Dr. Lori Hart is the 2024 recipient of the Durward W. Owen Interfraternity Award for Greek Service. This award is named in honor of Durward W. Owen, Xi (Roanoke), who served as executive director from 1959 until 1994. For his immeasurable impact, Owen was later named Pi Kappa Phi’s honorary fourth founder by the Supreme Chapter. Established in 1992, each year this award recognizes a non-member of Pi Kappa Phi for exceptionally meritorious service in the Greek community.
A longtime friend of Pi Kappa Phi, Hart is a champion of promoting health and safety on college campuses and to undergraduate members, approaching difficult conversations with dignity, respect and humor. She attended Auburn University, where she studied education and joined Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity. Hart went on to earn her master’s degree in education from the University of Montevallo, and then her doctorate in higher education from Georgia State University. Currently, she works with 70 campuses and national organizations each year and serves as the director of educational initiatives for Holmes Murphy Fraternal Practice. Her exceptional contributions to the Greek community have earned her recognition by Campus Activities Magazine, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA), the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference, Alpha Chi Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Chi and her own organization, Alpha Omicron Pi.
Hart’s contributions to Pi Kappa Phi are numerous, including serving as a keynote speaker and facilitator at several Pi Kapp College for Chapter Officer events, serving on staff as the director of prevention education for 19 years and helping to shape the Fraternity’s prevention and alcohol initiatives. Jake Henderson, Pi Kappa Phi’s chief executive officer said, “Lori’s impact on Pi Kappa Phi cannot be quantified by years served or programs attended, as her work has touched every facet of the Fraternity and allowed us to become an industry leader in risk management. Through her work each day, she continues to dedicate herself to the betterment of the Greek community. Pi Kappa Phi is grateful to consider her part of our family, and we are proud to recognize her with this award. It is certainly well deserved.”