At the 54th Grand Chapter Conclave, Grand President Rick Bennet, Central Missouri ’74, shared a challenge to all SigEp chapters: “We can no longer be content with being the best fraternity, or even the best organization in a struggling Greek system. We must strive to be the leader of all campus organizations, not just fraternities.”

The brothers of the Missouri Eta RLC at Missouri State University truly took this message to heart. Over the course of the past two years, the undergraduate leaders have propelled the chapter to new heights.

One year ago, the chapter received one of the university’s highest honors — the Distinguished Merit Award, which recognized the chapter as one of the top five student organizations at Missouri State University. While the chapter was honored and proud of this accomplishment, brothers set their sights on becoming the best organization on campus. After another year of hard work and determination, the chapter accomplished this lofty goal.

Last week, the university officially recognized and endorsed SigEp as the organization of the year with the Mark of Distinction Award, making the chapter the No. 1 organization out of more than 380 currently registered student organizations on campus.

The chapter was given this recognition at Missouri State University’s annual Student Talent and Recognition  Awards ceremony. The award is given to the student organization that best exhibits “an overall commitment to serving the members within the organization, the Missouri State University and surrounding Springfield community,” according to the university. Additionally, IFC President Evan Grosch, ’18, was awarded the Living Our Values Award for exemplifying a commitment to the mission of the university.

The honor and recognition came weeks after the chapter was named Fraternity Chapter of the Year at the Missouri State Fraternity and Sorority Life Greek Week Awards. That recognition reflects the chapter’s progress during the 2016 academic year in the areas of finances, programming and event planning, recruitment, member development, enforcement of conduct and standards, communication and public relations, and facility management. With 19 fraternities on campus, the chapter was proud to be recognized as the best on campus, but that’s not the only recognition it received during the Greek Week Awards.

The chapter was also recognized with the following awards out of 19 fraternities:

• Most IFC Philanthropic Donations
• Most IFC Community Service Hours
• Outstanding Membership Development
• Outstanding Community Relations and Philanthropic Work

Additionally, Dan Altmann, ’17, and Jacob West, ’20, received Outstanding Fraternity Senior and Outstanding Fraternity Freshman, respectively.