Sigma Beta Delta set to induct 25 CSB and SJU students

The ceremony is on for 25 College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University students who will be inducted into Sigma Beta Delta at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 15.

The ceremony will just be a little different.

This is the fifth cohort of students to be inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, the highest national recognition a business or accounting major can receive at a college or university with a Sigma Beta Delta chapter.

A Zoom presentation will take the place of a formal ceremony. Senior inductees can expect to have their pins and certificates mailed to them at a later point (probably after July 1), said Steve Welch, associate professor and chair of the accounting and finance department at CSB and SJU who is the faculty advisor of the local chapter. Junior inductees will receive their pins and certificates in the fall.

Otherwise, the ceremony is similar to previous years as the local chapter is continuing the practice of honoring graduates who have been successful in the business, management and administrative areas. Brian McGrane ’93, executive vice president of finance of Ameriprise, and Corie Barry, ’97,CEO of Best Buy, will be this year’s honorary members and will participate by Zoom.

In addition, CSB President Mary Dana Hinton and SJU Interim President Eugene McAllister are expected to attend via Zoom.

The newest cohort consists of 14 CSB students and 11 SJU students. Broken down by class, there are five seniors and 20 juniors being recognized. By major, there are 19 accounting and finance majors and six global business leadership majors.

A total of 101 CSB and SJU students have been inducted into Sigma Beta Delta the previous four years.

To be eligible for membership, a student must rank in the top 20 percent of the junior or senior class and be invited by the faculty officers. CSB and SJU wanted to make the society more elite and required inductees to have a minimum 3.75 GPA.

Through the society, members can apply for fellowships, utilize networking opportunities and gain access to competitive scholarships.