The Theta Phi Chapter of Sigma Kappa has been part of the Panhellenic community at UTC since February 10, 1991.
The Theta Phi Chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority, UTC is the recipient of the sorority’s Founders Award, given to the top performing Sigma Kappa chapter in the nation. Each year, their national organization selects one collegiate chapter to present the award to as a fitting tribute to the sorority’s five founders. It is presented to the chapter that has duly honored Sigma Kappa’s ritual and lived the values of friendship, loyalty, service and personal growth, said officials.
The members of Theta Phi achieved many successes, which were highlighted during the announcement, most notably holding 24 member development programs to connect their sisters to and averaging 77 service hours per member.
For the second year in a row, Theta Phi has received the sorority’s most prestigious collegiate award, achieving the three-star standards of excellence rating. Each collegiate chapter is assessed annually using defined criteria aligned to Sigma Kappa’s values to measure chapter success in areas such as academics, leadership and skill development. They were one of four Sigma Kappa chapters across the country that exceeded national requirements and demonstrated outstanding performance in areas such as membership, philanthropy, scholarship, public relations, ritual, recruitment, programming, alumnae relations and campus involvement.
Theta Phi also received recognition and several awards based on their accomplishments over the previous year. The chapter was selected out of over 100 chapters to receive the Louise Helen Coburn Award for excellence in alumnae programming. They held over 10 events with area alumnae such as their annual holiday potluck dinner, service events, homecoming and initiation/scholarship banquet.
Additionally, the chapter received honorable mention for the Outstanding Public Relations and Programming Award. They held campus-wide and community outreach programs with various partners that created awareness about the dangers of drunk driving, stressed the importance of organ donation, offered health prevention in underserved areas and advocated for the elimination of bullying and hazing. Through their Ultra Violet Campaign, they raised nearly $9,000 to contribute to the Sigma Kappa Foundation’s philanthropic initiatives, which fund efforts such as Alzheimer’s disease research, prevention, and treatment.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this tremendous honor with our fellow sisters, alumnae, and dedicated advisors," said Theta Phi's Chapter President Kidman Puckett. "Theta Phi consists of dedicated, talented young women, and this award belongs to each of them. We want to thank our University, the Greek community at UTC, and especially the supportive staff in the Office of Student Development for creating such a positive culture for our membership to thrive."