Greeks
give awards, gather aid
By Kyle Cavaness
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Screams and raucous applause echoed through the Woodrow Wilson High School auditorium
as Cal State Long Beach fraternities and sororities held their annual Greek Awards
Program Tuesday night.
The event was held by the InterFraternity Council (IFC) and the National Panhellenic
Council, who collected donations at the door to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The program began with a video remembering the hurricane victims and thanking
the Greek system for their support, ending with “Keep up the Greek pride.” Cheers
and standing ovations erupted as each house was introduced following the video.
The atmosphere was festive, with nearly all members arriving in formal evening
wear. Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s younger members attended the event in matching
uniforms, and cheered loud and long as their chapter president accepted the President’s
Choice award. Due to a vote within the house to decide to whom the honor would
go,
SAE’s president returned to his seat with his own award.
“
Our Greek system will [continue to] survive and grow and thrive as the best group
of individuals in this university,” he said in a short acceptance speech.
Sigma Pi then recognized John “the Godfather” Merino, a member of
the first pledge class in 1955 and patron of the fraternity. Merino spent 10
years on the fraternity’s national council, as well as six years as chapter
director.
Sigma Pi gave Merino a standing ovation and announced they had re-named their
house the “Merino Mansion.”
Merino said he was “very honored” by the recognition, and said
he
plans to stay involved with the upkeep of Sigma Pi.
Students from each house were recognized for 4.0 GPAs, and some were “tapped” for
the Order of Omega—a national Greek honor society for academic achievement.
The awards given next recognized the efforts of an entire chapter and not just
the individuals within. These started with the IFC Sports Cup, and ended with
the President’s Cup—the highest honor a chapter can earn in a given
year.
The President’s Cup awards are judged according to a rubric which includes
academics, chapter management, member development and community involvement.
The President’s Cup is given to one fraternity and one sorority that
best
exemplify the qualities set out for them.
Two houses dominated this year’s awards—the sorority Alpha Phi
and
the fraternity Phi Kappa Tau.
“
We try and excel in all areas, and focus on quality, not quantity,” said
Sydni Scheidel, president of Alpha Phi. “I
am so impressed with [our girls].”
This is the third time Alpha Phi has received the President’s Cup. In addition
to Tuesday night’s Greek Awards, the CSULB chapter of Alpha Phi received
three other awards at their national conference.
Phi Kappa Tau also left with the IFC Sports Cup and several other awards Tuesday
night. Since re-chartering in 2001, Phi Kappa Tau has been rebuilding both its
house and its reputation over the last several years.
“
Our members have worked really hard, [especially] in academics,” said
Joshua Bruce, Phi Kappa Tau’s president. “We’re going for
the sweep next year.”
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