With the Spring semester of 2013 wrapping up, at least 30 gentlemen of Delta Sigma Phi received recognition for being the very best. From AWARD AWARD to AWARD AWARD, these Delta Sigs proved they could be the best at what they chose to do.

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NOTE: This is intended to be a working list, and is not yet what we would call exhaustive. Delta Sigma Phi is only aware of the award winners who let us know via social media or reached out to headquarters directly. If you or your chapter received accolades & do not see your name or your chapter listed here, please email us at Communications@DeltaSig.org.

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The Alpha Chi Chapter of ΔΣΦ at STETSON University

CHAPTER AWARDS:
President’s Athletic Cup
IFC Fraternity of the Year
Faculty and Staff Connection

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Ryan Hassen – IFC Chapter President of the Year
Ryan Hassen – Greek Emergin Leader
Jeremy Goldberg – Greek Male of the Year
Jimmy Hilton – Greek Male Athlete of the Year
Jimmy Hilton – Sigma Nu William Scott Fenlon Award
Hussein Hussein – Phi Sigma Kappa Red Carnation Award
Harrison Angelis – 2013 Xi Man

The Alpha Sigma Chapter of ΔΣΦ at the University of Maryland

CHAPTER AWARDS:
Chapter of Distinction

The Alpha Upsilon Chapter of ΔΣΦ at Kansas State University

CHAPTER AWARDS:
President’s Award for Fraternal Excellence
Fraternity Philanthropy of the Year

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Nick Moeder – 2013 Outstanding Senior Award
Ben Hopper – Chapter Advisor of the Year
Chris Kellenbarger – Blue Key Honor Society
Bret Seidl – Blue Key Honor Society

The Beta Kappa Chapter of ΔΣΦ at the University of ALABAMA

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Grayson Moore – Order of Omega
James Rodgers – Order of Omega
Chase Burnham – Past President’s Award (SGA)
Delta Omega chapter of ΔΣΦ at CLEVELAND STATE

CHAPTER AWARDS:
Most Outstanding New Member Education Plan
Top Scholastic Achievement Award
Most Outstanding Community Engagement Award

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Kyle Kubovcik – Contributions to the Council – IFC
Zach Douglas – Most Outstanding New Member
Kyle Kubovcik – Greek Man of the Year

The Gamma Epsilon chapter of ΔΣΦ at SAN JOSE STATE University

CHAPTER AWARDS:
Fraternity of the Year
Best in Council (IFC)
Academic Excellence
Outstanding New Program
Excellence in Membership Development

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

Nicholas Bell – Vice President of Student Affairs Award for Exemplary Leadership & Service
Felix Do – A.S. 55 Award
Felix Navarro – A.S. 55 Award
Alex Sanchez – A.S. 55 Award
Nick Ayala – A.S. 55 Award
Peter Lee – A.S. 55 Award
Peter Lee – Emerging Fraternity Leader Award
Patrick Lucey – A.S. 55 Award
Tim Nurge – Alumni of the Year Award

The Gamma Tau chapter of ΔΣΦ at EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

CHAPTER AWARDS:
Greek Week champions

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Jarrett Dupuis – IFC Distinguished Service Award
Giancardlo Salerno – IFC New Initiate of the Year
Michael Maksymowski – IFC Individual Character Award

The Iota Delta chapter of ΔΣΦ at JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

CHAPTER AWARDS:
Philanthropic Event of the Year

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Brad Burgess – President of the Year

Delta Sigma Phi fraternity is incredibly proud of these gentlemen and all those who represent the letters well everyday. More names & chapter accolades are sure to come in the coming days and weeks.

Stay tuned…

The cook didn’t think much of it when he put our letters on a crab cake. Until the customer showed up  in the kitchen..

Find Out More.

As the “All In – Delta Sigma Phi” video explains, “typical” isn’t enough.

On this our 113th birthday, Delta Sig revisits that video with this graphical representation of the message. If you’ve only seen the All In video once or twice, read through this graphic, then consider watching the video again.

