Source: Ashley Dohrmann, abd@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-6415, bbohn@k-state.edu

Friday, April 2, 2010

K-STATE CHAPTER OF ORDER OF OMEGA NAMED ONE OF THE BEST IN NATION

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's Order of Omega, the Greek honor society, has been recognized as one of the best chapters in the nation. In addition, two K-State Order of Omega members have received 2010 national Order of Omega scholarships for their leadership and service.

The K-State chapter received a best chapter award at the recent Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values Conference in St. Louis, Mo. The award includes $1,000 that the chapter can use for relevant training, programming, scholarships or as a gift to the university. K-State was one of only four chapters to receive the honor out of the more than 300 Order of Omega chapters in the nation. It is the second time the K-State chapter has received the award, also receiving the honor in 2003.

Order of Omega is a national organization recognizing the top 3 percent of fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in interfraternity activities. Members of the Order of Omega strive to uphold leadership, excellence in academics and strong relations within the Greek community.

Along with the best chapter award, two K-State Order of Omega members have received national scholarships for their contributions to the honor society. Andrew Harris, senior in industrial engineering, Manhattan, and Ashley Dohrmann, senior in industrial engineering, South Hutchinson, both received $500 scholarships. Harris, a member of FarmHouse fraternity, served as vice president of K-State's Delta Gamma chapter of Order of Omega in 2009, while Dohrmann, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, was 2009 chapter president.

For the best chapter award, the K-State chapter had to fill out an application that included describing its many programming and community service activities during the school year, as well as other contributions the chapter makes to the campus and community.

Activities and community service during the year included the Up and Coming Awards, which recognize future Greek leaders at K-State; the Cats for Cans drive, an annual canned food drive for the Flint Hills Breadbasket in Manhattan; the annual Order of Omega scholarship banquet; Greek Week Awards; monthly newsletter and speakers; participation in the Adopt-A-School program; Sweep the 'Ville, the annual spring clean-up of Aggieville; and presenting Christmas cards to area senior citizens.

"The Delta Gamma chapter is an outstanding chapter of the Order of Omega for many reasons," Dohrmann said. "Our members are not only active within our Delta Gamma chapter but also in their respective Greek chapters, the K-State Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils and in other campus activities."

Order of Omega had 67 members at K-State in 2009. The average GPA of members was 3.746. K-State's Tim Lindemuth serves as chapter adviser, while Christie Horton is assistant chapter adviser.

Along with Dohrmann and Harris, the 2009 executive officers of Order of Omega at K-State included:

Ross Bartley, senior in microbiology, Abilene, Order of Omega community service chair and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity; Randi King, senior in animal sciences and industry, Derby, Order of Omega secretary/technology chair and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority; Nick Kenney, senior in political science and history, Manhattan, Order of Omega recruitment co-chair and a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity; Travis Kauffman, senior in biology, Overland Park, Order of Omega community relations chair and a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity; Stephanie Werner, senior in accounting, Pittsburg, Order of Omega treasurer and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority; and Aubrey Ralston, senior in biology, Wichita, Order of Omega recruitment co-chair and member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.