Greek banquet honors chapters

Sigma Phi Epsilon was the big winner at last night's Greek Award and Recognition Banquet, taking home the title of both outstanding and most improved chapter in the InterFraternity Council. Pi Beta Phi was awarded outstanding Panhellenic Sorority and the BiCultural InterGreek Council named the Zeta Phi Beta sorority most outstanding chapter. Sixteen awards were distributed at the banquet for Greek affiliates and guests at the Penn Tower Hotel ballroom. Winners were chosen by members of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and selected group leaders. Past and present umbrella organization presidents attended, along with five members of each chapter and representatives from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Greek Alumni Council. Alison Deitch of the Order of Omega, a national Greek leadership-based honor society, served as mistress of ceremony. Outgoing Panhel President Lissette Calderon, a Wharton senior and Kappa Alpha Theta sister, said the evening was a success. "I think the houses and individuals that deserved to be recognized were," she said. "As a senior, it was a good time to bring all of us back together again at least one more time." Panhel's Alpha Chi Omega received the most improved Panhel chapter award and Sigma Lambda Upsilon was the Big-C's most improved chapter of the year. Outstanding sophomores, juniors and seniors from each of the three umbrella organizations were recognized as well. Delta Delta Delta sister and Wharton senior Alyssa Hall received the outstanding Panhel senior award, but said individual recognition was secondary to chapter awards. Tri-Delt's Amy Hoopes, a College junior, and College sophomore and Alpha Phi sister Katherine Minarik were also recognized. College senior Madeleine Lopez and College junior Alexia Rodriguez, both sisters in the Sigma Lambda Upsilon sorority, and College sophomore Tiffany Hodge of Zeta Phi Beta received awards of excellence from the Big-C. Outstanding IFC senior Norm Hetrick, outgoing president of Delta Tau Delta, attended the event for the second year in a row. "Being recognized is really a great thing for me, especially from the Greek vantage of it, which has probably been the most significant of all my experiences at Penn," he said. Wharton junior and Sigma Alpha Epsilon brother Nick Lemen and Delta Upsilon brother and College sophomore Randy Hicks were recognized for their leadership. The outgoing presidents of each of the Big-C, IFC and Panhel also received recognition for their leadership and gave short speeches to the audience. Alpha Kappa Alpha sister and Wharton senior Trista Bridges, the Big-C's past president, said she was glad to end the year with the banquet. "It was definitely about the Greek system's initiative," she said. "It was nice to be leaving seeing the Greek system move in a very positive direction." And College graduate and outgoing IFC President David Treat said it was "great to get together and congratulate those who deserved recognition."

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