Why isn’t Typical enough?

This is why. 

It is my humble honor, on behalf of the Grand Council,  to wish each of you a Happy Founders’ Day! Today we look back on why those visionary young men took the first step toward creating a better man 113 years ago in the alcove of a library at the City College of New York. They lived in a world hungry for change, a modern society clinging to ideals of exclusion based on religion or creed. When Meyer Boskey and the rest of our founding members took the pledge that December day, none of them could have imagined how much the world would change. Women had not yet earned the right to vote; the civil rights movement had yet to transform the south, and our country had yet to experience two worldwide conflicts.

As you celebrate our great Fraternity’s 113 years, remember the principles upon which we were founded at the City College of New York in 1899. On this December 10, we are all proud to be Delta Sigs.

Chris Edmonds, Delta Sigma Phi National President

The “Restore the Shore” movement started by our chapter at JMU is getting some well-deserved love from the school’s PR department.

Delta Sigma Phi’s chapter at James Madison University began selling wristbands with “Restore the Shore” and “Delta Sigma Phi” printed in red ink on a white wrist band, with all proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross, the service partner of the national fraternity.

James Madison website – Restore the Shore

To purchase wrist bands, please click “Donate” on the chapter’s website.

Gamma Chi members (that’s alumni and undergrads of North Texas) volunteered at the Redcross Emergency shelters, and the Gamma Zeta (Rutgers) has been active from their location near the epicentre of the blast.

UPDATE: Our chapters at UAB and SUNY Oswego, to name a few, bought hundreds of the bands in bulk, and so far the chapter has helped raise hundreds of dollars through the wristband movement.

Delta Sigma Phi couldn’t be more proud of these chapters, and all those who rallied to support this nation in it’s time of need. Proud to be.

Has your chapter made a significant contribution to the relief efforts, or to another service initiative that you’d like the Delta Sig nation to know about? Tell us about it–follow us and let us know on the headquarters’ Facebook page or via twitter, @DeltaSigmaPhiHQ.

Delta Sig wins prestigious award at James Madison

Patrick O'Brien, 2011 initiate of Delta Sigma Phi at James Madison

Delta Sig is honored to recognize Patrick O’Brien, 2011 initiate of the Delta Sigma Phi chapter at James Madison University, for winning the “Mr. Madison” award at JMU.

Students vote for the winners of the award, which is given to honor the best-of-the-best of the senior class.  Think homecoming king, James Madison-style–a tremendous honor.

O’Brien helped build homes for families through Habitat for Humanity, the organization that nominated him for the award.
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From Nik Koulogeorge, Assistant Director of New Chapter Advancement. 

Ever have one of those chapter meetings that is just an absolute bore? A chapter meeting that drags on far longer than anyone talking or listening would like it to?

Is every single one of your chapter meetings one or both of the above?

Throughout our time working within the field and as former students of fraternities and sororities we’ve picked up some tips and tricks. They all follow one simple concept:

THE CHAPTER MEETING IS THE GAME. NOT PRACTICE.

We typically treat chapter meetings like information sessions. Here is where our members learn what we are doing for the week and vote on which poster we’ll use to support XYZ philanthropy event. “Johnny Hotdogs” rants for about half an hour about house rules and “Cutie Suzie” talks a bit about her research project that your chapter should participate in. . . sound familiar?

Ditch the “meeting” mumbo-jumbo. Yes your chapter meeting is a time to share what’s happening but even more it’s a time to GET PEOPLE EXCITED about what’s happening.

If you’ve ever been to church or a similar religious service, you’ll know what we mean. People who go to church do it for one of the following reasons:

They love the RITUAL including prayers, songs, and the values of their particular sect

They want to be surrounded by other people who BELIEVE WHAT THEY BELIEVE

They have time to DISCUSS the ceremony, the community & events with the gang over brunch

Does that sound like a chapter meeting? Does that sound like YOUR chapter meeting?

