For a full list of criteria, past recipients, and award histories, visit our full awards page.
Garnet and Gold Award for Academic Excellence
The Garnet and Gold Award for Academic Excellence is given out to those chapters who achieve above the campus average across multiple semesters.
Zeta, Dartmouth College Upsilon, University of Rochester Eta, Lehigh University Epsilon Nu, Michigan State University Lambda Sigma, Pepperdine University Sigma Phi, Saint Francis University
Owl Award for Exceptional Academic Performance
The Owl Award for Exceptional Academic Achievement recognizes chapters that demonstrate truly significant academic achievement
Zeta, Dartmouth College Upsilon, University of Rochester Eta, Lehigh University Lambda Sigma, Pepperdine University Alpha Omicron, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Clasped Hand Award for Outstanding Philanthropy & Service
The Clasped Hand Award for Outstanding Philanthropy and Service recognizes those chapters that go above and beyond. During the 2022-23 Academic Year Psi Upsilon chapters contributed over 7,100 hours of service in their communities and raised more than $202,000 for charities.
Pi, Syracuse University Tau, University of Pennsylvania Lambda Sigma, Pepperdine University Phi Nu, Christopher Newport University
Award of Distinction
The Award of Distinction was established by the 142nd Convention in 1985 to recognize Psi Upsilon chapters when they perform in an extraordinary manner. The award may be given annually to one or more chapters for any project, service, program, activity, or accomplishment performed during the year, which merits special recognition.
Pi, Syracuse University Epsilon Nu, Michigan State University
Diamond Award for Exceptional Chapters
This award recognizes chapters that distinguish themselves by exceeding the Psi Upsilon Fraternity chapter standardsand is the top award a chapter can receive.
In an effort to help prepare undergraduate leaders as they return to campus this fall we’ve renewed our online Summer Leadership Series Program. Chapter Services staff identified 10 programs to focus on – each session will have specific officers and chairs invited and encourage to attend, so as to not overwhelm leaders, and offering advice specific to their roles. These sessions are focused around our new chapter management tool, Asana; event planning; recruitment (and a specific program for our chapters that are coed); new member education; marketing and more. The topics and times can be found below, you can click on a session for a better description as well as the intended audience and Zoom information, all times are Eastern:
Since the Covid-19 Pandemic we’ve greatly redesigned our Chapter Leadership Program, some by necessity and some due to lessons learned from a remote workplace. Specifically we’ve been focused on doing a better job of measuring chapter performance and improving our online support to meet the specific needs of chapters. These changes include: In 2020 we improved our online education by moving to the Tightrope Risk Management Program, introduced the Inclusive Practices Cultural Competency Program for New Members, Adopted the Phired Up Recruitment Certification Program for chapters and moved our support model to increased virtual meetings and started having monthly Town Hall meetings for Chapter Archons and Alumni Presidents and Advisors to better connect these cohorts as well as first introduced programming like our Summer Leadership Series. In 2021 our staff was able to grow in size so we were able to return to in person visits while keeping our regular virtual meetings. We also began the Psi U Cares Program to better encourage ways our chapter members could support one another’s mental wellness as well as introduced the Treasurers Academy to compliment the Archons Academy. In 2022 we began building our Chapter Classification Program, where we improved measuring our chapters performance and providing that feedback to Alumni Presidents, Advisors and Chapter Presidents so they can better understand their chapter’s performance over time and in relation to other Psi Upsilon Chapters. In 2023 we introduced Spring Roundtables to our virtual meetings, focused on chair positions that were sometimes being overlooked by our traditional programming and this Fall we’re excited to introduce our new Project Management tool Asana to our chapters, we feel this will help them delegate tasks and reports due to the International Office as well as within their own chapters.
Psi Upsilon Fraternity is continuing to partner with Phired Up to train members of our chapters to become a Certified Recruiter. This 2-hour program will help teach brothers how to improve their recruitment efforts and drive both the quality and quantity of new members. Every member who is dedicated to helping your chapter attract, select, and secure the right members should become Certified Phired Up Recruiter. Also, upon completion be sure to share this certification on your LinkedIN Profile!
Each lesson is packed with videos and resources to help brothers learn:
The Fundamentals: Dynamic Recruitment Principles and the Fraternity Recruitment Funnel
How to maximize your recruitment efforts with technology
How to market your chapter (including a sample marketing plan)
How to grow your names list and fill your prospect funnel
The art of Social Excellence™ and how to make authentic connections with Potential New Members
How to use values-based selection to find the right members
How to give a bid the right way
How to systematize recruitment for the future (including an example of a successful recruitment plan!)
Chapter Alumni and Advisors who would like to ‘refresh’ their own recruitment skills are also encouraged to take part in the program and become certified.
