Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) earned the national fraternity’s True Merit Award and stretching their winning streak two years.
The award was created in1969 as the fraternity’s first award. Its coveted reputation stretches to many chapters across the country. Even though there isn’t a limit to the number of chapters that can earn the True Merit, the process is still rigorous. The chapter must display significant leadership, participation with the community and on-campus influence.
Every chapter applying for this award must submit a 20-page annual report featuring a checklist of concentrations, fundamentals, finances, solidarity and merit.
ATO’s Pepperdine chapter broke through common fraternity norms in ways that even made the CEO of ATO National, Wynn Smiley, take notice. Smiley wrote in an email that the Pepperdine chapter has “consistently stood out since they were chartered … both on campus and within the national fraternity.”
Last year, the chapter raised more than $23,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation through their philanthropy event, Gladiators. The event’s success led to other chapters across the nation adopting the unique fundraising method. The chapter plans on supporting and working with chapters around the United States in their transition to newer and more innovative philanthropic endeavors.
“The advantage strong chapters have over those that are not is the men who are being recruited. In other words, each chapter determines what kind of advantage it will give itself by who it recruits into the chapter,” Smiley wrote.
When asked what allows a chapter to earn the True Merit Award, Smiley answered: “stronger recruits equals stronger chapter.”
Furthermore, Smiley describes Pepperdine’s ATO chapter’s brothers to be “good leaders, accomplished students and strong campus citizens.”
The chapter’s president, Ryan Scandlyn, views this as one of many future True Merit awards for Pepperdine’s ATO.
Since the chapter received its charter in 2007, it has “continually sought out ways in which [it] could improve,” wrote Scandlyn in an email. He went on to explain that the award is a reflection of the brothers and their accomplishments.
“So for us to come back and be honored with this award once again was a very humbling experience … I have to say I am very proud of everything my brothers have accomplished this past year,” Scandlyn wrote.
The future is promising, according to Scandlyn. The award meant a lot to the chapter, but they aren’t stopping with the True Merit. They are still on the road to improvement and success. For now and this upcoming year, Scandlyn looks forward to a new set of brothers and parallel brotherhood.
