SDSU Student Business Organization Spotlight: Delta Sigma Pi
Dominique Surabian, President of Delta Sigma Pi’s Iota Pi Chapter
The Fowler College of Business’ student organizations have continued to operate effectively, host professional events, and engage with the community through virtual platforms, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic. Throughout San Diego State University’s virtual 2020-21 school year, Delta Sigma Pi’s Iota Pi Chapter (DSP) has organized weekly general body meetings, two virtual recruitment seasons, and numerous events for members including a Shark Tank inspired case competition, PowerPoint nights, and virtual card-making sessions for the children at Rady Children’s Hospital. Dominique Surabian (Junior, Finance) President of DSP, describes the organization’s opportunities, shares why students should join, and how DSP has impacted her leadership experience. Surabian also describes her career aspirations while offering advice to current students.
About Delta Sigma Pi (DSP):
Goal/Objective of your Student Organization:
To foster the study of business at our university, while encouraging scholarship, social activity, and the association of students for the mutual advancement of themselves, the business world, and their community at large.
Q: What events, gatherings, and activities does your organization host?
Delta Sigma Pi orchestrates events surrounding its three pillars - Professionalism, Brotherhood, and Commitment. Through case and stock pitch competitions, virtual worksite tours, brotherhood activity nights, alumni panels, community outreaches, and more, we aim to create a well-rounded experience for our brothers. Each event builds towards our fraternity’s greater purpose—to foster the study of business at our university, while bettering our external environments and communities as we pursue personal and professional growth within ourselves.
Q: What virtual events has your organization organized since the pandemic began?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Delta Sigma Pi has organized weekly general body meetings, two virtual recruitment seasons, and numerous events for our brothers and pledges. We’ve been using our time online to focus on what we can control and contribute, rather than dwelling on what we cannot. Our desire to adapt well and to thrive in our new virtual environment has led to a wave of fresh events and ideas, including a Shark Tank inspired case competition, PowerPoint nights, virtual card-making sessions for the children at Rady Children’s Hospital, gaming tournaments, and more. We’re pushing ourselves to build now for the future of our chapter, hoping to develop best practices, procedures, and a strengthened culture for when we return to in-person interaction.
Surabian’s DSP Family: her Grandbig, Sam; her Big, Kristina; and her Little, Olivia.
Q: How does DSP connect with the community outside of SDSU?
Delta Sigma Pi’s pillar of commitment refers to both the fraternity and it’s community. On the one hand, we participate regularly in national conferences, leadership summits, and events put on by DSP’s national executive team. Since moving online, we have even had the opportunity to host inter-chapter events with branches of our organization operating on the east coast. On the other hand, our chapter is intently focused on its philanthropic outreaches, fundraising regularly for Rady’s Children’s Hospital, holding annual professionalism workshops for local high school students, and supplying our members with monthly community service newsletters highlighting ways that they can individually give back.
Q: Why should students join DSP?
The benefits of membership in our organization are endless, and last well beyond one’s time at SDSU. Brothers of Delta Sigma Pi have access to a nation-wide network, targeted business training and exposure, life-long friendships, community service opportunities, and many other opportunities of merit. We have a saying among our passionate, inclusive, driven group of brothers that encompasses the overarching value the organization provides—that we all “come for the professionalism” and we “stay for the brotherhood.”
Q: How can a student get involved with DSP?
Our chapter holds a two-week recruitment season at the beginning of each semester, consisting of multiple events open to business and business-related majors. During recruitment, new members have the opportunity to get to know our chapter and what it stands for, before signing up for a prospective interview. Those interviewees who are accepted into the pledging program then undergo a 5 week professional development process, during which they are educated about the roles and responsibilities of membership while additionally becoming acclimated with the chapter’s members and procedures.
Q & A with the Delta Sigma Pi President, Dominique Surabian
Name: Dominique Surabian
Major (and minor): Finance (Computer Science)
Campus affiliations / organizations: Delta Sigma Pi, SDSU Women’s Club Lacrosse, Finance and Investment Society, Women in Business
Q: As a student leader involved with an organization at SDSU, can you share why you got involved and what your experience has been like so far?
