Mizzou ATO rewarded for academic excellence

The ceremony, celebrated at Mizzou for seven semesters, recognizes fraternities for academic excellence in the Spring 2013 semester.

The consortium presented two different banners to the 11 fraternities.

Alpha Epsilon Pi, Beta Theta Pi, Lambda Chi Alpha and Phi Kappa Theta received gold banners for having the highest average GPAs in the Interfraternity Council. Beta Theta Pi had a 3.28, the highest GPA of all fraternities.

Seven fraternities received black banners for having a higher average GPA than the campus average. These fraternities were Alpha Gamma Sigma, Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Chi, Delta Tau Delta, Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Nu and Sigma Pi.

John Miller, chapter president of Beta Theta Pi, said he was nothing but honored after the ceremony.

“I’m just so proud of all of the members — we worked so hard to get this award,” Miller said. “We are also nothing but humble towards these other fraternities who are present, and we congratulate them on their hard work.”

Sigma Nu chapter president Justin Kendall said he was excited to see his fraternity make it into this ceremony, and he thought that they could help set an example for the Greek community.

“You know, this is our first time making it to this ceremony,” Kendall said. “We’ve been below the line before. So I think that we’ve proved that if you do what it takes, then you’ll make it.”

At the ceremony, multiple speakers congratulated the fraternities for a job well done. The speakers included John Dean, the Fraternity Alumni Consortium’s chairman of academic achievement, Jim Spain, the vice provost of undergraduate studies, MU Athletic Director Mike Alden and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs.

“This is the first time in history that we’ve had 21 fraternities on campus receive above a 3.0 average GPA, which I think is incredible.” Dean said to the crowd on Wednesday evening.

One of the fraternities honored Wednesday evening, Phi Kappa Theta, was also congratulated for being the only fraternity to be awarded at every ceremony. Since 2009, Phi Kappa Theta has received a banner for Academic Achievement every semester.

“You’re setting the stage,” Scroggs in her closing remarks, “There are 11 chapters here, and all the other chapters can now look up to you for your incredible achievement.”

*Original article credited to The Maneater: http://go.ato.org/16kDcPa