Kappas

Leadership Highlight: Armani Hardy the President of Kappa Alpha Psi at Chowan University

In an effort to highlight the young leaders who are leading undergraduate chapters across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.’s Rho Delta Chapter at Chowan University and did an interview with Armani Hardy the president of the chapter.

The position of president of an undergraduate chapter of a Black fraternity is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes. 20-year-old Armani Hardy has used the position to gain new leadership experience, improve the lives of other students on campus and help the community around him.

We interviewed the Business Administration major and talked about his position, goals, future and what it means to hold a leadership position on campus in the digital age.

Read the full interview below.

What does it mean to be a chapter president to you?
The Rho Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. has been on the beloved campus of Chowan University since December 4th, 2014. Being the Polemarch of this young chapter has been a complete privilege . With the chapter being so young, I am so honored to be given this position. This position means a lot to me because my work ethic is not going unnoticed. Gives me the opportunity to help my chapter grow and expand in the right direction.

What made you decide to attend Chowan University for undergrad?
With attending Northside Charter High School in Brooklyn, NY, I was looking for a change of scenery. In my senior year during the college application process, I chose Chowan University because of the remote location and classroom size. In addition, the university is eight hours away from home which allowed me to gain independence and self-awareness. With the dream of becoming an information system technician, I shortly realized I wanted to pursue a career in Business Administration. The university is in the center of two major cities, Greenville, NC and Norfolk, VA which makes travel to both of these lively cities an easy commute.

What specific initiatives is your chapter heading up this year and how do you think they will improve the campus/surrounding community?
Well first on the agenda is to always follow national undergraduate incentives, the Rho Delta Chapter is currently focusing on community development by taking multiple elementary and middle school students under our wings and giving them the proper big brother guidance. Currently, brothers assist Hertford County Middle School and Riverview Elementary School. By giving back to the school, we are showing them that all your hard will pay off. Also, we assist the Food Bank of the Albermarle in their local food bank to help out the community by providing food for hundreds of people that need something to eat throughout the year.

What made you want to pledge Kappa Alpha Psi?
Coming from a family of Kappa men, I had many basic principles installed in me at a very young age which determined by fate of being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. From watching older brothers my freshman year on campus, I expressed my interest with dedication and determination. I was granted the opportunity to cross as a freshman which is usually not allowed by the university’s greek life policies. Since then, I have had an amazing time with the men of this chapter and creating multiple opportunities for myself.

What is it about your specific chapter that makes it so unique?
What makes the Rho Delta Chapter so unique is with only five lines from charter this chapter has made a significant difference in the Middle Eastern Province. The fact that we are so young, but everyone has a drive that matches everyone else in the province. We all are strong, motivated men that want the best out of each other. So that allows us to all push each other to do bigger and better things.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think undergraduate chapters across all orgs need to do to represent themselves online in 2019?
The first step to having the best representation online is using social media platforms to reach out to many students on campus. With this all campus related involvement could be represented on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, etc. Since we’re a PWI, many people don’t really know anything about Greek Life so this is a great way to show people what we do.

What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership to me is extremely important especially for such a young chapter. We need the proper guidance every year to lead us in the right direction. Fortunately, we have picked the right man to do the job every time. I am so proud to walk in their footsteps, be a great leader, and overall bring a greater change to my chapter.

Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black greekdom?
I think Watch The Yard is important to Black Greekdom because it shows all the positive things that need to be shown in greek life. With the media surrounding greek life that’s being shared today, Watch the Yard shares the great things that the Divine 9 do. It shares probates, graduates, young leaders, charity events, and so much more things that people need to be reminded that we do.

What does brotherhood mean to you?
Brotherhood to me means that we are each other’s support system. What I love about this fraternity is that everybody literally has your back and helps you through whatever no matter who they are. Being in this fraternity has taught me a lot and I love every minute of it. I have not once regretted joining this fraternity, it has changed with my perspective on life and I am ever so grateful.

What do you plan on doing after graduation?
My plan after graduation is to join the NYPD just in case I do not gain a job in my field as soon as I get out of here. I also own a clothing company called Approved so if that works out then I’ll use that as income. After that I will get into the real estate business. With this money I will give back to the community and the brothers of Rho Delta. I have a year left until I graduate so my plan is coming into action pretty soon

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Armani Hardy for his work as the president of Rho Delta Chapter which has a long that began back in 2012.