The Candidate Process: an In-Depth Review

by George Mooradian, ​ΓA

Hello Alumni! My name is George Mooradian, and I am a new active from the Gamma Alpha Class! This year’s candidate process was shaped by an interesting mix of online and in person experiences that also influenced every other aspect of student life in 2021-2022. The Gamma Alpha class began our candidate process fully online, with first degree and the first few candidate lessons taking place over zoom. As the Covid surge of Early 2022 began to die down, we were able to actually come together in person for the last half of candidate lessons, interviews, and both second and third degree. I feel like that’s enough overview because this literally happens every year; let’s get into the juicy stuff.
Candidate Lessons were interesting, especially in a hybrid format. Most people were able to attend Candidate lessons in person, so usually our room in Schobo was full, but there were always a few fellow candidates that tuned in over zoom. Our class discussions were helpful to get a full understanding of Psi’s values and practices, and helped us all get acquainted with one another. Many many people have told me that Gamma Alpha was much quieter in our candidate lessons than other classes have been in the past. When I say many, I mean literally everyone, the president, my big, my grandbig, my great grandbig, Kevin McKeown and even Kevin McKeown. If you don’t get that joke, you’re old and don’t know Santa Monica local politics, and that’s embarrassing. What was I talking about? Candidate Lessons, yes, let’s finish that up, they were fine.
Interviews were easily my personal highlight of the candidate process. Although I think we all felt the stress of finding time for the 27 interviews we had to do (especially those who had only done 5 by the last two weeks), it was generally a great opportunity to make new connections.
The hybrid format also made this part of the candidate process easier, as Zoom and FaceTime interviews were often more reliable to schedule than the in-person counterpart, especially for when we needed to get in touch with both alumni and a member from the Western District. A big thing I learned from this experience is that you should keep your interview with the President of Psi very short. This is because if you don’t you will interview them for 10 hours straight, which may seem great, but then you have to be friends with that person. Ew. Love ya Gina.
Overall, I’m extremely glad I decided to join Kappa Kappa Psi. Even as a brand new active, I feel our community making me a more confident person, friend, and musician, even through the challenges that came with Covid. The fell clutch of circumstance that brought us together over zoom, socially distanced classrooms, and finally in-person degrees were not barriers to our class, but rather a shared perseverance, and the collective choice to continue a shared duty. Now, as peers with our fellow brothers and actives, the Gamma Alpha class continues to push forward, the masters of our fate, and the captains of our souls.