TKE named top chapter

EMMA FIGLEWICZ
PHOTOGRAPHER

FILIPPOS MOURIKIS
STAFF WRITER

9/16/2024

The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Alma College was recognized as the top chapter for the 2023-24 academic year. This was just the third time in history that they achieved this honor out of the 209 North American TKE chapters. 

Additionally, a former TKE member and graduate of Alma College, Jack Cataldo (‘24), was given the top TEKE individual award. This was amazing not only to Cataldo but to his fraternity brothers as well.

“It was very surreal, and it was a moment that needed to happen, and by finally happening… It was joyful,” said Ty Kennard (‘25), President of the chapter last year. 

Kennard was cheerful to not only see the chapter he was a part of being named one of the best out of the TKE international organization but also see one of his brothers and friends being honored and named the best individual out of 100,000 more people part of the organization. 

Support from alumni of the chapter played a crucial role in the success that TKE saw this past year as well as their ability to hit the goals that are given to them by the international TKE organization or, in other words, “key results areas,” said Kennard. 

The key result areas are some specific numbers on categories such as membership growth, St. Jude and additional volunteer hours worked and amount of money that was donated for the St. Jude organization that the chapter must meet or surpass. 

So, with the support of their alumni and many others, TKE was able to meet all their key result areas and most remarkably one of the most noticeable areas that they stood out was the amount of money they raised for the St. Jude organization which reached the amount of $12,632. 

The road to such an achievement was multisided for the brothers of the TKE chapter, as a part of an international organization the chapter does not only get to have the benefits from supporting such an organization but also the requirements and control that they are going to be receiving. 

The regional system of the TKE organization works as such: every chapter in each of the four regions of the TKE organization around the United States must report to their own regional advisor who supports each chapter and guides them through the school year, but also critics and compromises their decisions, which can end up being difficult to handle. 

Nevertheless, the members of the Zeta-Delta Chapter worked hard through the school year to achieve their goals and overcome obstacles. “[Almost] all the brothers of the fraternity volunteered for at least twenty hours each,” said Kennard. 

As a college student, it is incredibly difficult to contribute so many hours to volunteering, especially when involved in additional, outside extracurriculars. But this did not stop the TKE brothers who often went above and beyond to find ways to raise money for their philanthropy – the most memorable being shaving their hair off live on social media for online donations. 

“It is incredible how each guy raised at least $100, and some guys go above and beyond to raise $1000 or more,” said Kennard. 

Overall, the success of this chapter gives a great look to Alma College as a whole and shines a light on the opportunities provided by the institution for fraternities and sorority life on campus.