Members of Penn's Greek community -- including students, administrators and alumni -- gathered last night to honor outstanding achievement at the annual Greek Awards Ceremony.
The event, which was held at the Sheraton University City, brought together representatives of Penn's three Greek umbrella organizations -- the Panhellenic Council, the InterFraternity Council and the Bicultural Inter-Greek Council -- and recognized both fraternity and sorority chapters, as well as individual accomplishments.
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Program Coordinator Larry Moses said that for Greeks, the past year has been characterized by "a number of discussions and interactions... which benefited the system as a whole."
"This has been a really amazing semester," said Panhellenic Council President Alison Ng, a Wharton junior, during her opening remarks, citing the completion of the Greek system's new strategic plan, dubbed the Agenda for Excellence, as a major accomplishment.
IFC President and College junior Conor Daly agreed, saying that the new plan "will change the way the fraternity system is run."
Among the awards presented was Panhel's Outstanding Program for Academic Excellence award, which was given to the Delta Upsilon fraternity, the Delta Delta Delta sorority and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Tri-Delt also received the Outstanding Program for Community Service and Relations award.
The Phi Sigma Sigma sorority received several awards, including the Helen Berkowitz Award for Overall Excellence and Panhel's Outstanding Program awards for chapter finance, chapter operations and membership and internal operations.
The Sadie T. and Raymond Alexander Award for Overall Excellence went to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., a historically African-American BIG-C chapter. The fraternity also received the BIG-C's Outstanding Program awards for alumni relations, community service and relations, chapter operations and membership and internal operations.
The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity received a Special Accomplishment Award for their efforts in organizing a food drive, which has raised over 44,000 pounds of food in the last five years.
OFSA and the Greek Alumni Council also presented a number of awards to individual Greek leaders.
A dozen students, including former Panhel President Kristen Buppert, former IFC President Mark Zimring and BIG-C President Tia Rideout, were recognized as Outstanding Greek Leaders.
Suzie Cohen, president of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority, received Panhel's Outstanding House Manager award. SDT also walked away with Panhel's Outstanding Program for Recruitment award and honorable mentions for community service and internal operations.
Kenneth Bacow of the Psi Upsilon fraternity received the IFC's Outstanding House Manager award.
Former Pi Kappa Phi president Andrew Schwartz, who accepted several awards -- including the IFC's Outstanding Program for chapter finance and the Crawford Madeira Cup for Overall Excellence -- noted Pi Kapp's fundraising efforts this year, which resulted in a $40,000 donation to Push America and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
"In general, everyone has been working really hard," Schwartz said. "We've been doing better every year with recruitment."
Rideout -- who has served the longest term as president in the organization's history -- was commended for her efforts in strengthening the Greek system and expressed her dedication to the Greek system following the awards ceremony.
"I really appreciate everything the Greek system has given me," Rideout said, adding that she plans to be involved with the system as a chapter advisor after she graduates from Penn this year.
