Grand Chapter 2018 Award Winners

Tau Epsilon Phi is pleased to announce and share the recipients of awards from our 2018 Grand Chapter and Convention in Chicago, IL:

The first to be established was The Plume Trophy in 1928. Charles Tobias, Alpha 109, then editor of The Plume, established an award given annually to the chapter which, in the minds of the editor and editorial board of The Plume of Tau Epsilon Phi, had shown the greatest interest in the publication of the magazine and has offered the greatest cooperation in chapter news, outside write ups, alumni news and pictures. This is based on the two issues during the immediate preceding year. Awarded to our Epsilon Iota Chapter at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

The John Kleinberger Scholarship Award is presented annually to the outstanding chapter scholastically in Tau Epsilon Phi. Mrs. John Kleinberger and their two sons, Alfred, Delta 58 and Irving, Gamma 206, in John Kleinberger’s memory, established the award in 1930. It is intended to serve as an incentive to members to take the fullest advantage of the educational benefits he was unable to secure. It is awarded on the basis of the comparative ratings of the National Interfraternity Conference Scholarship Committee. These ratings place the chapters on an equal footing, as the scholastic standing of all universities is equalized by the committee’s report. – Awarded to our Rho Chapter at the University of Pennsylvania. 

The Charles M. Driesen Memorial Award established and awarded by the Grand Chapter in 1932, is in memory of one of the founders, Charles M. Driesen, who had passed away during the previous year. This award is based on seven fields of endeavor: scholastic standing, financial condition, both accounts receivable and payable, extra-curricular activity of the chapter as a whole, each counting 20%, the appearance of the chapter house, the general prestige of the chapter and its members upon its campus, intramural participation, and cooperation with the Central Office, each counting 10%. Through an accurate system of grading, and through reports of the Executive Director and Field Staff the most efficient chapter is chosen. – Awarded to our Nu Chapter at the University of Georgia. 

The Board of Trustees Trophy for Chapter Improvement was set-up in 1933 by the Board of Trustees. In 1952, in memory of Past Consul Louis S. Lebenthal who had just passed away, the award was renamed “The Louis S. Lebenthal Memorial Trophy.” It is awarded annually to the chapter showing the most improvement in the same seven fields of endeavor as used to choose the winner of the Driesen Award. Each chapter is graded annually on these seven fields, and the chapter showing the greatest improvement is given the award. The Grand Council makes the award decision. – Awarded to our Alpha Tau Chapter at Rowan University. 

The Tau Epsilon Phi Chapter of Merit Award established in 1938 is given annually to that chapter which stands out in every respect among our chain and also upon its own campus. The Grand Council gives the award. This award is now known as, the Irving Golembe Memorial Trophy to the Chapter of Merit. – Awarded to our Omega Alpha Chapter at Johnson & Wales University.

The Louis Fein Grand Chaplain Trophy established in 1948 is given to that chapter that has, for the year previous accomplished the most to foster interfaith and interracial good-will on its campus or community, or for community service. – Awarded to our Phi Chi Chapter at the City College of New York.

The Samuel J. Lefrak Campus Achievement Trophy established in 1954, donated annually by Brother Samuel J. Lefrak of Tau Beta, is given to the Chapter that has attained the best extra-curricular and intramural record in the fraternity for the year. – Awarded to our Tau Beta Chapter at the University of Maryland.

The Colony of the Year Award – Awarded to our Epsilon Phi Colony at the Pennsylvania State University.  

The Lowell Roseman Award was established in 1977 by the Rho Delta Rho (Illinois Tech) Alumni Association when they offered to endow a new award biennially in honor of Brother Lowell Roseman ’63, one of its most active workers. This award, in the form a plaque, would be in the control of the Grand Council and would be issued to an alumnus “who had performed long-standing, extraordinary service on behalf of his respective chapter.” – Awarded to Ted Panczyszyn – Lambda Phi Epsilon Chapter at the Clarkson University. 

An award that is based on fraternity service, which may be given to an alumnus, is called the Meritorious Service Award in the form of a key with the Greek letters TEΦ cut out in gold on top of each other. It may be awarded by the Grand Council or by the individual chapters to brothers who have performed meritorious service. It may be awarded at any time. – This years recipients are David Cass, Jr. from the Epsilon Iota Chapter at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  and Brian Meyer from the Nu Chapter at the University of Georgia.

The most sought after fraternity service award is the Michael C. C. Lilienfeld – Distinguished Alumnus Award. This distinction is based strictly on extraordinary service to the fraternity or its chapters over a meaningful period of time. It is in the form of a handsome plaque and is presented to a Laureate every two years at the Honors and Awards Banquet of the International Conventions. – Awarded to Timothy A. Smith – Epsilon Iota Chapter at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

The most prestigious individual award is the Sidney S. Suntag – TEP Man of the Year, which is awarded to an alumnus each Convention year who has distinguished himself in his chosen field of endeavor and/or has performed Service to this community that is memorable. Fraternity service is not an element in this selection, although it may influence the decision of the Honors and Awards Committee. – Awarded to Kirill Reznik – Beta Delta Chapter at Florida International University. 

Categorized in: Chapter News