One of the highlights of our Collegiate Leadership Conference (CLC) each year is the exciting moment when we announce and celebrate our Chapter Excellence Awards, given to chapters that excel in nine different categories, including academic excellence, philanthropy and community partnerships. This year, our chapters had an exceptional level of achievement. As a result, the collegiate awards committee conducted a secondary review process to determine the final chapter winners, who are continuing to make a positive impact on their campuses and their communities.
Margaret Paddock Haller Award
The Margaret Paddock Haller Award is one of Tri Delta’s highest collegiate awards. Established in 1994 in honor of a past Fraternity President, it recognizes chapters that have shown outstanding achievement. Recipients of this award have demonstrated overall excellence in all aspects of chapter operations.
Winner: Theta Gamma – University of Oklahoma
The committee was inspired by Theta Gamma’s remarkable achievements across all award categories, as its members continually strive for excellence and aim for new heights each day. With a GPA that surpasses all Panhellenic, all-sorority and all-Greek averages, this chapter sets a high academic standard. Additionally, they actively involve alumnae in open house events and recruitment activities, while also holding regular office chats with their advisors. Partnering with the JC Penney Leadership Program, they host an International Friendsgiving for international students unable to return home during Thanksgiving Break. Furthermore, Theta Gamma prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging (DEIAB) initiatives through weekly presentations and education on the DEI word of the week.
Diane Petersen Excellence in DEIAB
This award recognizes a collegiate chapter’s commitment to DEIAB and honors a chapter that embodies the same brave, bold and kind spirit demonstrated by Diane and her Delta Upsilon sisters. It also recognizes the impact Diane, her membership and her ongoing service as a Tri Delta Foundation Trustee continue to have on our sisterhood.
Winner: Theta Delta – University of Oregon
The Safety, Wellness and Belonging Committee of Theta Delta leads efforts to educate members on important DEIAB topics. They invite speakers to facilitate discussions on themes like body positivity and inclusivity. The chapter actively participates in the university’s Sexual Violence Prevention Board to ensure community safety and dialogue. Additionally, Theta Delta works to expand their impact by connecting with non-Panhellenic groups to create a more inclusive campus community.
Runner up: Theta Gamma – University of Oklahoma
Excellence in Alumnae Connection
This award is given to collegiate chapters who have demonstrated improved communication and transparency of chapter operations with local alumnae, the advisory team and regional volunteers to ensure an inclusive lifetime membership experience for the chapter and alumnae.
Winner: Phi Mu – Southeast Missouri State University
Phi Mu Chapter has a strong connection with its volunteer team and local alumnae holding weekly check-in meetings with advisors whom they trust and lean on in their chapter meetings and throughout their new member period. Local alumnae are also invited by the director of lifetime membership to celebrate with the chapter at events like Bid Day, Founders’ Day, Initiation and Homecoming. The chapter wrote in their application, “Alumnae engagement plays a huge role in the success of our chapter.”
Runner up: Delta Iota – University of Arkansas
Excellence in Community Relations
This award recognizes chapters who have committed to sharing the Tri Delta experience through effective public relations, marketing and media efforts both online and offline. These efforts reflect a positive image of the chapter and Tri Delta brands while upholding the values of and positively contributing to the campus experience.
Winner: Gamma Beta – Villanova University
After surveying its members, Gamma Beta listened and provided ways to be more involved in the Panhellenic, Greek and campus community—now having members involved in over 50 academic and philanthropic clubs across their campus. They partner with a different sorority each semester to host joint sisterhood and philanthropy nights, which have allowed them to create a bond with many Panhellenic women. This chapter maintains their sisterhood while also being highly engaged in campus and with other Panhellenic organizations. They highlight their members’ engagement and passions individually in organizations on campus as well as make sure that their chapter views other Panhellenic organizations positively.
