32 Buchanan Cup chapters set a new standard for excellence

At the 57th Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, 32 chapters were awarded the Buchanan Outstanding Chapter Award. Chapters that receive the coveted Buchanan Cup are among the top fraternity chapters in the country and excel in every area of operations. Seeking to improve their chapter and members, we had the highest percentage of chapters apply for Buc Cups this year than in the last decade! Striving for excellence, the winning chapters showcase their accomplishments over the past two years by implementing high-quality Balanced Man Programs, active involvement on their campuses and recruiting the right members to join SigEp — year-round.

Gold Buchanan Cups

Six chapters were recognized with Gold Buchanan Cups in 2021. These chapters have achieved excellence in every area of chapter operations — over a period of 10 or more years. They’ve put together impressive records of sustained success through a longstanding high-quality chapter culture.

Two of these Gold Buc Cup chapters hold the top two spots for most Buchanan Cups all-time: Oregon Alpha at Oregon State with 26 in their history and Nebraska Alpha at Nebraska with 23.

Chapter	Video
Maine Alpha - University of Maine (7th consecutive) Maine Alpha has recruited the right way for years. Committed to the Balanced Man Scholarship, they started a second BMS cycle this spring to bring in more members, year-round. Holding the top Greek GPA for 12 straight semesters, they won Chapter of the Year in 2019 and 2020. Chapter members lead in big ways on their campus … as student body president, honor society members and presidents of three club sports teams. With involvement from alumni, volunteers and faculty members, their Balanced Man Program and SigEp Learning Community programming meets the needs of members and emphasizes practical skills. This chapter is hyper-focused on professional development and preparing their men for success after college. They engaged 60 alumni and volunteers in professional development sessions, and 15 percent of their entire membership attended a SigEp Career Coaching session this spring. The chapter sent brothers to Ruck, and when snow prevented them from attending Carlson in 2019, they had a two-day leadership retreat for the whole chapter.
Michigan Theta - Lawrence Technological University (6th consecutive) With forty percent of all freshmen men applying to their Balanced Man Scholarship over the past two years, it’s clear that their SigEp experience is in demand on campus. With a chapter GPA nearly a full point above the all campus average, they’ve held the highest fraternity GPA since 2015 and have won Greek Day the past five years. With a strong Balanced Man Program, they’re successful in developing upperclassmen, enlisting alumni mentors from other SigEp chapters in Epsilon challenge meetings, and their Brother Mentor challenge emphasizes involvement with SigEp before and after graduation. With strong alumni support, the chapter had the most donors among all SigEp chapters in the 2020 Founders Day of Giving. They’ve also sent fifteen percent of their members to the Ruck Leadership Institute, and nearly 30 percent have already participated in SigEp’s Career Coaching opportunity.
Nebraska Alpha - Nebraska-Lincoln (13th consecutive) Sought after by potential new members for the experience they provide, Nebraska Alpha is a source of pride for its alumni. Nearly 50 new members joined last summer … in a pandemic — their most in five years, and over 130 undergraduate men call this chapter home. More than 10 volunteers actively serve the chapter by facilitating Balanced Man Program challenge meetings, and the chapter partners with a personal trainer who provides Sound Body sessions and mental health seminars. They are incredibly active in their community through volunteering at an after-school program and providing care packages for frontline healthcare workers, and they’ve also had an impact on the world through annual international service trips. There is a culture of leadership in this group — brothers hold positions in the IFC, Order of Omega, honor societies and athletics teams. With a $3 million house renovation recently completed, the brothers are set up for success in their living-learning environment, and they’ve built a culture of success grounded on SigEp’s values that has proven to be sustainable.
