2021 Awards Slideshow
2024 Awards Information (Applications due December 6, 2024 at 11:59PM)
2024 Fraternity & Sorority Life Awards
Individual Awards:
Lollipop Leadership
- Purpose: This award is based upon the TedX Talk from Drew Dudley titled “Leading with Lollipops” (click to view the Talk). Dudley asks “How many of you have had… a moment when someone said something or did something that made you feel fundamentally made your life better?” He states that so often we do not tell the person they did that for our lives and that if we began to truly value the impact others make on our lives, it would be powerful. We need to make leadership about these moments, and value “how many we create, how many we acknowledge, how many we pay forward, and how many we say “thank you” for.” This is an opportunity to acknowledge the impact a member of this community has made on you or others through sharing a lollipop moment from 2024.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of nomination describing the “lollipop moment” that makes the individual deserving of this award.
New Member of the Year Award
- Purpose: The New Member of the Year award recognizes a new member who went above and beyond for their chapter early in their membership. This is someone who shows early signs of being a leader for the FSL community.
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To qualify, the member must be someone who was initiated in the spring or fall of 2024.
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Individuals considered should meet MOST of the following:
- Has held an active role in their organization (either during the new member process or as an active member post-initiation)
- High scholastic achievement
- Has gone above and beyond the responsibilities of new member role
- Has made an effort to make connections with other new FSL members
- Exemplifies the values associated with WIU FSL
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Individuals considered should meet MOST of the following:
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation providing examples and addressing why this individual is deserving of this award.
Finance Chair of the Year Award
- Purpose: The Finance Chair of the Year award seeks to recognize a leader who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to performing above and beyond their duty as chapter/colony or governing council treasurer. A finance chair is someone who is in charge of making and upholding the chapter budget and finances. The finance chair being nominated must have completed a full term (in 2024) or is ending their term this upcmong semester (spring 2025).
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word letter of recommendation from either the chapter president or advisor of how the finance chair has helped their chapter stay financially afloat and/or what the officer has done to assist members with financial issues.
Servant Leader of the Year
- Purpose: This award is designed to recognize a community member who leads by serving others. When considering which member to nominate, chapters should account for the member’s commitment to community service, charitable fundraising, and leading by example, as well as overall civic engagement. This member should go above and beyond in service efforts outside of their work for the chapter’s service efforts. You do not have to nominate a member from your organization but instead can nominate a member from another organization if you feel they are more deserving.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter summarizing examples of contributions the nominee has made to their community through service & giving back their time. Specific reflection on how the member has contributed to community agencies, the awareness of a cause, and/or the betterment of humanity is highly encouraged. Include a description of how the nominee’s servant leadership is shown through their fraternity or sorority experiences. Nominations can come from a service agency representative but will need to be submitted by a member of the FSL community on behalf of that agency.
Scholar of the Year
- Purpose: This award seeks to recognize members of the fraternity and sorority community who consistently push themselves above and beyond in their intellectual pursuits. Learning is not limited to the classroom, and nominees for this award should be well-rounded and exhibit more than just having a high-grade point average.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter summarizing the nominee’s pursuit for academic excellence through a variety of initiatives.
Chapter Advisor of the Year
- Purpose: The Chapter Advisor of the Year award seeks to recognize a chapter advisor who exemplifies the mission, values, and purpose of their organization, contributes significantly to the success of the local chapter, and demonstrates superb mentorship for members of the chapter. Chapter Advisors who are eligible for this award are any members of a chapter advisory or house corporation board. There is no requirement for the length of years involved with the chapter or position on either board. The advisor can be campus, local, graduate, or National.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from the chapter president, chapter officer, or general member of the chapter.
Quiet Leader of the Year
- Purpose: This award seeks to recognize 1 member of the FSL community who embodies the leadership characteristics of a quiet, yet contributing member of her chapter and/or the FSL Community.
- Up to one member from each governing council will be awarded this honor.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation describing a time when the nominee's quiet leadership was more effective in dealing with a situation than other types of leadership. Describe what it means to "lead by example" and how it has applied to the nominee's experience at WIU.
Council Leader of the Year
- Purpose: The Council Leader of the Year Awards seeks to recognize up to 4 Council leaders who exemplify the mission, values, and purpose of their governing council. This award shall go to the Council member who has bettered the spirit of their council and community through their leadership and made a significant difference in their council and community during their term. This person must have been on the Council Executive Board in 2024.
- Application Materials: (1) 250 - 750 word letter of recommendation describing the Council Leader's term, leadership abilities, and successes.
