Matt Stone

Coming in as a freshman, I had no idea what I wanted out of college. By almost pure chance, I happened to stumble across AKPsi's Meet the Chapter. At that time, I was looking for something to join, something to make me a part of college, but I had no idea what that thing was.

Looking back on it now, I feel incredibly lucky to have discovered AKPsi. It has been and will continue to be incredibly valuable for me to be able to ask older people about the choices they made.

Joining AKPsi also meant that I had access to the business world. Majoring in Econ and Math tends to mean that one is at least somewhat removed from the business world. Many of my friends, especially those in the Math department, are at a loss as to how to pursue a career in business. I do what I can to help them, but I would just as easily be in the same situation as they are had I not joined AKPsi.

I have benefited from the knowledge and drive of the brothers in AKPsi, both of which are particularly valuable to me, since I never applied to Haas.

Whether you are set on being a business major, interested in business but want to major elsewhere, or just not sure about what you want to do, you will find that AKPsi has a lot to offer. I was once told that half of what you learn in college is learned outside of the classroom, and this has certainly been true for me. I encourage you to rush for AKPsi and I am sure you will learn something about yourself in the process.

Biography

Matt Stone is an Economics and Applied Math major from Danville, California. During the summer, he interned with the Quantitative Resources Group at Goldman Sachs in New York, and he will be joining them full-time upon graduation. Matt has also spent a year studying abroad in China, and is currently completing his coursework in pre-med. In his spare time, he enjoys exercise, following current events, and avidly playing Madden.

Gary Mao

To properly articulate my experience with AKPsi would be too difficult to fit in just a short testimonial, but if I had to summarize it, I see AKPsi from two angles: the internal and the external.

Internally, you will find a diverse group of students from all backgrounds that are brought together not by interest, but by passion and determination to achieve their goals. Sounds cheesy, but to put it another way, these people are not only diverse in what they do, but they are some of the best at what they do. Whether you are interested in engineering, business, etc, AKPsi is most accurately an assemblage of talent that is among the best on campus. The pledging program and the subsequent entrance into the fraternity provide unparalleled preparation for the intangibles of the working world, more than any vault guide or info-session can possibly give.

Externally AKPsi has a truly extensive alumni network across industries and nations. From the major corporations that you see the logos of daily to the world of academia, AKPsi has the resources to help you to find what it is you want to do after college and best prepare you. After all, alumni too are an example of what AKPsi can provide. If the current actives in the organization and where we are going are not proof enough of the strength of AKPsi, then look towards the alumni and where we have been, and it should be proof enough.

Biography

Gary is a fourth year Computer Science and Business Administration double major from Cupertino, California. This summer, he interned at Boston Consulting Group in Hong Kong. He interned with Morgan Stanley Hong Kong's Private Wealth Management division this past summer, and has participated in numerous case competitions on campus. In his free time, Gary's interests include technology, economics, producing music, and reading.

Michelle Ma

When I entered college three years ago, I thought I had my life all figured out - I was going to get my undergraduate degree in biology, take the MCAT during my junior year, and go to medical school upon graduation. Little did I know that I would end up achieving only one of my initial goals: a BA in Integrative Biology. Instead, I took the LSAT during my junior year and I plan on taking the GMAT at the end of this year, my last at Cal. Instead of applying to medical school upon graduation, I will be pursuing a career in strategy consulting before entering a joint JD/MBA program. In retrospect, my goals today have evolved almost completely beyond recognition from those I had only a few semesters ago.

Many people are surprised at the supposed "disjunction" between my education in biology and my professional goals. If there is a gap, I know that the only reason why it has not held me back in any way is because of my involvement with Alpha Kappa Psi. It is through this organization that I gained the resources and most importantly, the confidence, to pursue a profession so removed from the realm of my education. As an Integrative Biology major, I can personally attest that it is easy to believe that one's only options are medicine or research. I certainly believed this until my sophomore year when I realized that being a doctor was not what I truly wanted. To be honest, I didn't know what it was that I wanted to do after I had spent so much time and dedication moving towards those preconceived goals.