New Jersey Alpha – Stevens Institute of Technology (7th consecutive) SigEp is synonymous with leadership and making a positive impact on their campus community. When the pandemic started, the chapter leadership didn’t miss a beat in taking operations virtual — then advised other chapters on how to succeed in the new landscape. They launched a leadership academy open to all students to attend, and brothers lead exam review sessions for the entire campus community — serving more than 2,000 students per semester. While they provide value to the whole student body, chapter members also have access to incredible development opportunities, with Brother Mentors hosting daily virtual programming on topics like personal finance and mental health. They’ve been recognized on campus with awards celebrating academic achievement, programming and hazing prevention. Sixty-five percent of chapter brothers attended SigEp’s Career Coaching sessions this spring, and the chapter had two brothers selected for the Tragos Quest to Greece in the past two years. Thanks to the AVC’s investment in the chapter facility, and dedicated mentorship for each chapter officer, the brothers are set up for success for years to come.
Ohio Iota – University of Toledo (10th consecutive) The demand for the SigEp experience is strong on their campus — proven, as they received over 200 BMS applications this year. They keep their brothers progressing through BMP challenges in the BMP App, and they’ve held the highest fraternity GPA for 38 straight semesters. They’ve sent 11 brothers to the Ruck Leadership Institute in the past two years, and they’re clearly committed to bettering themselves and the Fraternity. Receiving every Greek Standard of Excellence award on campus in the past two years, they have two brothers in the top senior honor society, which only selects 13 students each year. In addition to engaging both the vice president of student affairs and the dean of students in chapter programming, they lean on their 25-member AVC for mentorship and support as they raise the bar for other fraternities on campus.
Oregon Alpha – Oregon State University (9th consecutive) With a huge sphere of influence on campus through partnerships with the university, they host annual, campuswide events on topics like alcohol and drugs, mental health and suicide prevention, diversity and inclusion, hazing prevention, and academic success. Recognized by the university as an affiliated housing program, they’ve shown a commitment to high standards and a high-quality living-learning environment. The chapter has implemented the BMP App for all four challenges, and each chapter officer benefits from volunteer mentorship. Their GPA is a bar-setting .3 above the IFC average, and they’ve held the top fraternity GPA for four straight terms. The chapter’s presence and leadership on their large campus is clear — they’ve won the most outstanding fraternity award for 12 out of the last 14 years.

Silver Buchanan Cups

Twenty-six chapters earned silver Buchanan Cups for their excellence in every area of chapter operations. Two chapters received a Buchanan Cup for the first time in their history, marking an important milestone, even though one of the most challenging two-year periods in recent history. *denotes first-ever Buchanan Cup

Chapter	Video
Alabama Beta – University of Alabama Using their position as part of an influential Greek system — one of the largest in the country — Alabama Beta makes SigEp’s values well-represented on campus. Through a strong Balanced Man Scholarship — which brings in 50% of their new members — the chapter has maintained a manpower of over 150 high-quality men. They’re recruited over 50 new members in each of the past two years … and even more throughout the pandemic than the year before. With strong alumni involvement and an effective partnership with the university, this chapter leverages volunteers and educators to provide an outstanding Balanced Man Program for its members. Their membership is involved in more than 50 unique student organizations. Recently accredited as a SigEp Learning Community, the chapter GPA is .1 higher than the all-Greek average…an achievement they maintain while providing a compelling, developmental fraternity experience that rises above the stereotypical Greek culture on campus.
California Psi – Pepperdine University Standing head and shoulders above other chapters on campus with the top manpower of all fraternities, their broad impact is a testimony to the power of SigEp done right. Quadrupling the reach of their Balanced Man Scholarship in 2020, with 200 applications, their manpower is over 70. They’ve received 14 Greek awards over the past 2 years, including Fraternity of the Year, and they maintain the top fraternity GPA. Most IFC officers are SigEps, and other members hold leadership positions in student government and throughout campus. They’ve accumulated over 10,000 service hours that impact the campus as well as their broader community. During the pandemic, they made their Balanced Man Program entirely virtual, maintaining all four challenges and providing strong member development. With strong volunteer support, they’ve found sustained success.
