The Association for Information Systems (AIS) has named Temple AIS the Chapter of the Year, the highest honor any student chapter can receive. And it’s not just for the glory, either: with this distinction comes $1,000 in grant money, allocated for student initiatives.
Temple’s first-place win follows three years of having been named runner-up as Outstanding Chapter, and the honor reflects incredible dedication from its student members. A committee of faculty and students oversaw the rigorous selection process, poring over annual reports to find the chapter with the most “exceptional, well-rounded, and organized program,” according to AIS.
“We have continued our legacy of offering our members the best in professional development and networking opportunities,” said Temple AIS President Joshua Wise. “Each one of my 20 officers has been working like crazy to make sure we pull all of this off seamlessly. It is a pretty awesome group of students. We have the most intelligent and creative students in the Fox School.”
Founded in 1994, AIS is the world’s premier organization for academics specializing in information systems. The Chapter of the Year recipient must “lead the research, teaching, practice, and study of information systems worldwide,” the organization said.
As its 2013 title indicates, Temple AIS set benchmarks for other chapters, fostering an environment in which its members could thrive in the field of IS and as a cohesive community. Wise attributes much of his chapter’s success to the group’s unique personality and culture of “entrepreneurial spirit” — comprising a buoyant blend of teamwork, fun and (friendly) competition.
“We like to challenge each other and find new ways of doing things,” Wise said.
Top accomplishments and offerings in 2012-13 include:
The chapter received top placement in every category entered at the 2013 AIS Competition, hosted by Walmart in Bentonville, Ark. — two first-place finishes; one second place finish and one third-place ranking.
$5,000 in prize money was invested in the Patriot Fund.
The chapter has obtained more than 175 members and has seen a spike in meeting attendance, which was tracked via an attendance program coded by AIS officers.
Professional development and networking events hosted speakers from Comcast, NBC Universal, Cigna, EY, AstraZeneca and J.P. Morgan.
Workshops have been held every Friday and Saturday featuring technical training intensives Social events and community service initiatives are well attended and sponsored, including $800 raised for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and computer repair for nonprofits.
Current officers of AIS include: Josh Wise, president; Scott Raff, COO; Cam Crossley, EVP of marketing; Puja Shah, EVP of professional development; and Dave Dupell, EVP of finance.