Editorial Note: This blog post was compiled by Alpha Kappa Delta’s Media Editor, Stephanie Wilson, to celebrate the selfless service of our AKD Council members and give AKD members a glimpse into the governance of the honor society. We hope you enjoy getting to know your AKD Council members!
The Who’s Who of AKD
Welcome to our blog series where we introduce you—our Alpha Kappa Delta members—to AKD Council members who make the decisions behind the scenes!
Alpha Kappa Delta, like many other college honor societies, is a non-profit organization registered as a 501(c)3. As such, it maintains a group of individuals, elected and volunteer, to serve on a council that makes decisions for the organization. As a whole, AKD Council consists of four elected officers, ten chapter representatives, a graduate student representative, and the editor(s) of Sociological Inquiry.
In this blog series, we pull back the curtain on the governance of AKD to share a bit about how things get done around here. Along the way, you’ll also meet many of the AKD Council members who volunteer their time to keep the wheels of AKD turning. Keep reading to learn more from your AKD President, Dr. Melinda Messineo!
Meet Dr. Melinda Messineo, Alpha Kappa Delta President
Melinda Messineo first joined AKD as a member during graduate school at University of California, Riverside. After earning her PhD in Sociology, Dr. Messineo began serving as a Chapter Representative for AKD, a role that spanned two decades of service to the organization. Now a Professor of Sociology at Ball State University in Indiana, Dr. Messineo serves as the President on AKD Council. Her elected position of President comes after first serving as AKD’s Vice President, followed by President-elect.
To learn more about what it means to serve on AKD Council, we reached out to Dr. Messineo to ask a few questions. As President, Dr. Messineo gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of AKD and what it means to serve on a council that sustains a now century-old honor society. Continue reading below to learn more!
In your own words, can you share the purpose that Council serves for AKD?
Logistics, Vision, and legacy. Council informs the everyday decision-making and logistics of the [organization] while honoring the larger vision and long-term viability and legacy of those who have come before us.
During your time on AKD Council, what have been your main responsibilities?
I have served on every committee and learned so much.
What have been some of the most memorable projects, initiatives, or committees that you have worked on during your time on AKD Council?
The council is a committed and engaged group that cares about each other and the success of our students. I really have enjoyed the conferences, workshops, symposiums, paper competitions, speakers, social justice projects, and mentoring experiences. So many great ways to get involved and they are immensely rewarding.
What do you think motivates you to serve AKD in this service role?
Mentoring, engagement, and beneficence are critical elements of the honor society model and I believe AKD embodies these goals with great authenticity. AKD, and similar honor societies, play a critical role in developing future leaders as well as modeling professional behavior within the discipline. We owe these phenomenal students the opportunity to develop into outstanding professionals.
Why should other professors or graduate students consider getting more involved in AKD and potentially serving on Council?
It is through the efforts of AKD that we celebrate the promise of our students, develop professional identity, and instill disciplinarily informed altruistic commitment. These values and commitment are needed now more than ever.
Thank you to Dr. Messineo for sharing a bit about the work she and other council members engage in to support AKD. Stay tuned for more blog posts in our Who’s Who of AKD series!