Colorado Delta – Colorado School of Mines Excelling through strong recruitment and partnerships with the university and volunteers. Winning Chapter of the Year and holding the top Greek GPA 3 out of the past 4 semesters, they also beat their recruitment goal each semester during the past two years — growing despite the pandemic. They partner with professors to hold exam review sessions, enlisted the Dean of Students as their faculty fellow, and held a joint speaker series with a sorority that brings in alumni to host talks on relevant topics. Their efforts have paid off — their GPA is .2 higher than the all-campus average. They’ve also leaned on SigEp’s programs for success, with 14 brothers participating in Career Coaching sessions this spring and one member selected for the Tragos Quest to Greece.
Connecticut Alpha – University of Connecticut Holding the top GPA among fraternities for seven out of the last eight semesters, Florida Alpha has won IFC Chapter of the Year every year since 2016. At the beginning of 2019, the chapter had over 80 members — and at the end of 2020, they celebrated a manpower of 125, growing by more than 50%. They accomplished this growth through a strong Balanced Man Scholarship, receiving 190 BMS applications in fall 2020 through their virtual scholarship effort. They maintain strong partnerships with alumni and the university, leading to high-quality Balanced Man Program sessions with content experts — and an incredible experience for their brothers. Invested in improving themselves through SigEp’s programs, they sent 27 brothers to Carlson in 2020, had multiple Ruck Scholars and one Tragos Quest to Greece Scholar, and two dozen of their brothers have taken advantage of SigEp Career Coaching sessions with alumni.
Florida Alpha – University of Florida In a challenging Greek culture, Connecticut Alpha represents SigEp well. This chapter excels through the involvement of volunteers — the AVC has furnished the chapter home with tables, chairs, technology and workspaces that are conducive to an enjoyable living-learning environment. Alumni and volunteers are paired with each member of the Epsilon challenge, providing mentorship in pursuit of personal and professional development. The chapter has a strong commitment to developing its brothers. More than 20 members have taken advantage of SigEp Career Coaching this spring, eight attended Ruck Leadership Institute in the last two years, and one is a Tragos Quest to Greece Scholar. The chapter has also held the top GPA for large chapters the past four semesters, and they quadrupled their Balanced Man Scholarship applicants year-over-year, which resulted in the chapter recruiting more men this year than last.
Indiana Zeta – Valparaiso University In spring 2020, Indiana Zeta, recruited more than double the average number of new members on campus. With the largest manpower among fraternities, their Balanced Man Scholarship accounted for more than 60 percent of all new members. They’ve won highest new member GPA, highest fraternity GPA and Fraternity of the Year. They’ve held the largest philanthropy on campus for years, and brothers serve in key leadership positions across campus. They expanded their member development programming to promote mental health, and have engaged volunteers in fresh ways over the past two years. Despite the pandemic, they persisted in providing a high-quality virtual experience when many other chapters on their campus stopped operating.
Iowa Delta – Drake University (4th consecutive) Academics, leadership and member development … Iowa Delta succeeds in every area. Heavily invested in the Balanced Man Program, every member uses the BMP App and benefits from quality content provided by experts and university partners. They’ve invested in diversity, equity and inclusion, creating a chair position who helps educate members on this important topic. 35 members are trained in violence prevention, and brothers are involved in a men’s mental health organization and peer academic advising. Successful in holding members accountable, their GPA last year was nearly .4 higher than that all-male average — leading to the top fraternity GPA. 2021.
Iowa Theta – University of Northern Iowa (4th consecutive) Even during the pandemic, Iowa Theta heavily invested in its Balanced Man Scholarship and nearly doubled their number of applications compared to previous years, expanding their partnership with the university to reach all incoming students. Thanks to an involved AVC, more brothers were able to live in SigEp homes on campus, and they reached less-engaged alumni on Founders Day of Giving through an undergraduate call center, finishing in the top five among SigEp chapters in BOTH dollars raised and number of donors. The chapter invests in accountability, using the BMP App to provide constructive feedback for brothers who fall behind. They are among the largest chapters on campus and hold one of the highest GPAs.
Kansas Alpha – Baker University Kansas Alpha is no stranger to winning awards, and we’re here to present them with another one. Of the 26 fraternity awards presented on campus over the past two years, this chapter has won 19 of them. This is a testament to their success in providing an outstanding SigEp experience. Leaning on six different university partners to provide BMP challenge content, these brothers are balanced men leading in their community. With many brothers who are Division 1 athletes, chapter members also lead the IFC and raised more than $11,000 for charity, through partnerships with local businesses. With significant investment and involvement from alumni, they also led a safe return to campus by establishing a full set of safety protocols before moving back into their chapter home last fall.
