Press Release

February 18, 2021

Kaplan, Lambda Chi Alpha to Launch Transformational Programs that Support Soft Skills, Credentials for Gen Z Students

Gregory Ten Eyck

Kaplan

Innovative Training Initiative Enables Fraternity Members To Earn Digital Badges and Give Them a Competitive Edge

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. & LONDON & CARMEL, Ind., Feb. 18, 2021—Kaplan, Inc., a global leader in academic innovation, and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, one of the largest fraternities in North America, today announced the planned launch of a set of transformational new programs that will address the gap between college education and career readiness training, providing digital badge credentials and marketable skills to help meet the needs of Generation Z college students.

“We saw an opportunity to provide a resource that many college-aged students in Generation Z don’t have right now”

Prior to the 2021 fall semester, Lambda Chi Alpha members can enroll and start earning credentials in the innovative Leadership Skills Credential Program, designed in partnership with Kaplan to develop four learning journeys: Leadership, Finance, Philanthropy, and Recruiting. This training will teach a blend of technical and soft skills, such as, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, work ethic, flexibility, adaptability and other interpersonal skills needed to successfully obtain and maintain employment.

“We saw an opportunity to provide a resource that many college-aged students in Generation Z don’t have right now,” said Troy Medley, CEO of Lambda Chi Alpha, which has chapters at nearly 200 universities. “As we continue to grapple with an unprecedented pandemic and economic recession, Gen Z students need and want greater ROI from their college experience. Employers also want to know that the graduates they hire are career-ready. Likewise, students want to graduate with quantifiable abilities that lead to a high-paying job. We believe this program will bridge the gap between the high-level theory of college classroom learning and real-world practical training. The certifications earned will offer proof of work readiness that our members can offer employers.”

Lambda Chi Alpha executive leadership collaborated with Kaplan to design the Leadership Skills CredentialProgram, which will be delivered through Kaplan Performance Academy(KPA), a proprietary management system that provides digital learning experiences, technology and expertise to enhance professional performance in the workplace. The Leadership Skills Credential Program will help Gen Z students overcome deficiencies in work experience and workplace readiness which have been exacerbated under the current pandemic and recession.

The timing of this comprehensive career readiness training and support could not be better for students. As COVID-19 continues to negatively impact jobs, the economy and employment, the oldest Generation Z members (ages 18 to 22) are facing tremendous challenges entering the workforce, including record-high unemployment. According to the Pew Research Center, half of Gen Zers reported that they or someone in their household had lost a job or taken a cut in pay because of the pandemic. Making matters worse, Gen Zers are already less likely to have work experience compared to previous generations when they were young adults. While 62 percent of Gen Z was employed in 2018, a higher percentage of Millennials (71 percent) and Gen Xers (79 percent) were working when they were a comparable age, which means many Gen Z young adults could lack the basic skills to succeed in today’s workplace.

With competency-based certifications earned as a benefit, the Leadership Skills Credential Program will initially offer 23 competencies or topics. The program will be offered to all Lambda Chi Alpha officers (chapter presidents, treasurers, recruitment chairs, and philanthropy chairs) and will eventually include all fraternity members.

Andrew Perkins, KPA Global Director, said, “The students who receive this training will have a huge advantage over their peers in the job market. Today’s business environment demands that employees have practical application of the skills necessary to thrive in the workplace. We have designed the curriculum in a way that will engage college students in visual and interactive experiences. The skills and credentials they earn will increase their job opportunities and help them succeed in their careers.”

Employers agree. “I believe that Lambda Chi Alpha’s efforts in providing a digital badging certification program to its members give its student leaders the opportunity to represent the vital career readiness skills they develop during their Greek experience and a way to demonstrate those skills to potential employers on their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and similar documentation,” said David Ong, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition for Maximus, Inc., and the President-elect of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Specializing in corporate training, Kaplan’s KPA works with companies around the world to offer assessments, customized learning journeys, and skills coaching in a variety of delivery methods and features a global network of accredited subject matter experts to support individuals in their professional development.

The Leadership Skills Credential Program training will be certified by an independent third party, Credly Acclaim, which works with leading brands including IBM, Adobe, Oracle and Dell. These companies use Credly as an internal certification tool to measure the growth of their employees’ competencies and skills.

