Congratulations to Sydney Sampson-Webb for being named the 2023 Delta Sigma Pi National Collegian of the Year (COY)! Sydney, a senior marketing major from Black River Falls, Wisc., chose to attend the Wisconsin-Milwaukee because she wanted to branch out in a larger city and prepare for a career in marketing.
Sampson-Webb worked at a supper club in high school, where she met Tyler Junk, who became a Wisconsin-Milwaukee student and encouraged her to join Deltasig. Sydney said, “Everyone in the Xi Chi Chapter believes that you only get out of DSP what you put into it. Our brothers push each other to better for ourselves, for each other, and for the community.”
She’s also understandably proud of Xi Chi Chapter winning the R. Nelson Mitchell Award for the Outstanding Collegiate Chapter. She noted that chapter’s diligent efforts to support brothers’ mental health and stage DEI events, as well as growing its membership by 87% during the fall semester of her junior year, were among its efforts that generated such well-deserved recognition.
Sydney has served her chapter in numerous capacities: President, Webmaster, Senior VP, VPPA and VPPE. She has served on the Collegiate Advisory Committee (CAC) three times and is a CAC Liaison for the National Alumni Development Committee, as well as on the North Central Province’s Marketing Committee. Brother Sampson-Webb said one of her most memorable experiences as a Deltasig was hosting an initiation in a bowling alley banquet venue. Coming out of the worst of the COVID-19 lockdown, booking availability for on-campus events was extremely limited, so her chapter improvised. She was appreciative of the support and flexibility that Grand President Cory Stopka, who was then North Central PVP, provided in greenlighting the unusual, but memorable, ceremony.
After she graduates in May, Sydney is eager to embark on a career as a marketing specialist for Direct Supply, which is a technology and supply vendor in the healthcare space. Brother Sampson-Webb has previously interned there for two years and will support search engine optimization (SEO) marketing and go-to-market growth for acute-care-facility products and services.
She is grateful to mentors and Deltasig inspirations, such as Junk, District Director Molly Rae, RVP Zac Hansen, PVP Nicole Orlando, Stopka, the past National COYs, and others for being positive influences on her personal and professional growth. She understands that Deltasig is for life, not just four years, and looks forward to providing similar guidance to Deltasigs and other mentees throughout her time as National COY and beyond.
Her achievements have not deterred Sampson-Webb from her favorite hobby: baking. She’s known for providing large batches of goodies for brothers, friends and family, and has baked and decorated cakes as a side hustle. Once she’s well established in her career, Sydney dreams of opening a bakery in her hometown.
Here’s an excerpt from her COY acceptance speech:
“I don’t know about you, but I know that if I wasn’t a brother, I wouldn’t have grown up into the person I am today. My brothers are my shoulders to cry on, my old roommates, my mentors and my best friends … Let your brothers and Delta Sigma Pi inspire you to be better and do good. No matter what stage of growing up you’re at – work hard, put your all into everything you do, try new things, but always know that the person you just shook hands with is there for you because they’re your brother. Never underestimate the power of kindness and building relationships with the people around you.”