Kentucky Beta – University of Louisville Leading the way on campus in member development, Kentucky Beta utilizes extensive volunteer involvement in the Balanced Man Program where brothers benefit from alumni who facilitate every professional development BMP session. Alumni are regularly involved in challenge meetings, and the involved volunteer group mentors every executive officer and committee member. They’ve even enlisted their school’s head football and basketball coaches as well as a U.S. Congressman to provide BMP programming! Committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, the chapter has expanded their partnership with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated to host seminars promoting dialogue around race, in addition to adjusting their recruitment processes after an internal diversity audit. They’ve been recognized with four straight Outstanding Member Development awards from the FSL office, as well as four consecutive Outstanding Communication awards for their mental health seminar.
Kentucky Delta – Western Kentucky University* Kentucky Delta has taken excellence to a new level over the past two years. With the highest manpower on campus, they’ve doubled Balanced Man Scholarship applications, receiving nearly 150 and gaining 10 new members in the process. Winning most on-campus chapter achievement awards, they’ve also achieved the top fraternity GPA for the first time. With brothers serving as student body president, IFC president and in many other campus leadership roles, they’ve expanded their reach on campus. They’ve rethought their Balanced Man Program and are focusing on helping brothers build skills and understand themselves rather than just learning information, and have incorporated diversity, equity and inclusion into the program. With the help of the AVC, they’ve invested in creating a high-quality living-learning environment with multiple study spaces and plenty of supplies for collaboration and learning. They’ve also had multiple Ruck Scholars and a Quest Scholar.
Kentucky Epsilon – Murray State University Excelling due to their accountability and involved volunteers, Murray State has a manpower over 70, with nearly half of new members recruited through the Balanced Man Scholarship in the past two years. Their new member GPA was an impressive 3.8, and they’ve held the highest fraternity GPA for 17 straight years! The chapter created an incentive program for 4.0 GPAs, and the standards board has maintained 100% dues collection while encouraging and checking in on brothers. When everyone was sent home at the start of the pandemic, chapter officers called each brother weekly to make sure they felt connected. Success is maintained through volunteer and faculty involvement in executive board meetings and the annual transition retreat.
Louisiana Beta – Louisiana State University Louisiana Beta consistently rises above the stereotypical fraternity experience at their university. Expanding their Balanced Man Scholarship efforts by marketing the application at high schools around the state and region, they’ve recruited over 100 men, year-round, over the past two years — compared to 65 in the previous two … growing recruitment efforts by more than 50%. Receiving the Outstanding Chapter Award on campus, their university administration also nominated them for the North American Interfraternity Conference’s Chapter of Distinction honor — awarded to the top 5 fraternity chapters on the continent. By partnering with a faculty fellow, weekly office hours and mentoring are provided to all brothers, and the chapter has incorporated diversity, equity and inclusion education into their Balanced Man Program. The chapter has invested in brotherhood, adding gaming consoles, new TVs and a pool table to their beautiful chapter home. Their parents club incentivizes academic achievement, and a chapter Facebook group facilitates networking among alumni and undergraduates.
Minnesota Alpha – University of Minnesota By recruiting year-round, Minnesota Alpha has maintained a manpower over 100 while creating a personalized Balanced Man Program that caters to members’ individual needs. Their chapter home promotes academic success, with large study spaces that served brothers well as classes went virtual. The standards board facilitates an academic mentorship program for brothers struggling with grades, and chapter officers work closely with AVC members to set and achieve goals. Their faculty fellow hosts professional development workshops, and alumni served as content experts for BMP challenge meetings. The strength of this alumni support was also shown in the 2019 SigEp Founders Day of Giving, when the chapter took home first place for most dollars raised. Driven to impact their community, the chapter raised nearly $40,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters, as well as providing holiday gifts for a family struggling with illness.
