Honor frat wins national award

Winning for the second year in a row, the national office of Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity presented the Joseph Torchia Outstanding Chapter Award to the JMU chapter.

Presented at the National Convention in November 2003, the Torchia only is given to four of the 96 national Phi Sigma Pi chapters. The award, given annually, is presented to the chapter that "best serves the ideals of the tripod that the fraternity is built upon — scholarship, leadership and fellowship," said Hoyt Craver, a representative from the Phi Sigma Pi National Headquarters.

The Torchia Award is named after Joseph Torchia, who was inducted into Phi Sigma Pi in 1951. 

"I was thrilled to find out that we won a Torchia," said senior Whitney Atkins, initiate adviser. "It made me proud to be a part of something so powerful and impressive."

Junior Kelly Johnson, secretary, said that, upon presentation of the award, "the smiles of all the brothers were priceless."

The JMU Beta Rho Chapter of Phi Sigma Pi was founded in 1995, and first won this award in 2002. Winning the award for a second straight year was a welcomed surprise to many of the brothers.

"Since it is a rarity to win two years in a row, we were beyond excited at the announcement," said junior Katie Freind, parliamentarian.

Junior Aaron Cattell, chapter president, said that upon hearing the news, "a great feeling just came over me knowing that we had attained something for the second year in a row that only goes out to four chapters."

He added they were pleased that "[their] actions did not go unnoticed."

The brotherhood at JMU participates in philanthropy in order to fill the Phi Sigma Pi tripod.

"We have already begun planning events dealing with M[ultiple] S[cleroisis], the Megan Stidham scholarship, Teach for America and Founder's Weekend, among other things," Freind said.

According to junior Meredith A. West, Brother Relations Chair, their chapter has "worked very hard the past year in supporting philanthropy."

Junior Greg Mathurin, the chapter's vice president, said he believes that Phi Sigma Pi is an amazing group. "In no other place on campus, or in my life for that matter, have I seen such a diverse and yet tightly knit group of people with a similar goal in mind," he added.

However, two Torchia awards are not enough for JMU's Phi Sigma Pi. "We cannot quit yet because there is no such thing as a semester off for us," Mathurin said. "Every organization has room for improvement, and we are no exception. We will be gunning for Torchia No. 3 and, with what I have seen happening so far this semester, I feel that we are well on our way."