The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority won back the scholarship cup at Convocation on Thursday, after losing to the Chi Omega sorority in November.
“In Kappa, we try to always emphasize the importance of academic excellence,” Kappa Scholarship Chair junior Brenna Temp said in an email. “Because of this, we are incredibly honored to see the hard work of our sisters in the classroom being acknowledged.”
Last spring, Kappa Kappa Gamma won the scholarship cup but lost the following semester. Junior and Kappa Kappa Gamma President Maria Theisen said she was happy to see her sisters succeed with an average GPA of 3.38.
“I am extremely proud to be a part of such a dedicated group of women,” Theisen said in an email.
In addition to the fraternity and sorority scholarship cup, numerous academic accolades were presented at Thursday’s Convocation ceremony.
The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity continued its three-semester streak, claiming the scholarship cup with a 3.21 GPA, an accomplishment that ATO scholarship chair junior Jeff Freeberg said he did not take for granted.
“It’s an honor to win again, and we’re excited to show campus that we care about scholarship,” Freeberg said. “That’s important not only for our individual members and their professional goals, but it means a lot to us as a chapter. We care a lot about this, and we don’t want to do the bare minimum.”
The all-student GPA decreased from last semester’s record-breaking average. Despite setting the highest GPA in nearly a decade with a 3.34 in spring 2017, the all-campus average dropped to a 3.29 for the fall semester.
While a slight GPA decrease may have been recorded across campus, 10 seniors were recognized for having the highest GPAs among the graduating class. Seniors Larissa Clark, Colleen Coleman, Rachelle Ferguson, Garrett Glassburn, Eric LaRose, Rachel Molloy, Rebekah Molloy, Christopher Pudenz, Deborah Stevenson, Rebecca Viviano, and Christian Wiese were formally recognized during the ceremonies.
One graduate student and one professor were also recognized for their excellence.
Kyle Murnen, a graduate of the class of 2009 and an assistant to the president, was honored as a recipient of the Judith Finn Memorial Exemplary Master’s Graduate Award. Chief Staff Officer Mike Harner is a close colleague of Murnen’s and said he can’t think of anyone better to receive the recognition.
“The Finn award is a great honor and one that Kyle richly deserves,” Harner said in an email. “He is that rare individual that thrives under pressure while maintaining his good nature at all times.”
In addition, Daniel Coupland, associate professor and chairman of education Daniel Coupland was honored with the Emily Daugherty Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence.
As a classical education minor, senior Mallory Mills said that she’s inspired by Coupland’s passion for education and that it’s contagious to students.
“Because of his example, I’m not only encouraged to do my best in the classroom,” Mills said. “But I’m also ready to go out into the world and be a great teacher to my future students and to show kindness and humility in every interaction I have.”
