Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Several fraternities thrive at national level

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

While many students were spending the summer abroad, relaxing at home or working a part-time job, the Southeast Greek community was busy attending national conferences and bringing home accolades.

This summer, multiple Southeast greek chapters were recognized at the national level for their excellence, leadership, GPA and alumni support.

All fraternities and sororities have either an annual or biennial national conference, where they can earn awards or participate in reward programs.

“Year in and year out, our chapters tend to do pretty well in many categories,” Director of Greek Life Bruce Skinner said. “And then there’s other awards where you really have to distinguish yourself and be in sort of that top 10%, that top 5% of your organization nationwide.”

That’s exactly what a few Southeast chapters did, and they were recognized as some of the top chapters in their respective national organizations.

Sigma Chi

The highest honor Sigma Chi nationally bestows upon an undergraduate chapter is the Peterson Significant Chapter Award.

In July, the Epsilon Phi chapter at Southeast earned the award for the third consecutive year and were recognized for their excellence in all operations including philanthropy, recruitment, academics and ritual performance.

“Overall, we had a pretty productive year,” chapter president and Southeast senior Matt Sarhage said. “We raised over $10,000 for our philanthropy, we won Homecoming and Greek Week, and we were second overall in intramurals.”

Sarhage credited a lot of his chapter’s success to members “buying in” early and showing more effort. He said even alumni started to contribute to the chapter by establishing scholarships rewarding academic performance.

Lambda Chi Alpha

The Delta Phi Zeta chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha at Southeast was awarded the Grand High Alpha Award in July, which recognizes chapters that have sustained a superior level of excellence in operations for at least three consecutive years according to lambdachi.org.

“Not only is it the current chapter that has been working for [this award] but also so many alumni that have already graduated that have contributed to it,” chapter president and Southeast junior Ryan Wiggers said.

Though it’s a big honor, the recognition is not one for which chapters apply. Lambda Chi Alpha headquarters selects the chapter it wishes to recognize with the Grand High Alpha designation — the fraternity’s highest honor — based on three years of interaction with the chapter.

“We try to do everything we can to the best of our ability and make ourselves better people because of it,” Wiggers said.

Phi Delta Theta

Southeast’s Missouri Zeta chapter of Phi Delta Theta was recognized as the top chapter at a medium-sized institution and was awarded the Founder’s Trophy.

The criteria for the award is based on different factors such as scholarship, brotherhood, philanthropy and ritual.

Chapter president and Southeast senior James Vance credited former president Elwood Voss for putting together an awards packet that put the chapter in contention for the award.

“Elwood kind of took over and knew he really wanted to do it,” Vance said. “He kind of just put it all on his back and did a great job.”

This award comes a year after the Missouri Zeta chapter won the international Phoenix Award, which is given to the most improved Phi Delta Theta chapter.

“It really shows how much we’ve grown as a chapter,” Vance said. “From being a 34-man chapter when I joined to winning big national awards, we’ve all really come together.”

Sigma Nu

The Mu Kappa chapter of Sigma Nu at Southeast was one of only a few Sigma Nu chapters in the nation to earn awards for both the Pursuit of Excellence in Values-Based Leadership and Pursuit of Excellence for Operational Excellence.

Only five chapters won both awards last year, placing the Mu Kappa chapter in elite company.

“It is truly an honor for our men to be recognized for their hard work,” chapter president and Southeast junior Justin Jacobs said in a press release in July.

The Mu Kappa chapter is among a small group of chapters able to achieve excellence in every phase of Sigma Nu’s LEAD program as well. LEAD is an ethical leadership program completed by all members of the chapter. Topics in the program range anywhere from money management to mental health.

Pi Kappa Alpha

Southeast Greek alumni were also recognized for their efforts at a national level this summer.

The Epsilon Iota chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha earned the Alumni Advisory Board of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top Pi Kappa Alpha alumni board.

“Our advisory board is a great source of guidance,” chapter president and Southeast senior Sean McDowell said in a press release in July. “They stepped up and gave me, the executive board and the rest of the undergraduate students the tools to move forward and improve the chapter’s history.”

One particular Southeast alumnus was recognized as a “Power Player” in the national Pi Kappa Alpha organization. Jim Gleason was featured in a full-page spread in the PIKE magazine in August for his contributions.

Theta Xi

The Gamma Epsilon chapter of Theta Xi was recognized as having one of the top chapter advisers in the nation. Todd Medley was one of three chapter advisors to earn the Chapter Advisor Excellence Award in July.

Two major improvements Medley made to the chapter was the establishment of a long-missing alumni board and finding the chapter a faculty advisor, both of which the chapter had not had in more than a decade.

“It means a lot to our guys because alumni guidance and community service were two aspects our chapter was lacking on when we all joined,” chapter president and Southeast senior Andrew Behrmann said. “We have come a very long way in just a few years.”

The Gamma Epsilon chapter also earned the Local Community Service Excellence Award. The chapter raised more than $1,000 for the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk in October and had 90% chapter participation.

For more information on Southeast Greek Life, visit semo.edu/greeklife.

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