Greek Awards 2009 - 2010
Dean’s Cup
This year, a new award was created to recognize the most outstanding Greek organization at Texas Tech University. With over 45 fraternities and sororities, the Texas Tech Greek community makes up
15 percent of the undergraduate student body. These organizations exemplify the values of Texas Tech University and their founding organizations and strive to achieve high standards. It is the aim of the
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students and the Center for Campus Life to recognize organizations that exceed expectations and demonstrate values- based leadership.
Basis of Criteria
To receive the Dean’s Cup, a chapter must have been recognized in three categories: Excellence in Community Service, Excellence in Leadership, and Excellence in Scholarship. All chapters that complete applications are eligible to receive recognition in the Excellence categories. The winner of the Dean’s Cup must also have been selected as the Chapter of the Year recipient for their governing council. Only four chapters each year will be eligible to receive the Dean’s Cup.
The Excellence in Community Service, Leadership, and Scholarship awards recognize chapters that demonstrate exemplary work in the specific area. Judges review the amount of community service hours completed by members, amount of money donated to charity, leadership development programs held, encouragement of and success in becoming leaders in other student organizations, chapter’s average GPA being higher than the all men’s/women’s GPA and in the top half of their council, and the scholarship programs and resources provided to members.
How Kappa Alpha Theta met the qualifications
Kappa Alpha Theta exemplified excellence in Community Service, Leadership, and Scholarship in a multitude of ways during the 2009-2010 school year.
Scholastically, Kappa Alpha Theta achieved a 3.356 average GPA in the spring 2009 semester and was first in grades of all fraternities and sororities. The fall 2009 semester, Kappa Alpha Theta, earned a 3.31 GPA and was third overall. At the Greek Awards Banquet, Kappa Alpha Theta tied for the Highest Panhellenic Chapter GPA with a 3.333. Members of Kappa Alpha Theta are eligible to receive free tutoring and new members of Kappa Alpha Theta participate in a Mentor Program which pairs them with active members in the same field of study to help promote academic success.
As a chapter, Kappa Alpha Theta promotes the development of leadership for its members by holding Balanced Women workshops
and encouraging members to seek leadership opportunities in other student organizations on campus. The Balanced Women workshops focus on class related topics, for example, the junior class members of
Theta participated in a “Giving Back” workshop where they learned about the importance of dedication to the community. Numerous members of Kappa Alpha Theta are involved in organizations across campus
and hold offices in these organizations. For example, several members serve as Student Government Association Senators & Chairpersons of various committees as well as the Internal Vice President for the
Student Government Association in 2009-2010 was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Members also serve as Dance Marathon Executive Officers, President of Tech Art History Society, President’s Select Secretary,
Mortar Board Initiation Chair, College of Mass Communications Dean’s Student Council, Gordon Hall Complex Council Secretary, Red Raider Orientation Counselor, and leaders in many other various community
service & academic college related organizations. Recently, ten of the fifty new class of Mortar Board initiates are Kappa Alpha Thetas. There are also even a member of the Texas Tech Track team and the
Texas Tech Volleyball team who are Kappa Alpha Thetas.
In regards to their work with the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Kappa Alpha Theta excels. Locally, the chapter teamed up with CASA of the South Plains to hold the annual “Tech Theta Speak Up for Kids CASA 5K” and last year raised$20,000. The chapter also held a Silent Auction benefitting CASA and raised $7,600. The chapter also donates their time to CASA by participating in the CASA National Adoption Day, and many members have become trained CASA volunteers in order to represent the needs of the child in court. Kappa Alpha Thetas completed 1,145 community service hours with a variety of charities in the Lubbock area. Also, Tech Thetas gave their time and money to the Habitat for Humanity Texas Tech Greek Build. The chapter raised the most money for the Greek Build, $8,895, which was $3,545 more than the second highest fundraising chapter. Overall, Kappa Alpha Theta donated $31,190 to local and national charities this past year!