The partnership between Lambda Chi Alpha and Kaplan highlights the evolving nature of both organizations. Long known on college campuses for its test prep offerings, Kaplan is a diversified global educational powerhouse that has recently begun offering a number of “work prep” solutions, from programs to help high school students explore potential careers to solutions enabling universities to combine degree programs with industry-recognized credentials. Lambda Chi Alpha, founded in 1909, is working to create a model modern fraternity that prioritizes leadership, membership, diversity and inclusion, physical and mental health, and public service. This includes placing greater emphasis on creating leadership opportunities for members that carry professional value, broadening its role from building relationships to building critical lifelong skills.

About Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Headquartered in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, Ind., Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity is one of the largest men’s general fraternities in North America with more than 295,000 initiated members and has held chapters at more than 300 universities. In the early 1970s, it was the first fraternity to eliminate pledging and remains a leader in the fight against hazing, alcohol abuse, sexual assault and other challenges facing today’s college student. Complemented by its partnerships with Feeding America and the JED Foundation, Lambda Chi Alpha serves to enhance higher education by providing opportunities for academic achievement, leadership development, personal growth, career networking and lifelong friendships. The mission of Lambda Chi Alpha is to inspire and equip men to lead an ethical life of growth, service, and leadership. Lambda Chi Alpha envisions a world where the ideal man pursues a life of respect and inclusion for all. A world where we support and encourage one another. And a world where every brother models and embraces our values: loyalty, duty, respect, service and stewardship, honor, integrity, and personal courage. To learn more about Lambda Chi, please visit www.lambdachi.org. #GrowServeLead

About Kaplan

Kaplan provides individuals, universities, and businesses a broad array of educational services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit kaplan.com.

PRESS CONTACTS:

Kaplan
Gregory Ten Eyck
Office: +1 954-515-3026
gregory.teneyck@kaplan.edu

Press Release Archive

Press Release

Kaplan Schweser Releases 2024 CFA® Program Survey: Charterholders and Candidates Say Artificial Intelligence is Having Big Impact on Careers and Express Overall Job Satisfaction

by Kaplan

Kaplan, Lambda Chi Alpha to Launch Transformational Programs that Support Soft Skills, Credentials for Gen Z Students

Press Release Archive

Kaplan Schweser Releases 2024 CFA® Program Survey: Charterholders and Candidates Say Artificial Intelligence is Having Big Impact on Careers and Express Overall Job Satisfaction

Kaplan Releases Findings from Annual Medical School Admissions Officers Survey, Revealing Key Insights on Application Trends

Kaplan Named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List for Groundbreaking Career Pathing Initiative

Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP, Inc., Now Providing All Students at its Member Institutions with Free Kaplan Test Prep Courses for Graduate School Admissions Exams

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s America's Top Online Learning Schools 2025 List

Albion College Becomes First School to Offer All Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Free Skills Development Courses and Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Kaplan Earns 2025 Military Friendly® Employer Designation

Syracuse University College of Law Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Inc. Names Kaplan as a 2024 Power Partner Award Winner in Recognition of Being a Leading B2B Company

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Lag on Official Policies on How Applicants Can Use AI in Admissions Essays, Potentially Leaving Them in Limbo

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces® in America 2024 List

Kaplan Survey: 75 Percent of Admissions Officers Believe College Rankings Have Lost Their Luster

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Accredited Investment Fiduciary® Training for Financial Professionals Pursuing the AIF® Designation

Kaplan Survey: Most Buyer’s Agents Don’t Think New Commission Rules are a Good Thing, But are Ready to Face the Challenge

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most MBA Applicants Consider Their Social Media Posts “Fair Game” in the Admissions Process

Kaplan Comments on Major Changes to the ACT® Exam, Set to Launch in 2025

Kaplan’s All Access License Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” For Second Consecutive Year in the 6th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

The City University of New York School of Law Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2024 Award, Marking its Fourth Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Fourth Consecutive Year, a Recognition of Employees’ On-The-Job Happiness and Career Satisfaction

Fast Company Names Kaplan’s All Access License as a Winner in its 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most Future Business School Applicants Wary about Unrestricted Use of AI in Admissions Essays

University of Detroit Mercy Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalSM Designation Program in Spanish to Better Serve Hispanic Investors

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Business School Students Say the Rankings Have Lost Some Prestige, But Still Depend on Them

Kaplan Surveys: Law Schools Believe the Rankings Have Lost Their Luster, but Pre-Law Students Still Find Them Useful

Barron’s Partners with Brainfuse to Offer Students Premium Content to Succeed Academically and Prepare for College Admissions Exams

Kaplan Launches Buyer Agency Professional Designation to Help Real Estate Agents Navigate Looming Major Changes to the Industry’s Business Model

Poznan University of Medical Sciences Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Offer Students Additional Prep for Medical and Dental Licensing Exams

Available for Media Interviews: The New Digital SAT® Launches March 9. Kaplan Experts Can Provide Answers to Top Questions.