Chapter President of the Year
- Purpose: The nominee for this award must have exhibited service and leadership to the sorority and fraternity community, their chapter, and the campus as a whole, and demonstrate a high level of scholarship. This award shall go to the chapter president who has bettered the spirit of their chapter through their leadership and made a significant difference in their chapter during their term.
- The president being nominated must have completed a full term (in 2024) or is ending their term this upcoming semester (spring 2025).
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from a member in the nominee’s chapter AND (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from an advisor.
FSL Member of the Year
- Purpose: This award recognizes members of the fraternity and sorority community who have shown participation, dedication, and a genuine commitment to the improvement of the WIU fraternity and sorority community. Award winners should be involved in their organization and the community as a whole and actively participate in initiatives, programs, and opportunities to make the community better. These individuals also work to inspire and motivate those around them to better live the values of fraternities and sororities, in part through role modeling the values themselves.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from a peer in the nominee's governing council or chapter AND (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from an advisor. Nominations should describe how the nominee has gone above and beyond to display brotherhood/sisterhood/siblinghood to facilitate a fraternal and sororal experience optimal for belonging, serving, leading, thriving, and succeeding.
Campus/Community Partner of the Year
- Purpose: The Outstanding Campus/Community Partner Award seeks to recognize a member of the Western faculty or staff, or Macomb community, who has made outstanding contributions to the growth and development of WIU students, and in particular fraternity and sorority members. This can be through mentorship, programming, partnership, or advisement. Nominations can be for an individual or a department/business. Teaching and Graduate Assistants will not be eligible
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation from the chapter president, council or chapter officer, or general member of the chapter. Explain how this individual's time, energy, and efforts have contributed to advancing FSL and how their involvement exceeds general support.
Alumni of the Year
- Purpose: This award serves to recognize a distinguished affiliated alumni for their notable contributions to the fraternity/sorority experience, the University, the community, and their profession. Recipients exemplify the ideals of their fraternity or sorority as engaged lifetime members of their organization.
- Application Materials: (1-3) 250- 750 word letter nominations from fellow members (active or alum.) summarizing the contributions this nominee has made to the fraternity/sorority experience, the University, the community, and their profession.
Chapter Awards:
Excellence in Scholarship
- Purpose: This award seeks to recognize chapters that promote life-long learning, commitment to scholastic excellence, and engagement with the academic mission of the WIU. Academic excellence includes the academic performance of the membership, supportive and accountability measures implemented by the chapter to promote academic performance, and the work of the chapter done to engage faculty, other university partners, & outside resources.
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word essay illustrating how the chapter ensures academics are a priority for the members (i.e. what is the purpose of all programs being implemented, such as study hours, incentive programs, and accountability measures)
Excellence in Philanthropic Programming
- Purpose:This award seeks to recognize a chapter that goes above and beyond in its philanthropic efforts. The chapter articulates how engaging in philanthropic efforts allows the chapter and individual members the opportunity to serve as change agents, addressing community needs, advocating for important causes, and working to effectively improve our community.
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative on the organization’s thought process, planning efforts, and description of the event and how many funds were raised.
Excellence in Community Involvement
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Purpose: This award seeks to recognize a chapter that is committed to engaging in hands-on (or virtual) service to create tangible support and awareness toward a specific cause. This award also recognizes a chapter that has developed a strong partnership with a local organization and continually volunteers with them as a chapter. The chapter must meet the following to be considered:
- The majority of the chapter attends/participates in service initiatives/awareness event
- Must have occurred in the greater Macomb/McDonough County/Illinois area
- Show that there was a positive impact on the community and/or those the initiative served
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Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative describing the organization's involvement by answering the following questions:
- Describe the most significant service initiative/event that your chapter coordinated or participated in. (Be sure to address when and where this occurred.)
- From your chapter’s perspective, what was the impact you had on the community and/or those you served?
- Describe the impact that this initiative had on your members and chapter
Excellence in Marketing & Social Media
- Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter that has made great efforts to not only brand its chapter uniquely but also to provide positive public relations regarding fraternal values. This award is presented to chapters demonstrating successful and intentional PR/marketing to promote membership or a specific event through any social media outlet (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc.)
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation providing examples & description of the chapter’s social media presence and campaigns utilized during the past calendar year (2024). Chapters should also include the marketing plan created by the chapter and utilized to promote a positive fraternity/sorority image. Include links to social media accounts within the letter for easy reference for the judges.