With this in mind, my decision to join Alpha Kappa Psi was one of the best I have ever made. By meeting so many motivated individuals and being in an environment that encourages success, I was able to figure out what it was that I really wanted. I learned that I had limitless options and that I could find a career that perfectly fit my combined interests in healthcare and medicine with effective business solutions. For me, that happened to be strategy consulting but for you, a potential brother in this fraternity, who knows? The options are yours to discover and Alpha Kappa Psi can be your first step towards bridging the gap between your potential and your reality.

Biography

Michelle Ma is a fourth year Integrative Biology major from Cupertino, California. She will be joining Deloitte Consulting in San Francisco as a Business Analyst in Strategy & Operations after graduation. She is interested in obtaining a JD/MBA joint degree. Her prior leadership positions in Alpha Kappa Psi include class Vice President, Secretary, Academic Director, and Vice President of Administration. She is currently a Pledge Facilitator.

Sam Shiah

I firmly believe that the best thing that has happened to my college career thus far is Alpha Kappa Psi. I joined this fraternity with extremely high hopes from day one, and it has far exceeded my expectations. I remember being in awe at rush, looking around at the fifty or so students in the back of the room, all of whom were well-dressed and polished. I browsed through the list of internships and full-time offers for members in the fraternity, and I was envious and amazed. Now that I reflect upon these past two years, I realize that I have come out of this experience finding not only the excellence that I witnessed as a rushee, but also developing strong bonds of friendship that I didn't think were possible prior to joining AKPsi. Beyond the professionalism that these people in suits embodied, there is brotherhood that one would not be capable of understanding without personally experiencing it. This is why I invite you to take that step and explore the possibility of making AKPsi part of your future. See if our brothers are genuine and sincere when we share our experiences with you.

For me, the best part of Alpha Kappa Psi is the quality of people. We are only in college for a short four or five years. It is extremely crucial for us to use this time and establish a network of friends that we will be able to count on for the rest of our lives, and that is exactly what AKPsi offers. In no other student organization will you find fellow students who are so accomplished in the different fields that they choose to pursue. Whether it is finance, consulting, accounting, marketing, law, medicine, engineering, or even entrepreneurship, the brothers of AKPsi have excelled. More importantly, these people are not just the so-called contacts that everyone else has. They are brothers who are willing to go out of their way to help you out because of the tight-knit friendships that you've developed together during your time in AKPsi. That is what makes this organization so special. Not only are our brothers carefully selected and rigorously trained to be the best in what they do, they are also people who are willing to help you reach your goals. This is why you find over 100 people wanting to join this organization every semester.

If I had to describe AKPsi's culture, I would tell you that it embraces diversity and well-roundedness. Our brothers study over 20 different majors, and come from different parts of the country and around the world. We bring together different ideas and personalities, and use it to help each other become well-balanced individuals. Not only do we thrive academically and professionally, we know how to enjoy each other's company and have fun together. In my opinion, AKPsi offers the perfect mix of professionalism and brotherhood, striking a balance without one taking away from the other.

Take a second to think carefully about what you are in college to accomplish. Are you here to get ahead in life and prepare yourself for success in whatever field you may pursue? Are you here to surround yourself with amazing people that can become lifelong friends? Perhaps you are just looking to make the most out of your time in college and create unforgettable memories. If any of these fit the description of what you set out to do when you first came to UC Berkeley, then I invite you to rush for Alpha Kappa Psi. You will watch yourself grow as a person and accomplish those goals.

Biography

Sam Shiah is a fourth year Business Administration major from San Jose, California. Sam spent over ten years in Taiwan prior to moving to California, and is therefore greatly influenced by both cultures. Last summer, he interned at Bear Stearns' Investment Banking Division, and will be joining Deutsche Bank after graduation. In his free time, he likes to follow the NBA and college football, listen to music, travel, and play strategic games such as poker and Go.