Runner up: Gamma Sigma – Colgate University
Excellence in Member Experience
The Excellence in Member Experience award recognizes chapters who embody Tri Delta’s Ritual, Purpose and values in chapter life and go beyond traditional Tri Delta programming to educate members on health, wellness and harm reduction. This award also recognizes chapters who promote opportunities for continued personal growth of members and chapter improvement to elevate the membership experience.
Winner: Beta Tau – Baylor University
Beta Tau Chapter provides substantial support for its members. This chapter’s wellness chair and Wellness Committee meet monthly and deliver “Weekly Wellness Tips” at chapter meetings. They also plan events and coordinate workshops hosted by subject matter experts. They implemented a professional development chair to connect and coordinate alumnae with current members and host workshops such as the “GraDDDuate School Test Prep Workshop.” Tri Delta’s Ritual and Sisterhood are at the core of all chapter operations to create a well-rounded, balanced membership experience.
Runner up: Gamma Iota – Purdue University
Excellence in Community Service
This award is given to chapters who have actively pursued and offered community service opportunities for members as a way to add value to the overall membership experience and illustrate Tri Delta’s dedication to unselfish leadership and service to others.
Winner: Theta Delta – University of Oregon
Theta Delta makes community service part of their chapter culture by removing obstacles that may prevent a member from completing community service. They seek to provide any necessary materials to their chapter members, coordinate with other organizations to make community service feel more like a social event, and they bring donation bins into their facility at the end of each term to assist members with their community engagement.
Runner up: Theta Gamma – University of Oklahoma
Excellence in Academic Programming
This award recognizes chapters who encourage and recognize excellence in scholarship for both initiated and new members by upholding chapter policies and bylaws, providing academic resources and support and celebrating individual and chapter academic accomplishments.
Winner: Gamma Pi – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Gamma Pi hosts Delta Study Dates every Monday after chapter and are proud to say these dates are one of the best-attended chapter events. The chapter’s upper-classmen also volunteer to be mentors for each major as well as “Accountabili-buddies” who offer one-on-one support to members struggling in academics. These implementations have helped members succeed in academics and form a stronger bond of sisterhood. They have also led the chapter to have the highest GPA among all Greek organizations on campus.
Runner up: Beta Omicron – Illinois State University
Excellence in Philanthropy
Given to chapters for innovative and ongoing member education that emphasizes the value of philanthropic giving, the Excellence in Philanthropy considers a chapter’s philanthropic efforts in support of Tri Delta’s Foundation, the fight against childhood cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and other charitable organizations, along with member involvement with other campus and community philanthropic efforts.
Winner: Epsilon – Knox College
Epsilon Chapter is guided by Tri Delta’s value of friendship and partnering with others on campus and in their community, including Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Nu and a local coffee shop. These partnerships have contributed to increased fundraising and awareness of the philanthropic work Tri Delta is doing for St. Jude and local organizations. The chapter members volunteer for events like Book Pumphandle, Blessing in a Backpack, Swipe Out Hunger and Knox Day of Service, just to name a few. They have gone above and beyond to make a difference in their community by giving their time and efforts to countless organizations.
Runner up: Phi Upsilon – Oklahoma State University
Excellence in Recruitment and Retention
This award recognizes chapters who have demonstrated improvements in recruitment and retention throughout the past calendar year. Recipients have emphasized the importance of a positive recruitment experience and have used innovative methods to ensure member retention from recruitment all the way through graduation.
Winner: Delta Iota Chapter – University of Arkansas
Delta Iota conducted a very thoughtful recruitment process ensuring each potential new member was given a fair chance and prioritized those who celebrated diversity and valued strong sisterhood. With one of the largest recruitments in the country, they made sure to have a transparent selection process, increased engagement from current chapter members and found a fitting role for each member during recruitment. Following Bid Day, the VP of membership experience and director of first year experience hosted themed meetings and creative engaging learning experiences for new members. The chapter formed a Member Retention Committee comprised of two members from each new member class which has become a resource and support system for its members throughout their collegiate years.
Runner up: Alpha Epsilon – Brenau University
Congratulations to all our exceptional chapters for their dedication, hard work and commitment to excellence!