The speech took place this morning at Grand Chapter Congress during an awards luncheon and program. 

Wilhelm, Lindenwood (MO), will now serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors as Delta Sigma Pi's 2019 National Collegian of the Year, selected for our outstanding scholastic, fraternal and philanthropic achievements. 

Kristen shared important life lesson's she has learned since beginning her professional career, and stressed the importance of perspective and gratitude. She concluded her speech talking about the importance of Grand Chapter Congress: 

In the end, we are all brothers and no matter the stress, the memories are always such a gift. Conferences are the perfect places to network with so many people. I've already had the pleasure of meeting people that I thought of as Delta Sigma Pi all-stars. Just yesterday I was standing in an elevator. There were probably more of us in there than needed to be. And from across about three people on the other side of the elevator I hear, "HEY! CONGRATULATIONS!" Meanwhile everyone else is looking at me like "What is happening?" But across from me is Nick Rizzi - someone I wrote on my pledge exam, and obviously didn't realize was a real person but this famous Deltasig I'd probably never meet. But it was such a joy to stand and talk with him for 15 minutes as we descended down to the business meeting. I'm still not sure if it made it more fun or less that we got to talk surrounded by 20 people in a small confined space, but I do appreciate the guy who was standing in between us for leaning back so that I could see Nick's face. Deltasig has this weird and exciting way of connecting you with just the right person that ends up giving you a friend for the rest of your life. So don't be afraid to talk to as many people as you can while you still have a day left.

I know that's easier said than done. Last GCC I attended I thought, "Psh, I'm just a collegian, no one's interested in meeting me" but that's not true. Alumni, Board of Directors - we all want to meet you and hear your stories. I'm going to let you in on a little secret - we're all just people too, and people who have been through the same process of being a collegian brother, except for those honorary initiates with us. With that being said, my job these next two years is to serve as your collegian voice to the Board of Directors alongside Travis. So let us hear you! We have so much more to learn as well. So talk to me about what you love about our Fraternity, tell me what you think we should change, ask questions, seek answers! They don't give me a dsp email for nothing. So I've decided that in the spirit of GCC, I'm gifting you with something special to my heart - my personal cell number. All those that have connected with me on the app not only have my DSP email, but my personal cell number so that you can text or call to ask questions.

To close,

I hope you all enjoy your time at Grand Chapter Congress. I hope it feels like the biggest family reunion you've ever been a part of because that's what we became when we got initiated - family. So soak it all in. Take lots of pictures. Have lots of fun, because you get to be a part of the best co-ed professional fraternity the world has to offer. 

Thank you.