Mississippi Beta – Mississippi State University Mississippi Beta experienced explosive growth over the past two years. Through an outstanding Balanced Man Scholarship process that garnered 548 applications — a quarter of all incoming male students — the chapter interviewed 210 applicants — 10 percent of all incoming men. In the past two years, they have doubled in size … with a focus on recruiting quality men ready to live the SigEp values. With an emphasis on academic success, the chapter holds a 3.5 GPA and received both the Excellence in Scholarship and Best Virtual Academic Programming awards. Leaning on outside experts such as professors, alumni, volunteers and parents, their BMP is outstanding and creates an incredible environment where brothers can develop together. Thanks to their AVC, the chapter has endowments to send brothers to SigEp leadership programs — 8 brothers attended Ruck, 22 received Career Coaching and one brother was selected for the Tragos Quest to Greece.
Missouri Eta – Missouri State University Hands down – Missouri Eta is one of the best student organizations on their campus. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, every chapter officer has a mentor, and biannual transition retreats connect undergraduate leaders and alumni. Their chapter home has two conference rooms and multiple dedicated spaces that brothers can use to study and connect, and their chapter GPA is over 3.5. With 85 percent of new members coming from the Balanced Man Scholarship over the last two years, the chapter has grown by nearly 50 percent to a manpower of nearly 150. They won nearly all chapter awards in 2019, including Chapter of the Year, and last year they were one of 5 student organizations — and the only Greek chapter — to receive an award for excellence in all areas.
Missouri Gamma – Missouri University of Science and Technology When the pandemic hit, Missouri Gamma know it had to adjust its recruitment practices, and in 2020, they started their first ever Balanced Man Scholarship cycle...which brought in nearly 100% of their new members, one of the largest groups in their history. Through their successful Balanced Man Program, the chapter’s Brother Mentors help lead the chapter and mentor younger members, and each officer also has a dedicated alumni mentor, ensuring the chapter leadership has direct, year-round support. Academically, the chapter’s most recent GPA is an exceptional 3.75, and they’ve been recognized on campus with awards in community service, philanthropy outreach, and academic goal setting. They make an important impact on campus through programs like Sexual Assault Awareness Week, and the chapter is the overall campus intramural champion, the first time a fraternity has achieved this feat!
Missouri Zeta – Southeast Missouri State University Missouri Zeta is clearly committed to both Sound Mind and Sound Body. They are the overall intramural champions for the past two years and also received the 2020 Academic Excellence Award on campus. They have brothers in leadership positions within the IFC, student activity council, and honor societies, and they engage university partners — including the university president — throughout their impactful Balanced Man Program facilitated through the BMP App. Their AVC is in the middle of a capital campaign to raise $2.3 million for a new chapter home and has provided over $500,000 in scholarship endowments. This year, the chapter focused on inclusion during recruitment and they were able to increase and welcome more new members from diverse backgrounds.
Nebraska Gamma – University of Nebraska-Kearney Setting the bar on their campus in every way, Nebraska Gamma, has received numerous campus awards including the top fraternity GPA 14 semesters in a row. They’ve focused on continual growth, recruiting year-round and recruiting more than 70 percent of their members through the Balanced Man Scholarship in the last two years. They engaged university partners to achieve success — every semester, the chapter gives an award to a faculty/staff member of the semester. And this partnership has paid off, with the university approving a new chapter home. With a focus on personalizing the BMP, the chapter has invested in adding more challenge activities. They’re also active in the community, with brothers coaching children with developmental disabilities and teaching professional skills to middle schoolers.
Ohio Pi – Wright State University Nothing could stop Ohio Pi, despite the pandemic. When they couldn’t hold in-person activities, they recruited, gave bids and engaged members entirely virtually … staying connected to each other when they needed it most. And in the past year, to continue to find men of excellence to join the chapter, they conducted more than 10 times the number of Balanced Man Scholarship interviews compared to the previous year. Leaning on a supportive university administration, the chapter marketed the BMS as part of the school’s common scholarship application, so everyone on campus who applies for a scholarship is considered for the BMS. And in a testament to the chapter’s desire to lead in their community, the brothers recruited the university president to be their faculty fellow.
