Alpha Iota Delta is always on the calendar

As one of the most active registered student organizations at Central Michigan University, Alpha Iota Delta is constantly running programs that keep students engaged and shape future leaders. Under the guidance of Edward Chou, professor and chair of the Department of Management, the chapter always has something on the calendar.

A national honor society with a local heart

AID is not a typical campus club. The Decision Sciences Institute formed it in 1971 as the national honor society in decision sciences and information systems, and it now has fifty-four chapters across the United States and Canada with more than 6,000 members.  At CMU, the chapter has grown to more than 30 members. Its mission, in Chou’s words, is “bridging the theory and the business practice.”

AID’s funding is also independent of the university. Instead, each chapter must have a chapter sponsor, which gives AID the freedom to shape its own programming. That independence comes with high standards of membership. Joining AID takes work. National requirements include a 3.5 GPA and coursework in business and decision sciences. Those standards mean everyone in the room has earned their place, and members say that is exactly what makes the group worth joining.

President Ava Posh, an accounting major with a minor in information systems from Liviona, Mich., says the chapter’s leadership is strong because every member gets a share of the work. The officer team includes Vice President Luke Woody, Treasurer Uka Bat-Erdene, Secretary Sara Davis and Social Media Chair Grace Huynh. New officers are elected every year.

A packed calendar

The chapter’s goal is to host at least one event every month, and this fall it has gone further. AID’s Guest Speaker Series brings two to three company representatives to campus each semester. Jason Young, recruiting manager at Alro Steel has already visited while, Sydney Dennis, senior campus recruiter at Total Quality Logistics, speaks on November 9 in Grawn 119.

In October, AID teamed up with the Department of Management for Major/Minor Night, where students met management faculty and AID officers. Members also tabled at last month’s involvement fair to introduce the chapter to new students. Members recently toured Alro Steel’s facility in Clare. Next up, they’ll visit the Courtyard by Marriott on November 6, and during finals week, AID is bringing in therapy dogs to help students de-stress.

Beyond the classroom, AID connects members with researchers, faculty and industry professionals through academic conferences. Decision Sciences Institute conferences cover information systems, supply chain and decision science, and they give students a chance to present research and compete in case competitions. Members will have that opportunity close to home in 2027, when CMU hosts the Midwest Decision Sciences Institute Conference.

Looking ahead

In both the short and long term, AID’s goals are the same: build partnerships with more companies and welcome more members. And AID isn’t all business. On one recent outing, members smashed plates at a rage room, then went to dinner together.

For students interested in joining, AID offers opportunities to connect classroom knowledge with real-world business practice. Students who meet eligibility requirements can reach out to CMU’s AID chapter learn about membership or more upcoming opportunities.