News
Volunteer Spotlight – September 2016
Sep 1, 2016
Alex Bolinger
Idaho State University
Chapter Position: Past President
University Position: Associate Professor, Department of Management
Years of Service to the Chapter: 4 years
Degree(s)/Discipline: Ph.D., Business Management; Master of Business Administration; M.A., Political Science
How did you become involved as a chapter officer? I originally took over the role of President-Elect in 2013 on the recommendation of our then-President, Mike Rowe, and the support of the chapter's executive board.
What has your chapter done that has made you proud? We have tried a lot of new ideas, the most successful of which has been the GMAT/GRE prep webinars in partnership with The Princeton Review. Those webinars have now reached over a thousand non-members from as far away as Uganda and introduced them to what Phi Kappa Phi can offer.
What does Phi Kappa Phi mean to you? Phi Kappa Phi is about embodying the ideal of learning as something that is intrinsically valuable in itself. In a world that is increasingly market-driven and commercialized, we need organizations like Phi Kappa Phi that remind us that education is not only profitable and useful, but that learning can also be fun and fulfilling.
What do you enjoy most about being a chapter officer? I enjoy the people I get to work with. Phi Kappa Phi members are among the most accomplished and genuinely nice people at Idaho State University and in the Pocatello community. They are also among the busiest, which creates its own set of challenges.
What advice would you give to a new chapter officer? Don't try to go it alone. I have been incredibly fortunate to work with a dedicated leadership team. They never hesitated to pitch in to share the workload for our events and I leaned heavily on their connections and skills to shore up my areas of weakness (e.g., several of our executive board members and Student Vice Presidents were terrific at publicizing via social media, whereas I am terrible at publicity).
What are your hobbies? Running, bicycling, playing tennis and basketball, cross-country skiing, singing, playing the trumpet, and reading about American history.
Where are you from? American Falls, Idaho