Yale University Joins Dartmouth, MIT, and Georgetown in Requiring Applicants to Submit Standardized Test Scores; Kaplan Survey Suggests Other Schools Will Join Them

Kaplan Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™

Kaplan’s All Access License Named to Tech & Learning’s Best for 2023 List, Citing Its Ability to Expand Opportunities

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Releases 2024 Survey of Financial Planning Professionals

Kaplan’s $20K Tuition Sweepstakes Winner is Georgia Tech Student Emily Conn, a Future Doctor of America

Kaplan Survey: College Admissions Officers Think It’s OK to Visit Applicants’ Social Media, But Most Don’t

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Concerned about Class Diversity, Amid Affirmative Action Ban Fallout

Kaplan Survey: Most Colleges and Universities Take Laissez Faire Approach Towards Use of GenAI in Admissions

Kaplan Survey: A Majority of Pre-Law Students Say It’s Important to Attend Law School With Students Having the Same Political Views

Kaplan’s AccelPro Platform Expands Peer-to-Peer Coaching and Career Development to New Audiences

Alabama A&M University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Named to Fast Company’s 2023 “Brands That Matter” List

Kaplan Survey: Most Pre-Law Students Don’t Think Law School Applicants Should Be Allowed to Use GenAI in Admissions Essays

Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Announces Partnership with Kaplan to Enhance Clinical Readiness and Education Outcomes for Aspiring Doctors

Rutgers Law School Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Kaplan’s Graduate School Tuition Sweepstakes to Give One Lucky Student $20K

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s List of the Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplace for 2023

Kaplan’s All Access License for Colleges and Universities Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” in the 5th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

Spelman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams

Hampton University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2023 Award, Marking its Third Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Survey: Medical Schools Keep COVID-Era Admissions Policies to Keep Application Process More Flexible

Fisk University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Three Consecutive Years, a Recognition of Consistent Employee Happiness and Job Satisfaction

Stillman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Junior Achievement Announces Kaplan Partnership to Help High School Students Secure Their Post-Graduation Goals

HelloFresh Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free GED® Prep for Hourly Workers to Earn High School Equivalency Diploma

The Creating Pathways and Access for Student Success™ Foundation Partners with Kaplan to Boost the Number of Underrepresented Illinois Students in STEM Fields

Kaplan Wins the Association for Talent Development’s Prestigious BEST Award for Exceptional Employee Learning and Development Success

Talladega College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Delaware State University to Offer its Students Free Prep Courses for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

College for Financial Planning®–a Kaplan Company Introduces Freedom Scholarships for Military Service Members and Veterans

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Many Business Schools Say the MBA Rankings Have Lost Prestige and Would Welcome its Demise

Denison University Offers Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Designed to Jump Start Careers, Financial Advising Accelerator Program Launched by College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company

Howard University to Offer its Undergraduate and Graduate Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Admissions and Licensure Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

Vela Wood Law Firm Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free LSAT® Courses to Boost Number of Black Attorneys

Kaplan Partners with Amazon to Provide Amazon Employees with Comprehensive Career and Student Support Services

Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards Recognizes Kaplan’s Career Core™

Kaplan Educational Foundation Taps KEF Alum Nolvia Delgado as its Next Leader

Keller Williams and Kaplan Partner on Groundbreaking Real Estate School

With Rise in Financial Planning Needs for Unmarried Couples, College for Financial Planning® Relaunches ADPA® Designation Program

Kaplan Launches First Shared Career Services Offering In Partnership With Wake Forest University, Leading Higher Ed Institutions to Promote Work Readiness

Kaplan Agreement With Digital Marketing Institute Provides Certification Program for Business Professionals

Kaplan Partners with Wall Street Bound to Prepare Diverse, Under-represented Youth for Careers in the Financial Services Industry

Survey: Nearly 80 Percent of College Students Want Legacy Admissions Banned

Lynn University Collaborates with Kaplan to Expand Online Degree Programs and Adult Learner Reach

University of Dubuque Partners with Kaplan to Strengthen Students’ Work Readiness and Employability in the Financial Sector