Academic Student Organizations

• American Marketing Association (AMA) Regardless of your major, if you have an interest in marketing, you will want to checkout the AMA@DU student organization. Learn more >>

• Business Professionals of America (BPA) This is the club for you if you're after a career in business management, office administration or IT. Find out how we take home the trophies! Don't miss this amazing experience. (Grand Rapids Lettinga, Warren, Kalamazoo) Learn more >>

• Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) DECA enhances your college experience with recognition and leadership activities directly related to your studies here. More than 14,000 student members from 230 college campuses can't be wrong! (Grand Rapids Lettinga) Learn more >>

• Legal Assistants @ Davenport (LA@DU) Ideal for students interested in the legal profession, especially those in the paralegal major. Promotes networking and increasing your knowledge of the legal field. You'll also find plenty of opportunities for learning, community impact. . . and fun! (Grand Rapids Lettinga) Learn more >>

• Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) is the world's largest human resource management association. SHRM's sole purpose it to provide HR professionals with the resources for a successful HR career. (Grand Rapids Lettinga, Lansing) Learn more >>
• Sports Management Student Organization promote and recognize excellence in sport management education worldwide (Grand Rapids Lettinga) Learn more >>

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) assists low-income families, seniors, disabled and handicapped individuals with free income tax preparation. This is a great way for you to complete your IRS training courses and become a certified VITA tax preparer.   Learn more >>

• Association for Computing Machinery the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, delivers resources that advance computing as a science and a profession.(Grand Rapids Lettinga) Learn more >> 
• Cyber Defense Organization (CDO) is for technology students focusing on networking, security, and IT management. Be part of a community of people interested in maintaining cyber security within the private and public sectors.  (Grand Rapids Lettinga) Learn more >> 
• Women in Technology premier professional association for women in the technology industry, we understand the unique challenges you face. No matter where you are in your professional development, or what technology-related field you're in, our community offers a broad range of support, programs and resources to advance women in technology from the classroom to the boardroom.

• Allied Health / Health Information Student & Alumni Association dedicated to promoting the Allied Health and Health Information professions and DU programs, celebrating the successes of our students and alumni, and offering continuing education and networking opportunities to our members. Learn more >> 
• Student Nursing Association (​NSNA) is dedicated to fostering the professional development of nursing students. With 60,000 members nationwide, NSNA is the voice of the future of ​the nursing profession.- Grand Rapids Lettinga, Lansing, Midland, Warren Learn more >>

Goals for the Learning Communities:

1. Enhance social and academic experience for first year students

2. Establish a supportive network of like-minded peers, staff, and faculty

3. Increase faculty-student interaction, encouraging deeper integration of course work and field of interest

DU offers the opportunity for a limited number of students to participate in a special and unique ACES100 class. In these select Learning Communities (LC) there is a concerted effort to help the students connect with their peers, staff and faculty through dedicated additional programming and community involvement. In 2021 there will be 2 sections of ACES100 Learning communities specifically for first generation students.

Space is limited.

More information about our Learning Communities can be learned at orientations or by contacting Dr. Jodi Hicks at jhicks1@davenport.edu.

Honor Societies are organizations that benefit a group of like-minded individuals based on academic excellence and similar interests or abilities. Students can be assured that if an external honor society belongs to the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), it is a legitimate organization that meets the rigorous standards of ACHS—both the business model and the scholastic eligibility criteria. The mission of ACHS is to build a visibly cohesive community of national and international honor societies that promotes the values of higher education; fosters excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and research; and adheres to the standards of honor society excellence.

What is the benefit of joining?

Joining an Honor Society offers the prestige of having the academic qualifications necessary to become a member. Membership acknowledgement can be added to a resume, strengthening your portfolio. In addition, many honor societies offer scholarships to their members that can help fund your education. Opportunities also include developing networking connections and leadership skill improvement.

ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA

Alpha Lambda Delta was founded in 1924 specifically to honor excellent academic achievement by students in their first year of study in higher education.  The constitution states its purpose as follows:  ”… to encourage superior academic achievement… to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society.” Learn more >>

ALPHA SIGMA LAMBDA

As a way to recognize excellence in academic achievement of DU students in this category, the College of Arts and Sciences sponsors the Phi Kappa Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda. This society honors the top 20% of students meeting the qualifications.  The DU chapter of ASL is membership by invitation only and an eligibility report is run in the early Spring every year. Eligible students are captured and invited only once a year.

Qualifications for membership, as stipulated by the Society, include:

• Undergraduate student 
• 25 years of age or older at the time of application
• GPA in the top 20% of students within the application year but not lower than 3.2.  
• Completion of at least 24 graded semester hours at DU (excludes transfer credits and courses with "pass" only grade)
• 12 credits must be earned in the Arts and Sciences (i.e. BIOL, CHEM, COMM, ECON, ENGL, ENVS, HIST, HUMN, MATH, PHYS, POLS, PSYC, SOCY, STAT, or SOSC)  excluding ACES100, PROX, SABR and ESLP courses.

LAMBDA EPSILON CHI (LEX) 

LEX is the national honor society for our Legal Studies program and is founded by the American Association for Paralegal Education.  The purpose of AAfPE is to promote quality, develop educational standards, and encourage professional growth.  Only those students who attain high academic achievement are selected and inducted into this society.  Inductees are recognized through a formal ceremony and presented with a Certificate of Induction and a special pin.

SIGMA BETA DELTA

Sigma Beta Delta is the international honor society for students in business, management, and accounting and finance at the baccalaureate and graduate degree level. This honor society was created in 1994 to provide an opportunity for schools of business to recognize students who have demonstrated scholastic excellence in their business studies. Learn more >>

UPSILON PHI DELTA

The Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society is for students who are enrolled in the College of Health Professions Health Services Administration (BS) Program. Upsilon Phi Delta (UPD) was formed to further the professional and competence of it's members who pursue a career in health administration. UPD is administered by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

UPSILON PHI EPSILON

Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) is an international honor society in the computing and information disciplines.  UPE was organized at Texas A&M University in 1967 as the first honor society for the computer sciences. UPE's mission is to recognize graduate and undergraduate students who have demonstrated high academic achievement and to support programs that will enable students to grow academically and professionally.