for those who want to receive their certificate at the Dec. 4 banquet and induction ceremony. Nov. 28 is the final application deadline.