With all the same glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre, members of the nation’s largest Greek community took to the stage of Foellinger Auditorium Monday for the Greek Oscars.
The annual event honored members and chapters of the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the Black Greek Council for their contributions to the Greek community.
Michelle Abruzzo, junior in LAS and vice president of scholarship for Panhellenic Council, said the Greek Oscars have become an esteemed event for the Greek system.
“I think they’re extremely important in that they recognize those chapters and individual members who are doing an outstanding job. Sometimes they get overshadowed by the larger picture, and we forget to step back and a take a look at those individuals and groups of individuals who are doing the little things right,” Abruzzo said.
Abruzzo and Sam Lyons, junior in Business and vice president of membership development for the Interfraternity Council, were co-chairs of the event that had around 800 students in attendance.
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Among the 36 awards and scholarships presented at the event were awards for outstanding new members, highest chapter GPAs, outstanding philanthropy, men/women of the year, and outstanding chapter.
Lyons and Abruzzo said that selection of the winners was an unbiased and anonymous process. A committee of University faculty members selected the scholarship winners, and representatives from each chapter selected other individual awards. The program’s final and most prestigious award, outstanding chapter, was selected entirely by faculty groups who read through the anonymous judging packets.
“It’s a very elaborate process,” Abruzzo said.
The event also featured step-dancing performances from the Black Greek Council, as members from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. showcased their elaborate routines.
The awards show lasted about 90 minutes, and Abruzzo said she thought everything went smoothly.
“I thought everything came together really well.” Abruzzo said. “We were able to do it quicker than we’ve ever done it before.”
Abruzzo added that the program’s success was a testament to the hard work that went into planning the event.
“I don’t think everybody realizes how much time and effort goes into every single detail: getting trophies ordered, having programs made, coordinating 25 people to get up on stage,” Abruzzo said.
While Abruzzo and Lyons were generally pleased with the way the show turned out, they acknowledged that there are still some goals for next year’s show.
“As you can see, there weren’t as many IFC members here. That’s just kind of how it’s always been and that’s one thing we’ve been trying to improve upon every year is how to get more IFC members to come out,” Lyons said.
Despite a lower turnout from members of the Interfraternity Council, Lyons said he’s proud of the way the Greek Oscars portray the Greek system.
“Lots of times you’ll hear the Greek community get a bad rap or negative image over one chapter’s event or things like that, but I think this is a good event to show the positive things that the Greek community is doing,” Lyons said.
Greek Oscars Chapter Awards
Fred H. Turner Award — Outstanding Service by an Alumnus
Shawn Dalgleish, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Frances M. Redmon Award
Mika Jain, Chi Omega
Beth Dohme Wallin Award
Sara Cline, Delta Delta Delta
Sarah Pucci, Alpha Gamma Delta
Willard Broom Award
Liz Pelletier, Alpha Omicron Pi
Victoria Lynn Merkel Award
Elizabeth Ray, Alpha Omicron Pi
Panhellenic Council Scholarship Fund
Victoria Noland, Alpha Omicron Pi
Samantha Larson, Alpha Omicron Pi
Kayla Ammann, Sigma Alpha
1872 Legacy Award
Danny Miller, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Tim Mueller, Pi Kappa Alpha
Living Your Values Award
Interfraternity Council: Brennan DePriest, Alpha Delta Phi
Panhellenic Council: Jacqueline Polacek, Alpha Omicron Pi
Outstanding New Member