Phired Up is the premiere organization to help fraternity and sorority chapters grow, and Psi Upsilon is excited to partner with them and become one of the first fraternities to offer their digital classrooms to all of it’s members and give brothers the opportunity to become a certified Phired Up Recruiter!
If you would like to participate in a Digital Classroom please download instructions here.
To access the course you can go here (you will need to download the instructions above first to properly login).
For more information about our Certified Recruiter Program, our recruitment assistance, please contact our Director of Growth, Travis Smith.
The University of Chicago has a long tradition of honoring distinguished and committed alumni who have shaped the world and strengthened their global alumni community.
The University of Chicago Alumni Association and the Alumni Board have announced the recipients of the 2023 Alumni Awards, and TWO of the 2023 alumni so honored are Psi Upsilon brothers of the Omega chapter!
Doug Jackman, Omega ’89 received a 2023 Alumni Service Medal and Ken Ono, Omega ’89 received a 2023 Professional Achievement Award
The Professional Achievement Award recipients are accomplished people in any professional field. These alumni’s achievements have brought distinction to themselves, credit to the University and benefit to their communities. The Alumni Service Medal recognize the achievements of individuals working on behalf of the University through service in alumni programs, on advisory committees and through efforts made to ensure the welfare of the institution.
Doug Jackman, Omega ’89 received a 2023 Alumni Service Medal
Douglas Jackman began his volunteer service to the University even before his graduation from the College by chairing the Senior Class Gift of 1989. His leadership was recognized at graduation with the Howell Murray Award. As a young alum working in New York, he was active in the New York Alumni Club, serving on the New York Centennial Dinner Board and interviewing prospective students for the College Admissions office.
Jackman served on the Visiting Committee to the College (now called the College Advisory Council) for two terms. In 1995, he was elected to the University’s Alumni Board of Governors and served six years on that board, including serving as an officer and chairing the board’s Nominating Committee. He continued to work on board initiatives as a founding sponsor of the Externship Project, which offered undergraduate students a chance to shadow alumni in various professions. He was also actively involved in the Metcalf Internship Program from its inception 25-plus years ago. He served on the inaugural committee to select the first class of the University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.
Ken Ono, Omega ’89 received a 2023 Professional Achievement Award Ken Ono is a mathematician at the University of Virginia, where he is the STEM Advisor to the Provost, fellow of the Shannon Center for Advanced Studies, and the Marvin Rosenblum Professor of Mathematics. He is well known for his research in mathematics, specializing in algebra, combinatorics, and number theory.
Ono has received many awards for his research, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Packard Fellowship and a Sloan Fellowship. In a ceremony at the White House in 2000, Bill Clinton awarded Ono a Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering. In 2005 he was named the National Science Foundation’s Distinguished Teaching Scholar, the foundation’s highest honor for excellence in teaching and research. He is a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. His professional service has included leadership roles in various professional organizations, such as vice president of the American Mathematical Society and chair of the Mathematics Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is the founder and director of the Spirit of Ramanujan STEM Talent Initiative, which supports emerging engineers, mathematicians, and scientists who lack traditional institutional support through financial grants and mentorship opportunities.
In 2005 the 162nd Psi U Convention created the Griffin Award for Senior Excellence to recognize members of the senior class who have shown exceptional dedication and commitment to Psi U in their final year of classes as an undergraduate. The purpose of this award is to maintain and encourage involvement by undergraduate brothers in their final academic year and to stimulate involvement with the chapter.
Each chapter votes on who should receive this award and reports it to the International Office.
We would like to congratulate and thank the following brothers for their dedication to our beloved fraternity:
Dr. Brian Christie, Zeta ’07 (Dartmouth) used his fellowship to train and share micro surgical techniques in under-resourced environments in Africa. Dr. Audrey Fisch, Gamma ’87 (Amherst) used her fellowship to for advanced training with the National College Attainment Network to help her better lead the non-profit she started to benefit under-represented students.
For 3 years the Psi Upsilon Social Impact Fellowship initiative has provided funds and development opportunities for some of our brightest lights striving for a better society.
We’re excited to announce applications for the 23-24 Social Impact Fellowship are open.
The fellowship is granted to support the professional leadership development of emerging leaders striving for the common good. The fellowship is appropriate for brothers working or volunteering in the environmental, education, social equality, medical, and related fields for good of society (including chapter advisors needing training!)
Here are videos of reflections and thanks from both Audrey and Brian.
The Psi Upsilon Outstanding Junior is a long standing tradition in the fraternity recognizing rising seniors who best exemplify the values of Psi Upsilon Fraternity: Lifelong Friendship, Moral Leadership, Intellectual Engagement, Responsible Social Conduct, and Service to Society.
Each chapter votes on who should receive this award and reports it to the International Office.
