Individual Awards
Archon of the Year
Recognizes the most outstanding archon in the nation.
Philanthropy Chairman of the Year
Named in honor of Thomas Sayre, Kappa (North Carolina), who helped to establish Push America as Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy, this award recognizes the most outstanding Ability Experience chairman in the nation.
Servant Leader of the Year
This award recognizes a member of Pi Kappa Phi who goes above and beyond to impact his community.
Dr. Phillip M. Summers Student of the Year Award
Named in honor of Brother Phillip Summers, Alpha Psi (Indiana), who served as National President from 1992–94 and was named Mr. Pi Kappa Phi in 2003, this award recognizes the overall most outstanding student member of Pi Kappa Phi. The winner is someone who best exemplifies the ideals of Pi Kappa Phi in his chapter, on his campus, and in his community.
Howard H. Baker Leadership Award
This award is named in honor of Brother Howard Baker, Alpha Sigma (Tennessee), who served as U.S. Senator from Tennessee from 1967–85 and Senate Majority Leader from 1981–85. This award recognizes the student member of Pi Kappa Phi with the most outstanding leadership and involvement in campus and community organizations independent of his chapter.
Mark E. Timmes Interfraternal Leader of the Year Award
This award honors the undergraduate member who demonstrates the most outstanding leadership as an Interfraternity Council member.
Chapter Awards
Founders’ Awards
The Founders’ Awards recognize only the most outstanding chapters of Pi Kappa Phi in the nation. Recipients of these awards display overall excellence in the areas of the Seven Objectives: Governance, Growth, Member Experience, Branding & Communication, Scholarship, Service & Philanthropy and Campus Involvement.
Champion Master Chapter Awards
Chapters that achieve a composite score of “Three Stars” on the Seven Objectives Report are recognized as Champion Master Chapters. Champion Master Chapters will be considered finalists for the Founders’ Awards.
Theron A. Houser Most Improved Chapter Award
Named in honor of Brother Houser, Zeta (Wofford), who served on the national council for 32 years, including National President from 1950-56, and believed any chapter could achieve greatness, this award recognizes the chapter that demonstrates the overall most significant improvement in the Seven Objectives of Chapter Excellence.
Objective One: Governance
Outstanding Governance Award
The top performing chapter within the governance objective will receive this award in each region.
Most Improved in Governance Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Governance objective will receive this award in each region.
Commitment to Values Award
This award recognizes the Standards Board that proactively educates both initiated and associate members on the standards of the fraternity, fosters a culture of accountability within their chapter, strives to create positive change in a member’s behavior by utilizing developmental sanctions and exemplifies the values of Pi Kappa Phi as espoused in our Ritual of Initiation.
Master Chapter of Governance Award
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Governance category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Governance in each region.
Objective Two: Growth
Executive Award
The chapter with the most initiated undergraduates in the past year receives this award in each region.
Recruitment Excellence Awards
This award goes to the chapters that meet their yearly recruitment goal.
Retention Excellence Awards
This award goes to chapters with a new member retention rate of 90 percent or greater.
Alumni Initiation Award
This award goes to chapters who initiate at least three alumni a year.
Legacy Recruitment Award
This award goes to chapters who initiate at least three legacies a year.
Outstanding Recruitment Program Award
The chapter with the overall most outstanding recruitment program receives this award in each region.
Outstanding Growth Award
The top performing chapter within the growth objective in terms of recruitment and chapter size will receive this award in each region.
Most Improved Growth Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Growth objective in terms of recruitment and chapter size receives this award in each region
Master Chapter of Growth Award
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Growth portion of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Growth. Your chapter is automatically eligible for this award.
Objective Three: Member Experience
Outstanding Member Experience Award
The top performing chapter within the member experience objective will receive this award in each region.
Most Improved in Member Experience Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Member Experience objective receives this award in each region.
Master Chapter of Member Experience Award
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Member Experience category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Member Experience in each region.
Objective Four: Branding & Communication
Social Media Presence of the Year
Awarded to the chapter with the most outstanding social media engagement.
Outstanding Branding and Communication Award
The top performing chapter within the Branding and Communication objective will receive this award in each region.
Most Improved in Branding and Communication Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Branding and Communication objective receives this award in each region.
Chapter Newsletter of the Year
The year’s most outstanding alumni newsletter produced by an undergraduate chapter.
Master Chapter of Branding and Communication
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Branding and Communication category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Branding and Communication. Your chapter is automatically eligible for this award.
Objective Five: Scholarship
W.E. Edington Award
Brother Edington, Upsilon (Illinois), realized that fraternity was in crisis due to an onslaught of negative press about fraternity men and low grades. He served as chairman of the scholarship committee, which first began issuing awards to chapters and individual brothers for academic success. In his honor, we recognize the chapter with the highest cumulative G.P.A., based on the calendar year.
Most Improved G.P.A. Award
The chapter with the greatest overall improvement in its G.P.A. receives this award in each region.
Most Outstanding G.P.A. Award
The top performing chapter within the governance objective will receive this award in each region.
Outstanding Scholarship Award
The chapter with the overall most outstanding program for scholarship and academic achievement receives this award in each region.
Most Improved in Scholarship Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Scholarship objective receives this award in each region.
Master Chapter of Scholarship
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Scholarship category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Scholarship. Your chapter is automatically eligible for this award.
Objective Six: Service and Philanthropy
The Ability Experience Cup
This award goes to the chapter with the highest total fundraising for the calendar year.
Durward W. Owen Fundraising Award
This award goes to the chapter with the highest per-man fundraising for the calendar year.
Leadership Through Service Award
This award goes to the chapter with the highest participation in national events.
The Star of Hope Award
The award goes to the chapter with the most outstanding and comprehensive use of The Ability Experience programming on their campus with a balanced focus on disability awareness, fundraising and volunteer efforts.
Thomas Sayre Volunteer Award
This award goes to the chapter with the most per-man volunteer hours.
Outstanding Event Award
This award goes to the chapter that held the most outstanding event in each region.
Outstanding Volunteer Relationship Award
This award goes to the chapter in each region with the most outstanding volunteer relationship.
Most Improved in Service and Philanthropy Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Service and Philanthropy objective receives this award in each region.
Outstanding Service and Philanthropy Award
The top performing chapter within the Service and Philanthropy objective will receive this award in each region.
Master Chapter of Service and Philanthropy
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Service and Philanthropy category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Service and Philanthropy. Your chapter is automatically eligible for this award.
Silver Society
For a chapter to be recognized as part of the Silver Society, the chapter’s calendar year fundraising total must have been between $100 and $149.99 per man.
Gold Society
For a chapter to be recognized as part of the Gold Society, the chapter’s calendar year fundraising total must have been between $150 and $249.99 per man.
Platinum Society
For a chapter to be recognized as part of the Platinum Society, the chapter’s calendar year fundraising total must have been over $250 per man.
Objective Seven: Campus Involvement
Outstanding Campus Involvement Award
This award recognizes the chapter that best exemplifies the daily representation of involvement on their campus in each region.
Most Improved in Campus Involvement Award
The chapter that demonstrates the most significant improvement within the Campus Involvement objective receives this award in each region.
Joe Sewell Intramural Cup
Brother Sewell, Omicron (Alabama), is an inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and holds the record for fewest strikeouts in a season (three in 1932). In his honor this award is given to the chapter that best exemplifies the values of Pi Kappa Phi in competition on the intramural field.
Master Chapter of Campus Involvement
Chapters that achieve “three star” status in the Campus Involvement category of the Seven Objectives Report will be designated as a Master Chapter of Campus Involvement. Your chapter is automatically eligible for this award.