After pledging into Delta Sigma Pi in the spring of my freshman year, I immediately aimed to be involved. As with any business or other opportunity, I saw a correlation between the effort I put in and the benefits I would therefore receive. I joined multiple committees, attended as many events as possible, and put myself out there in terms of social and leadership opportunities. The result was a massive improvement in my personal and professional confidence, and my integration into a kind, welcoming, and motivated group of brothers I now consider family. I feel as though I have Delta Sigma Pi to thank for much of my collegiate success, and I pursued the role of President in order to give back to an organization that has given me so much. I am honored to now be guiding my Fraternity through this virtual semester.
Q: What experience with your organization has been the most impactful?
The opportunity to support my executive team this semester is what I would consider to be the most impactful experience I have had with Delta Sigma Pi thus far. The greatest blessing has been the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and into a leadership role that contributes to an environment that encourages others to do the same. In my role as President, I have learned to empower those around me as I push for growth within myself, understanding that true leadership success stems not from your own ability but from a determination to listen to the ideas of, support the work of, and bring out the best in those around you. This enlightenment is something I will carry with me indefinitely.
Q: What has been your favorite SDSU memory so far?
DSP’s Gamma Omicron Pledge Class
My favorite memory at SDSU so far has been my pledging process in the spring of 2019. Though the program itself required tremendous hard work and commitment, spending nearly every second with and getting to know my pledge class in the process made it all worth it. Over the course of the program, I made life-long friends and formed a home away from home that I still rely upon today. Late nights in the library studying for quizzes, boba runs, and Sunday morning meetings were some specific memories I will cherish forever.
Q: If you could go back to your freshman year, what advice would you give yourself?
Sleep is your best-friend. In my freshman year, I valued my grades and extracurriculars above just about everything else, threatening my health with insane amounts of caffeine, all-nighters multiple times per week, and a very skewed sense of balance in my life. It took getting sick and struggling with burnout multiple times to understand the importance of sleep and taking care of myself—a tired brain does no one good. I now aim for 8 hours of sleep every night—even when I wake up at 5:30 AM for work— and have seen such great improvement in my mental and physical wellbeing. I made a determination at the end of my freshman year not to pull another all-nighter again, which has allowed me the opportunity to work on my time-management in a way that makes that goal almost impossible to fail at now.
Q: What is the best advice you have received during your time at SDSU?
“If you’re not loving, you’re wrong.” I remember hearing this from my great aunt about a year back as I called her from school one day. It’s so simple yet so moving, and serves as a daily reminder to me to approach each one of my interactions in the fraternity, classroom, and elsewhere with nothing but kindness, empathy, and well-meaning. It carries well into the realms of self-care, personal, and professional development as well—the greatest form of self-love is waking up daily with the intent to be the best person you know how to be.
Q: What career aspirations do you have following your time at SDSU?
In the summer of 2020, when my internship with Wells Fargo Wealth Management was cancelled due to COVID, I started a business called “Let’s Get Flocking.” The company—now developing branches all over California—is a lawn-celebration service and is a way for me to not only develop my business skills while working from home, but to additionally and more importantly, spread joy to my community. The experience has instilled in me a love for the creative work behind entrepreneurship, resulting in my desire to work either in financial management for a startup, or in underwriting for larger companies in the future.
Q: Cats or Dogs? Dogs
Q: Instagram or TikTok? Instagram
Q: Morning or Night? Morning. My day starts at 5:30 am and I absolutely love it.
Q: Shopping - In store or online? Online
Q: Panchos or Trujillos? Trujillos
Q: Favorite show to binge watch? Greys Anatomy - I actually double majored for two years—studying Management while on the pre-med track—before I got my first internship and discovered my passion for finance!
Q: Hidden Talent? Electric Guitar & Piano
*Group photos were taken before March 2020
