University’s Greek Life Program Consistently Lauded for All-around Excellence
For the second year in a row—and twice within the past two months—a Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) fraternity has been internationally praised for its academic excellence, community service, and leadership. Out of more than 274 chapters (and 252,000 members) across the United States and Canada, WPI’s Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) Zeta-Mu chapter was one of only nine recipients of the Top TEKE Chapter award for the 2009-2010 academic year. ("TEKE" is the nickname for the combination of T+K+E. When said, it sounds like "TEKE.")
This year’s winners were chosen from a highly competitive group of applicants and were judged for their academic excellence, community service, recruitment efforts, extracurricular activities, and alumni relations. The judges lauded the WPI chapter’s performance last academic year, acknowledging its strong recruitment results (30 new members); how members raised thousands of dollars for charitable causes; and how its members performed more than 2,300 hours of community service (approximately 25 hours per person). The WPI chapter, which was chartered in 1959, was also recognized for its strong alumni relations.
"The WPI TKE chapter’s brotherhood is comprised of tireless workers," said Chapter President John F. Wyatt Jr., a WPI senior. "The judges took note of our efforts to consistently better ourselves as students and individuals, and the value we place on community service. We are grateful to receive this award."
WPI’s fraternities and sororities represent some of the strongest chapters of their international organizations, and they consistently win honors for all-around excellence. In addition to TKE’s honor, last month out of more than 50 chapters across the United States, WPI’s Phi Kappa Theta chapter was the sole recipient of the Founder’s Cup at the annual Phi Kappa Theta Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The award—the highest honor a Phi Kappa Theta chapter can receive—is based on five developmental areas: fraternal, intellectual, leadership, social, and spiritual. WPI’s chapter won the prize last year and in 1981, 1976, 1975, and 1973.
"The WPI Greek Life community strives for excellence," said Emily Perlow, WPI’s director of student activities. "Of the 17 international organizations represented at WPI, more than half are recognized each year with an award from their national or international organization."
Last year, WPI’s Greek Life program was honored by the national Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) with the Outstanding Change Initiative Award for making tremendous progress and improvement in the university’s fraternity and sorority community. In addition, Perlow won the prestigious "Volunteer of the Year" award from the AFA.
Noted Perlow: "We challenge chapters to exceed their organizational best each year, and it is this push for continual improvement, reinforced by dedicated alumni volunteers who work with the chapters, that makes the WPI fraternal community one of the most solid in the country."
