Delta Chi takes honors

Awards place chapter among nation's best

The Trine chapter of Delta Chi fraternity was awarded the President’s Cup for overall superior performance and programming at the fraternity’s 56th international convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

Trine University's Delta Chi chapter claimed the top honor at the fraternity's internationcal convention in Las Vegas. From left are Ryan Heath, Craig Wiley, Steve Ankney, adviser Rich Kruger, Clayton Bennett, David Woody, Dave Wertz, and Tom Griffin.

The President's Cup is the most prestigious award given to any Delta Chi chapter, and recipients are chosen by the organization’s international president. The award will be added to the chapter’s trophy collection, which includes seven additional cups awarded in the past decade. The tradition of excellence vaults the university’s Delta Chi chapter to the highest rank among chapters across the country.

The chapter added the President’s Cup to an already long list of awards garnered in the convention’s opening ceremony. The awards included Outstanding Alumni Board of Trustees, Outstanding Alumni Adviser, Outstanding Alumni Newsletter, Outstanding Campus Leadership, Outstanding Community Service, Outstanding Financial Management, Outstanding House Corporation, Outstanding Recruitment, Outstanding Ritual and Ceremonies, Outstanding Scholarship, and the Award of Excellence.

The chapter was also honored as the second overall contributor out of 126 chapters and colonies for philanthropic donations, as they raised over $6,600 in the last year alone.  The donation helped the Delta Chi International fraternity raise over $101,000 for The V-Foundation for Cancer Research, Delta Chi's international philanthropy partner. In recognition of the large contribution, a cancer research grant will be named for the Delta Chi fraternity and awarded to a worthy research program in the coming year. In addition, the chapter contributed over 1,000 hours of community service to the Angola area.

Brother Richard Kruger, a retired Tri-State University (now Trine University) faculty member, was honored with the international fraternity’s first Faculty Adviser Emeritus award. Kruger was the chapter’s faculty adviser for 40 years, beginning with Beta Phi Theta, its predecessor at Tri-State College. As the chapter’s first initiated member in 1969, he has been integral to its long history. Kruger retired from Tri-State in the spring of 2006, and is still active in the fraternity.

The chapter is planning its second annual Delta Chi Dash for Cancer 5K race on Sept. 27 in conjunction with Angola’s Fall Fest. The event raised nearly $3,000 for The V-Foundation last year, and chapter members hope to garner even more support this fall.