The University of Nebraska at Kearney chapter of Alpha Phi earned top awards at the sorority’s national convention held earlier this month in Phoenix.
According to Kiley Dibbern of Aurora, vice president of marketing for the UNK chapter, the chapter was recognized as a Top Recruiting Chapter, won both the Excellence in Scholarship Award and the Martha Mast Foundation Award, and UNK chapter adviser Tracy Lungrin of Kearney was named Outstanding Chapter Adviser.
“This is a huge honor for Tracy, as well as for the entire (UNK) chapter, as it means that, internationally, our Kearney chapter of Alpha Phi has the best chapter adviser,” Dibbern said. In all, there are 157 chapters of Alpha Phi.
Dibbern said that Lungrin started a leadership development retreat specifically designed for the chapter, enforced an officer transition method that was stronger than had been done for a number of years, as well as increased the number of alumni serving on the advisory board for the organization. She also endeavored to get to know, and build relationships with, each of the sorority members. As a UNK student, Lungrin was president of the chapter.
Also, the chapter won the Excellence in Scholarship Award, based on 2011 fall semester grades, by achieving an overall GPA of 3.41.
“In the fall of 2011, we won Highest New Member GPA with a 3.55, as well as Highest (UNK) Sorority GPA and Highest (UNK) Overall Greek GPA with the 3.41,” Dibbern said.
In addition to earning academic honors, the chapter earned the Martha Mast Foundation Award, the highest Alpha Phi Foundation Award, by raising $17,000 this biennium, a 30 percent increase over what was raised in the last biennium. The chapter raised the money by hosting the annual Red Dress Poker Tournament and a new fund-raiser, the Alpha Phiesta taco feed. Proceeds from the two events go to the Alpha Phi Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports women’s cardiac care, and to the S.A.F.E. Center in Kearney.
“Half of the money that we raised at our Alpha Phiesta went to the Alpha Phi Foundation, while the other half went directly to the S.A.F.E. Center of Kearney,” Dibbern said. “We presented a check to the S.A.F.E. Center for more than $1,000.” The UNK chapter also created marketing videos that promote women’s heart health. The videos can be viewed by going to AlphaPhiUNK on YouTube.
Finally, the chapter was recognized as a Top Recruiting Chapter.
“Because recruitment is a mutual selection process, being a top recruiting chapter means that you have a good ratio of girls that you want who also want you in return,” she said.
“The success of our chapter would not be achievable, and all of our efforts would be futile, if it were not for our supporting community, family and friends,” Dibbern concluded. “The women of Alpha Phi thank everyone in the community who supported us, be that morally or by donating to or attending our philanthropy events.”