Excellence in Diversity, Social Justice, & Inclusion
- Purpose: The purpose of this award is to recognize members/groups/programs of the fraternity and sorority community that actively promote and advocate for diversity, social justice, and inclusion. These members/groups/programs engage in the process and goal of change in the fraternal movement and the WIU fraternity and sorority community through the integration of diverse perspectives, the elimination of oppression, and the personal investigation of identities and systems of injustice.
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative describing the organization’s efforts to actively promote and advocate for diversity, social justice, and inclusion in 2024.
Excellence in Recruitment
- Purpose: The Outstanding Recruitment Award seeks to recognize a chapter with the most outstanding recruitment program that met its recruitment goals for the year. The recipient of this award has taken multiple steps to improve their recruitment program through an intentional and reasonable plan for growth. The chapter articulates their ability to build coalitions and connections through the utilization of a values-based recruitment plan. This chapter implements a new/associate education/intake plan which includes expectations of membership, organizational history, organizational values, hazing education, and academic achievement/skill development.
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative describing the organization’s recruitment initiatives & potential member education from the past year. Alongside their recruitment goal for the year. Please include goals and total newly initiated members (over 2024).
Excellence in Wellness
- Purpose: This award recognizes chapters that practice excellence in Wellness - by demonstrating educational programs and practices to assist members in practicing healthy behaviors of managing stress, interacting with others, and taking care of all dimensions of well-being. May include: harm reduction and risk management practices, accountability processes for members and the chapter, mental health and stress management support, specific education on topics such as hazing prevention, alcohol and other drug use, healthy relationships, etc., and more.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation addressing why this chapter is deserving of this award; include programs and educational sessions offered to members.
Excellence in Alumni Relations
- Purpose: This award is designed to recognize a chapter with outstanding alumni programming, involvement, outreach efforts, and communication. The recipient of this award has taken multiple steps to improve their alumni/alumnae relations and interactions.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter summarizing the chapter’s outreach efforts to alumnae/alumni, involvement of alumnae/alumni with daily chapter operations, and how this group works with the chapter. A descriptive overview of all alumni programs sponsored by the chapter. Include any chapter-produced newsletters, programs, and other publications that support the nomination.
Excellence in Membership Development
- Purpose: The Outstanding Member Development Program award aims to recognize a chapter that supports the development and growth of each member through every state of membership connected to the community value of lifelong learning and critical thinking. The recipient chapter must provide leadership and personal development experiences for members, have a plan for building and enhancing their brotherhood/sisterhood, help members understand the importance of living organizational values as expressed through their Ritual, and encourage individual involvement around campus and the seeking of leadership roles and opportunities.
- Application Materials: (1) 250- 750 word letter of recommendation providing examples and addressing why this organization is deserving of this award.
Sisterhood/Brotherhood of the Year
- Purpose: This award seeks to to recognize a chapter that continually makes great efforts to build a strong sense of community within its chapter. Strong sisterhood or brotherhood looks different in every chapter but includes aspects of all WIU FSL Core Values along with a sense of connection, care, and belonging for all members. This award honors one (1) fraternity or sorority chapter, regardless of council, for serving as a role model in the Fraternity and Sorority Community.
- Application Materials: (1) 250 - 750 word letter of recommendation from a peer in the FSL community, that is not from the nominee’s chapter.
Most Improved Chapter
- Purpose: This award seeks to recognize the chapter that, through intentional and substantial action, has shown significant improvement in overall chapter operation compared to prior years. The Most Improved Chapter award is to recognize a chapter that has made significant efforts to improve the scholastic, recruitment, membership, education, financial management, public relations, and overall operations of the chapter. The recipient of this award has taken steps to make significant overall improvements to reach new levels of chapter excellence in fraternity and sorority life.
- Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative describing the organization’s efforts to improve themselves. It is encouraged to provide specific examples of improvement in the narrative.
Line, Class, SHIP of the Year
- Purpose: This award seeks to showcase an organization’s designated line, class, or ship at WIU that has demonstrated a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, not only for their organization, but also in focusing on creating a positive atmosphere for their new members, the FSL community, and the WIU community at large. This is a collective group award, for the member(s) of a specific semester's line/class/ship, within one organization (fraternity or sorority). This award is tailored toward any line, class, or ship that formed in 2024. This is NOT to be confused with New Member of the Year (which is an individual award).
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Application Materials: (1) 250-750 word narrative, summarizing answers to the following questions:
- Name of the Line/Ship/Class (could just be semester & year, if applicable)
- Members of the Line/Ship/Class
- When was the line/ship/class crossed or inducted?
- What have they contributed to their organization that has reinforced the values of the organization?
- What has the line/ship/class done for the FSL/WIU Community to enhance its growth, engagement, and overall success?
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