Published August 04, 2015
Members of the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity tied
the longest winning streak in the 147-year history of the organization by capturing
their 17th consecutive Robert A. “Smythe” award at the Pi Kappa Alpha Convention held
in Memphis, Tenn.
The award is given to the top 10 percent of Pi Kappa Alpha chapters each year. This
win marks the 22nd Smythe award in the last 24 years for the ULM chapter.
The award is based upon excelling in 16 areas of operation, including: academics,
community service, campus involvement, athletics, management, health and safety, new
member education, and alumni relations.
“This 17th consecutive Smythe award is just one example of the consistency and dedication
we have come to expect from our Pi Kappa Alpha chapter,” said Laura Jennings, director
of Student Life and Leadership. “We are proud to have one of the most active and responsible
chapters in the nation on our campus.”
Eleven ULM students joined Tommy Walpole—executive director of auxiliary enterprises
and the fraternity’s university relations adviser—at the four-day event.
Those students included Devin Melancon, Dillon Walker, Bryson Belaire, Mitch Guidry,
J.T. Roberts, John Luke Bigelow, Morgan Wiggins, Ben Sylvestri, Tyler Bayless, Alec
Shell, and chapter President Wyatt Medlin.
Medlin was also invited to participate in the potential staff breakfast, which is
extended to only the top one percent of Pi Kappa Alpha members in North America.
The breakfast hosts 30 young men hand picked by the fraternity’s national consultants
who choose the members they consider to be the top leaders in the fraternity. Each
attendee is informally interviewed for the opportunity to become a member of the fraternity’s
next consultants class.
During the convention the group was recognized for earning—for the fifth consecutive
year—an overall grade point average higher than a 3.0.
Other highlights of the trip included the ULM chapter receiving the Raymond L. Orians
Award for Chapter Excellence, which honors overall chapter performance from the previous
year. This marked the chapter’s 30th consecutive Orians award.
The group was also recognized for 100 percent participation in the undergraduate donor
club, which is sponsored by Pi Kappa Alpha’s Educational Foundation.
Also recognized were the fraternity’s new member education, athletics, international
fraternity participation, and public relations programs, which were selected as finalists
for the best in their respective areas.
The group’s financial management program was named as “PIKE’s Best,” they earned two
International Work Day awards—including one for alumni participation—and several members
earned recognition for attendance at the fraternity’s educational conference series
called “PIKE University.”
The ULM Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni Association was also named as a William R. Nester Outstanding
Alumni Association. This was the group’s 16th time to be recognized as one of the
organization’s best alumni associations in North America.
The fraternity is also known for its award-winning streak on campus.
They were named ULM’s 2014-2015 Organization of the Year. The chapter has won the
award 13 times in the 16-year history of the award. The group was also crowned Greek
Week Champions and they won their 7th consecutive All-University Athletic Championship.
Pi Kappa Alpha has 224 chapters in North America and is headquartered in Memphis,
Tenn.
The Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at ULM was founded in 1972.