Far too often we let exec and chairmen talk for an hour and then discuss unimportant things. Make chapter fun, make it engaging, but most importantly make it SIGNIFICANT.

Alas. . some tips to free up time in chapter:

Exec & Chairmen submit reports prior to chapter to be placed in the minutes. The chapter is directed to read the minutes if they want to know what each position is doing.

“Reports” are reserved for those who have requests or events coming up within 10 days. Time-sensitive material. You should know which “reports” will be made before chapter begins.

The secretary hands out small slips to fit in a wallet or planner with all of the week’s events. Questions can be directed to exec or chairmen after chapter or during discussion.

Big business items are introduced, read and then a separate time is set for those who would like to discuss and amend set item during the week or prior to/after chapter.

There. . . we just saved you 20-50 minutes from an average chapter meeting. Here’s what you can fill it with:

Nothing. . . just go home.

Ask members each week to think about and be ready to discuss an issue that affects you, your community or your university/college. Think at a higher level.

Read through & analyze a piece of your ritual. Ask members what it means and how you can implement it into the events they see on their little slips.

Go around the room and ask members for ideas they have of things to do or ways to improve certain processes. Use these as discussion points in the future & ask members to keep things positive & progressive.

DO NOT: Make this a conversation where the exec board talks and everyone listens. Reign your exec members in, and allow time for other members to speak.

DO: Applaud great ideas or thoughts and set up times to discuss further

DO: Reach out to members individually after chapter and thank them for their contribution. The personal touch will go a long way.

We’re confident that your chapter meetings can be shorter and more meaningful. It’ll take some practice and some getting used to, but with elections right around the corner, this is how to make a positive change.

Post By Salem Awwad, UAB ’09

So what is “Paying the Debt”? In its simplest form “Paying the Debt” is working inside of the Fraternity, working outside of the Fraternity and bringing in a man better than yourself.

Since my first semester as a Brother I have consistently attempted to “Pay the Debt” every opportunity that I can. I have recruited my heart out, I have worked countless hours within the Zeta Chi Chapter, and I am proud to say that this past year I’ve been able to work outside of the chapter within the Greek community as IFC Vice President to give Delta Sigma Phi a better name here at UAB.

Personally I feel that bringing in a man better than yourself is probably the most important aspect of “Paying the Debt”. Every year we have those Brothers who will constantly take on the role of leaders within the Fraternity, but there are always those Brothers that tend to have a hard time bringing in potential new members. Recruitment in itself is a skill as well as a talent. There is a lot of hard work that comes with it; whether it is keeping up with the names list, cold calling, or just having the guts to invite someone out to meet the Brothers. We will always have Brother willing to work to better our name and to work to make sure we as a Fraternity keep striving forward, but it is very hard to have the Brothers that are willing to sit there and talk to kids over and over about why they need to consider joining this Fraternity over the others or just to join in general.

To pay the debt, you have to recruit. One thing I have learned through my trips to The Summit is if we do not recruit we die. If we die we have no Fraternity to work for. The vision that Meyer Boskey and Charles Tonsor had would be lost without the new members who share that same thought process. I think that recruitment is something that should never be taken lightly for the shear fact that it is our future.

This past year we had 21 new members, which was our largest pledge class at UAB ever. Before last year’s recruitment, we were transitioning and graduating members at UAB, and our numbers fell to around 23 undergraduates. Without the hard work of the Brothers and our ACB we could have slipped up and ceased to exist here on this campus. We would have failed in “Paying the Debt” and thank goodness we did not. It was honestly the hardest thing I have ever done and I am proud to say that we are going in the direction that we want to be in: a strong chapter that continues to grow.

Paying the Debt is something that we as Brothers have to constantly do throughout our lifetime, and I know as we move forward with Vision 2025 we will be able to reach and surpass our potential as a Fraternity.

YITBOS

Salem Awwad

At age 84, late founder Charles Tonsor wrote the following for The Carnation of Delta Sigma Phi.