Many chapters began recognizing members in the Junior Class dating back to the early 1900s with this form of recognition, and would award them with “Alumni Keys”, a special version of the Psi Upsilon Badge that had a key to wind a pocket watch. In the 1980s the award was formalized by the Psi Upsilon Executive Council and Foundation and now Outstanding Juniors are recognized by the International Fraternity and receive the Alumni Key in the Fall or at the Awards Banquet as a part of the Psi Upsilon Convention.
We would like to congratulate and thank the following brothers for their dedication to our beloved fraternity:
The Psi Upsilon Foundation published their 2023 Garnet Report, an annual publication reviewing programs of the Foundation and a listing on contributers to the Annual Fund.
Articles Include:
The Scholarship Announcement Keynote presentation by Mark DiPasquale, Pi ’88 (Syracuse)
The President’s Circle Annual Giving recognition
Announcing Jay Riemenschnieder, Beta Alpha ’90 (Miami Ohio) joining the Foundation Staff
Foundation Grants and Stipends
Creation of the Charles Hall, Nu Alpha ’71 (Washington & Lee) Fund
All donors who are a Gold Member of the Founder’s Society and above receive printed copies of all the Psi Upsilon Foundation Publications – if you would like to make your gift and support Psi Upsilon please do so here.
We’d like to congratulate the 30 brothers from 16 chapters who received scholarships for the 2023-24 Academic Year from the Psi Upsilon Foundation, including four graduate awards! Below is the list of recipients based on their award.
We held an online announcement for the Scholarship recipients on May 4th hosted by the Psi Upsilon Foundation’s Chair and President, Alex Senchak, Eta ’06 (Lehigh), and our keynote speaker Mark DiPasquale, Pi ’88 (Syracuse), offered comments on how Psi Upsilon has positively affected his life. You can view that speech in the video below.
We would like to thank all the generous donors to the Annual Fund and everyone who has helped make these named scholarships possible. Since 1959 The Psi Upsilon Foundation has awarded over 1.2 million dollars in scholarships to our members because of the generosity of our donors!
Eric W. Didul, Phi Beta ‘90 Award •Nicholas Elsberg, Phi Beta ‘24 (William and Mary)
Francis C. Hardie, Omicron-Zeta ‘18 •Justin Ou, Zeta Zeta ‘24 (UBC) •Alexander Lassooij, Zeta Zeta ‘25 (UBC)
Gardner A. Callanen, Psi ‘29 Award •Luca McAdams, Psi ‘25 (Hamilton)
Gregg E. Rohlin, Phi ‘83 Award •Eric Michals, Phi Nu ‘24 (Christopher Newport)
Henry B. Poor, Gamma ‘39 Awards •Zachary Morrison, Pi ‘24 (Syracuse) •Mark Bargout, Tau ‘25 (Pennsylvania) •Frederick Bristowe, Tau ‘24 (Pennsylvania) •Luca Martini, Tau ‘24 (Pennsylvania) •Joe Schwabacher, Tau ‘24 (Pennsylvania)
J. Russell McShane, Delta ‘32 Award •Nolan Shay, Pi ‘24 (Syracuse
Jerome W. Brush, Jr.,Delta Delta ‘39 Award •Rocco Valvano, Eta ‘25 (Lehigh)
Jonathan E. Persky, Omega ‘85 Awards •William McKelvain, Omega ‘24 (Chicago) •Maina Ngobia, Omega ‘24 (Chicago)
Michael D. Oberg, Theta Theta ‘88 Award •Finn Johnson, Zeta Zeta ‘23 (UBC)
Paul D. Friday, Theta Theta ‘26 Award •Mirren Buchanan, Zeta Zeta ‘25 (UBC)
R. DeWitt Wallace, Epsilon ‘14 Award •Aidan Henegar, Lambda Sigma ‘24 (Pepperdine)
R. Timothy Leedy, Phi ‘57 Award •Ryan Shoji, Zeta Zeta ‘23 (UBC)
Robert W. Morey, Pi ‘20 Awards •Sean O’Toole, Pi ‘24 (Syracuse)
Robert W. Parsons, Xi ‘22 Award •Cece Hawley, Xi ‘24 (Wesleyan)
Salvatore L. Biardo, Omicron ’04 Award •Kevin Sanderson, Omicron ‘26 (Illinois)
William P. King, Omicron ‘73 Award •Elisa Miller, Gamma Tau ‘25 (Georgia Tech)
Psi Upsilon was pleased to give out 30 scholarships this year!
Mark DiPasquale, Pi ’88 (Syracuse) Keynote address to the Scholarship Recipients
Reprinted from an article in the August 1989 Diamond, by Tip Hinsdale, Xi ’39.
