By Patrick Dietrich
Bottom (left to right): Ashley Crawford, Stephen Cristiano
Photo courtesy of Patrick Dietrich
Kutztown University’s chapter of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, Epsilon Alpha, was recognized for their fellowship at the National Convention.
The Claude A. Phillips Excellence in Fellowship Award, which is named after one of the fraternity’s founders, is given out once a year. The winning chapter must demonstrate outstanding fellowship through events held during the 2013-14 school year. The event that won the Epsilon Alpha award was a PostSecret-style event. PostSecret is a community project that people anonymously send their secrets to, which are then posted online.
Amelia Herbst, the Building a Better Brotherhood committee chair, was in charge of the event. “I never could have thought that ideas that came so naturally could not only work so well, but be recognized on a national level”, Herbst said. “It shows that no matter what happens or what issues our brothers go through, we all have the ability to help each other when in need and push our differences aside. We are not only upholding one of our ideals beyond what the national level expects, but we are adding a positive influence to the Kutztown community.”
The atmosphere as the brothers realized their event had won a national award was astounding. “It was electric. We knew when the event was being described prior to announcing the winner that it was our event”, said Jess Morrow, the alternate delegate for the chapter. “I was so excited that whatever was happening in the audience mattered less than what was happening at our table.”
Epsilon Alpha had won this award the previous year for a bonfire event. Students write names they had been called and labels they were given on a piece of paper and threw it into the fire.
Herbst graduated this past semester, but she holds high hopes for the chapter. “Epsilon Alpha has done incredible things and I can see them upholding this standard. Our brothers are capable of anything they put their minds to.”
The National Convention was held from July 31-August 3 in Atlanta, Georgia.