From College to Career

Daniel Walker

Title

Assistant Executive Director

Organization

Chi Psi Fraternity

Location

Nashville, Tennessee

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/danielcwalker17

Education

Bachelor's degree, English literature and history (Texas Tech University); master's degree, education administration (University of North Texas)

Favorite Quote

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." —James Clear

Although he pursued education as a postgraduate degree, Daniel Walker wasn't sure what role he would end up with after school. What Walker did know was that he was drawn to facilitating similar student development experiences like his own when he joined the Chi Psi Fraternity as a first-year student. He says joining the organization is one of the best decisions he's ever made because of the personal growth and the community. After he graduated in 2019, he began working for the organization. Walker currently oversees hiring and onboarding employees, training events for student leaders and professional staff, and professional development initiatives.

How do you lead by example to enhance company culture?

Actions speak louder than words. I try to practice what I preach and be a good example for my team to follow. Nothing discredits a leader faster than hypocrisy. I strive to follow through on what I say I am going to do, be punctual, have a good attitude, be thorough, and be positive. I slip up and fail sometimes, like anybody else. But in my experience, if you own up to your mistakes, people respect you more for it.

How does learning contribute to success in your current role?

Learning is critical to success in any role, and as the main training manager, I was fortunate enough to have my company invest in me by paying for training and facilitation certification. My role requires a lot of public speaking, event planning, and facilitation, and the certification helped me push my professional comfort zone.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

I reshaped our student officer leadership retreat—a four-day immersive training where we fly in 40 student leaders to Nashville, Tennessee. I took the event to the next level by implementing strategic goal setting for participants, going out of my way to set training standards for our professional team, and developing more creative activities.

I am also proud of the work the five traveling consultants, whom I supervise, have completed. Since taking over directing that team, we have added more value to stakeholders, delivered higher-quality data and reporting, and built stronger relationships.

What career advice do you have for up-and-coming L&D professionals?

Invest in your people and watch what they can do for your team and your organization. Embrace opportunities to learn and push yourself. If you don't grow, it may be time to go.

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