The eight of us were waiting patiently, looking at the empty track at Grand Central Terminal’s Gate 18 in New York City. Then, slowly, the “Lake Shore Limited” backed in to load up for its journey to Chicago. As the rear of the train approached, it was as if we were in another era: the era of luxury railroad travel, which ended decades ago. Attached to this Amtrak train was a gleaming beauty of a railroad car: Lehigh Black Diamond Limited’s “353.” The observation platform at the rear of the car carried a traditional lit drumhead telling one and all that this car was headed off to Chicago and the 146th Psi Upsilon Convention.
The “353” was built for the now-defunct Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1916 and served as a “mansion on rails” for railroad executives and financiers until its retirement after sixty years of use. The car was purchased a few years ago, and lovingly restored by Richard A. Horstmann, Pi ‘57. Dick, who is the Chairman of Psi Upsilon’s Alumni Advisory Board, and a member of the Executive Council, frequently charters the car for trips all around the United States. We were particularly privileged to have him serve as our host for this very special trip.
It was a lifetime dream of Dick’s to have such a car, and his love for rail travel is apparent when you see him on board the “353.”
There were eight of us fortunate enough to hold reservations for this splendid expedition: Donald S. Smith, Xi ‘39 and his wife Lois, Andrew M. Kerstein, Delta ‘76 and his wife Debbie, Carl A. Beck, Delta ‘41 and his wife Florence, William R. Robie, Epsilon Omega ‘66, President of the Executive Council, and yours truly Robert W. “Tip” Hinsdale, Xi ‘39.
The passengers on the observation platform of the “353” are Donald G. Piper, Pi ‘57, Jonathan C. Piper, Pi ‘87, Richard A. Horstmann, Pi ‘57, Jesse Mitchell, Robert W. Hinsdale, Xi ‘39, Deborah Kerstein, Donald S. Smith, Jr., Xi ‘39, Florence Beck, Andrew M. Kerstein, Delta ‘76, Lois Smith, and Carl A. Beck, Delta ‘41
As we entered the car to begin our journey, we marveled at the gleaming brass and polished wood of the lounge, the compact efficiency of the private staterooms, and the splendor of the dining room, each wonderfully appointed to reflect a bygone era. Fresh flowers adorned the lounge as we sat leisurely sipping drinks and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres, awaiting our departure. It was dark as we cleared Grand Central, but we could see the lights of West Point as we journeyed north along the Hudson Valley.
We sat down to dinner in the dining room, starting with a shrimp cocktail and followed with prime rib. Of course each of our meals was launched with the Psi Upsilon Doxology. The chef for our trip was Jonathan Piper, Pi ‘87 and one of our stewards was his father, Donald G. Piper, Pi ‘57, who was also the official photographer for the Convention. Our lead steward was Mr. Jesse Mitchell, well into his 80’s, a retired railroad steward. Jesse served as a true sentimental link to the heyday of railroad travel.
As we continued west through New York State, we sat in the rear observation lounge watching stations pass by, crossing lights flash with the ding, DING, DING, ding of the bells. We listened to the railroad radio as it contacted the train every 100 miles or so to report nothing trailing beneath the cars. Our speed reached as high as 100 M.P.H. on several occasions. By the time we departed Rochester, New York everyone was settled into their berths and sleeping contently.
We awoke to the wonderful smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen. The “353” journeyed through Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio, South Bend, Indiana and miles of soybean and cornfields. The steel mills of Gary, Indiana were hardly out of sight when we could see Chicago. We soon pulled into the “Windy City’s” Union Station; the concluding point of our westward trip.
The guests enjoying one of the fine meals
After a banner Convention experience, we arrived back at Union Station to find the Lehigh Valley “353” at the rear of the “Broadway Limited,” the fabled Chicago – New York train of the old Pennsylvania Rail Road and still running for Amtrak. It was dark as we left Chicago, but we would be paid back with the daylight views the next day. Dinner was served by the time we hit Fort Wayne, Indiana, and we journeyed east into the night.
By daylight we were in Pittsburgh. The “353” soon started to climb the Appalachian Heights to the mini continental divide. The eastern descent through breathless valleys and gorges, was magnificent. At last we came to the famous Horse Shoe curve where the rails do more than a 180 degree turn in breathless scenery and you can count every car of the train as it curves ahead of you. Through Johnstown, Pennsylvania, scene of the famous 19th century flood, we finally came to Paoli, (how could a Psi U journey not pass through Paoli?) where Henry Poor, Gamma ‘39 and his wife Mary were waving from the platform.
The Drumhead of “353” on display at the International Office of Psi Upsilon today.
We soon came to Philadelphia where we left the “353” behind and our group continued on to New York. Such a convivial group we were, much picture taking and a lot of serious discussion of where our great fraternity is heading. Each of us are indebted to Dick Horstmann for providing us with the opportunity to make this wonderful trip. The Psi Upsilon Special was indeed a special trip for us all.