Oklahoma Alpha – Oklahoma State University With a focus on recruiting a high quantity of quality men, Pennsylvania Beta Beta grew in the pandemic, with more than 75 percent of their members recruited through the Balanced Man Scholarship. Their GPA is consistently above the IFC and all-campus averages, and they’ve been named the top fraternity on campus four years running. Invested in improving themselves through SigEp’s programs, they sent many members to the Ruck Leadership Institute and had a brother selected for the Tragos Quest to Greece. Brothers are leading through student government and many other influential student organizations. With an outstanding BMP, the chapter implemented "Sound Mind Hours" to discuss mindfulness, current events and mental health, in addition to an Arts Appreciation Week, “SigEp Teaching SigEp” events, and tens of thousands raised for charity. The chapter is supported by a dedicated AVC that hosts interview and resume workshops.
Pennsylvania Beta Beta – Drexel University Oklahoma Alpha leans on their exceptional new facility to create an outstanding environment and experience, as well as a positive presence on campus. With multiple faculty fellows and resident scholars who support their Balanced Man program, they host an accredited university course in their chapter home. The brotherhood is successful and involved — with members engaged in over 100 different other campus organizations, and brothers named as IFC leaders and even homecoming king. Thanks to strong support from volunteers, leaders receive constant mentorship, and seniors have a 100% job placement rate through the SigEp network. Their experience is highly sought after — their manpower is highest in the chapter’s 101-year history with 150 brothers.
South Dakota Alpha – South Dakota State University South Dakota Alpha wins nearly every award in their Greek community… and for good reason. Honored for outstanding chapter operations, community service programming, involvement, member development, scholarship, highest GPA and the outstanding chapter, their impact on campus is clear. They recruited more men in the pandemic than the year before, doubled Balanced Man Scholarship applications and 65% of their new members for the year came from the scholarship process. Invested in member development, 100% of members have a deployed challenge in the BMP App, and one third of brothers attended a SigEp Career Coaching session to network with alumni. Thanks to a decade of fundraising by the AVC, the chapter has a brand new $1.7 million facility that opened on June 1.
Virginia Pi – Christopher Newport University Virginia Pi is building balanced leaders through its exceptional programming. They engage university partners, who host sessions on resume writing, job searching, mental health, financial literacy and more. Their AVC runs an annual transition retreat and alumni serve as consistent mentors for chapter officers, in addition to providing a robust networking program. This chapter has been honored with campus awards for excellence in leadership, scholarship support, innovation, academics, and member development. Holding the highest fraternity GPA for two consecutive years, their chapter average is nearly 3.7! Congratulations to this well-rounded chapter that is committed to campus and alumni involvement.
Washington Alpha – Washington State University (4th consecutive) Washington Alpha recruits year-round and has a manpower well over 100. Committed to Sound Body, they consistently win intramural championships. They’ve been honored with back-to-back Chapter of the Year awards and swept the Greek awards program. Their chapter GPA is over 3.6, and in spring 2020, they recorded the highest Greek GPA ever on campus. Undergraduates want the SigEp experience on their campus — in the first round of recruitment, more than half of all potential new members listed the chapter as their first choice — out of 26 fraternities. And they don’t stop at formal recruitment … this chapter had quality men join nearly every month in the last two years!
Wisconsin Theta – University of Wisconsin-Platteville* Wisconsin Theta recently recruited the most members in chapter history. Thriving through the pandemic, the chapter leadership responded quickly to continue providing value for members in the new environment. Their safety protocols were shared as an example with other chapters on campus and other SigEp chapters, and they sent a quarter of their members to the Ruck Leadership Institute. Leveraging a strong relationship with the university, the administration turns to the chapter whenever there is a need in the community. The chapter develops exceptional members, including the student body and IFC presidents. Their strong Balanced Man Program teaches brothers practical skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives. Their success has been recognized by the university — they’ve won Outstanding Greek Chapter for 11 of their 20 years in existence.