Black Greek Council:
Abisola Ariwoola, Sigma Gamma Rho
Interfraternity Council:
1. Jonathon Seaman, FarmHouse
2. Scott Niemann, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Honorable Mention: Michael Drackley, FIJI
Panhellenic Council:
1. Allison Canty, Phi Mu
2. Lisa Musser, Alpha Xi Delta
Honorable Mention: Hannah Littman, Sigma Delta Tau
Outstanding Chapter Advisor
Black Greek Council:
Danielle Gooden, Zeta Phi Beta
Interfraternity Council:
1. Matt Barnard, Alpha Gamma Rho
2. Patricia Justice, FarmHouse
Honorable Mention: Steve Parsons, Lambda Chi Alpha
Panhellenic Council:
1. Melissa Johnson-Hartman, Alpha Omicron Pi
2. Brandy Krapf, Sigma Alpha
Honorable Mention: Amy Hornat-Kaval, Alpha Delta Pi
Outstanding Chapter President
Interfraternity Council:
1. Jack Brofman, Sigma Pi
2. Joe Wehr, Kappa Delta Rho
Honorable Mention: Steve Torrez, Theta Chi
Panhellenic Council:
1. Kaye Foley, Chi Omega
2. Kristen Viscum, Alpha Xi Delta
Honorable Mention: Emily Barber, Pi Beta Phi
Black Greek Council Outstanding Campus/Greek Involvement
Royel Johnson, Alpha Phi Alpha
Greek Man of the Year
Jeff Gardner, FIJI
Greek Woman of the Year
Brooke Kennedy, Sigma Kappa
Outstanding House Corporation
Fraternities:
1. FIJI
2. Alpha Kappa Lambda
Honorable Mention: Kappa Delta Rho
Sororities:
1. Sigma Delta Tau
2. Alpha Gamma Delta
Honorable Mention: Delta Zeta
Outstanding House Director
Fraternities:
1. Nancy Eubanks, FIJI
2. Brian Jaros, Phi Kappa Sigma
Honorable Mention: Jeff Cohn, Alpha Epsilon Pi
Sororities:
1. Marla Hutcherson, Alpha Omicron Pi
2. Teresa Mendez, Delta Gamma
Honorable Mention: Jackie Wright, Kappa Delta
Excellence in External Operations
Interfraternity Council:
1. Pi Kappa Phi
2. Sigma Phi Epsilon
Honorable Mention: Alpha Gamma Rho
Panhellenic Council:
1. Sigma Delta Tau
2, Alpha Xi Delta
Honorable Mention: Pi Beta Phi
Excellence in Risk Management
Interfraternity Council:
1. Alpha Chi Rho
2. Sigma Phi Epsilon
Honorable Mention: Kappa Delta Rho
Panhellenic Council:
1. Chi Omega
2. Kappa Delta
Honorable Mention: Delta Zeta
Excellence in New Member Programming
Interfraternity Council:
1. FarmHouse
2. Alpha Gamma Rho
Honorable Mention: Alpha Chi Rho
Panhellenic Council:
1. Alpha Omicron PI
2. Chi Omega
Honorable Mention: Sigma Delta Tau
Outstanding Philanthropy
Interfraternity Council:
1. Sigma Chi
2. Pi Kappa Phi
Honorable Mention: Sigma Phi Epsilon
Panhellenic Council:
1. Chi Omega
2. Delta Zeta
Honorable Mention: Alpha Xi Delta
Outstanding Community Service
Black Greek Council: Zeta Phi Beta
Interfraternity Council: Sigma Phi Epsilon
Panhellenic Council: Alpha Gamma Delta
Excellence in Internal Operations
Interfraternity Council:
1. Sigma Phi Epsilon
2. Alpha Chi Rho
Honorable Mention: Theta Chi
Panhellenic Council:
1. Phi Mu
2. Alpha Gamma Delta
Honorable Mention: Kappa Alpha Theta
Black Greek Council Programming Awards
Educational Program of the Year: “Bridging the Gap” by Alpha Phi Alpha
Hottest Week: Alpha Phi Alpha
Social Program of the Year: “Lady Sigma Wild-N-Out” by Sigma Gamma Rho
Outstanding Scholarship Programming
Interfraternity Council:
1. FIJI
2. Kappa Delta Rho
Honorable Mention: FarmHouse
Panhellenic Council:
1. Delta Zeta
2. Phi Mu
Honorable Mention: Kappa Alpha Theta
Top GPA
Interfraternity Council:
Spring 2009: Sigma Alpha Mu
Fall 2009: Chi Phi
Panhellenic Council:
Spring 2009: Sigma Delta Tau
Fall 2009: Sigma Delta Tau
Most Improved GPA
Interfraternity Council:
Spring 2009: Phi Kappa Sigma
Fall 2009: Omega Delta Phi
Panhellenic Council:
Spring 2009: Sigma Alpha
Fall 2009: Delta Xi Phi
Black Greek Council Highest GPA Awards
Fraternity Chapter: Phi Rho Eta
Sorority Chapter: Zeta Phi Beta
Fraternity Individual: Royel Johnson, Alpha Phi Alpha
Sorority Individual: Erin Estelle, Zeta Phi Beta
Outstanding Chapter
Black Greek Council:
Alpha Phi Alpha
Interfraternity Council:
1. Sigma Phi Epsilon
2. Kappa Delta Rho
Honorable Mention: FarmHouse
Panhellenic Council:
1. Chi Omega
2. Delta Zeta
Honorable Mention: Alpha Gamma Delta
