No matter whether your chapter initiates new members immediately or follows an extended eight‑week education process, it’s essential to provide a thoughtful orientation and a meaningful introduction to fraternity life. This session will invite you to share your most effective practices—how you help new members feel welcomed, build connections within the chapter, learn our history, and understand the operations that keep your chapter thriving.
We will also highlight key insights from our New Member Education guide, A Mighty Friendship, along with observations gathered during recent chapter visits.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, January 27th, at 6 PM Eastern. We look forward to an engaging conversation focused on creating a strong and supportive start for every new member.
One of the most meaningful aspects of fraternity life is the strength and breadth of our alumni network. Yet building consistent, intentional engagement with alumni can be challenging. How are we sharing updates from the chapter? What does effective preparation for Homecoming or an Alumni Reunion look like? Are we maintaining regular communication with our advisors, or only reaching out when issues arise? And most importantly, how do we ensure our alumni feel welcomed, valued, and connected to the chapter?
Alumni are eager to support our undergraduates, but they often aren’t sure where their help is most needed—just as many chapters aren’t always sure what to ask for. During this session, we’ll invite you to share how your chapter currently engages alumni, what you hope to improve, and what support would be most meaningful. We’ll also highlight best practices from chapters that have built strong, sustainable alumni relations programs.
Together, we can strengthen the bonds that make our fraternity experience truly lifelong and promote that “Psi U is For Life”.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, January 27th, at 7 PM Eastern. We look forward to an engaging conversation focused on creating a strong and supportive start for every new member.
Join us for a roundtable discussion centered on the Psi U Cares Program and the essential steps we can take to strengthen the mental wellness of our members. Together, we will revisit the origins of the program, highlight the key initiatives we encourage every chapter to adopt, and discuss why these efforts matter for the health of our brotherhood.
We will also explore practical strategies for creating a proactive environment in the chapter and how you utilize the Health and Wellness Chair and what ideas you implement to support one another.
If you have recently been elected as Health and Wellness Chair, or serve in a related leadership role, this conversation is especially for you.
Please mark your calendar for Wednesday, January 28th, at 5 PM Eastern. We look forward to an engaging conversation focused on creating a strong and supportive start for every new member.
The Theasauristes’ Academy will assist chapter treasurers as they begin, or currently serve, in their respective roles. Led by Psi Upsilon Fraternity Staff via a Zoom meeting the following topics will be covered:
How to create an effective chapter budget
Best practices for collecting chapter dues
The role of fundraising in a chapter
Federal Tax ID number, and tax filing requirements
The Assessment Schedule – what fees you are responsible for and what they go towards
Online resources to assist you
We will also take some time to answer any questions that you have and discuss any challenges that you are facing. We ask that every Chapter Treasurer, and any assistants to the treasurer, be in attendance via computer for this important workshop.
Join fellow officers for a focused roundtable on effective goal‑setting and follow‑through using the Commitment to Excellence Goal Setting Retreat or other programs. This discussion will explore practical strategies for identifying meaningful priorities, creating realistic action plans, and building accountability within your officer team. Participants will share successful approaches from their own chapters and learn techniques to ensure goals don’t just get set—they get accomplished.
Please mark your calendar for Thursday, January 29th, at 5 PM Eastern to discuss this important topic as we continue to improve our chapters.
How does your chapter bond? This session focuses on strategies for planning and executing impactful events that foster deeper connections among fraternity members. Attendees will explore creative engagement strategies that emphasize shared experiences to strengthen connections within the brotherhood. We’ll discuss practical tips for event planning, leveraging member interests, and creating a sense of belonging, all aimed at enhancing overall fraternity unity and involvement. If you’re in charge of managing Brotherhood events for your chapter, or would like to improve what your chapter is already doing, be sure to join us for this session! Save the date: Thursday, January 29th, at 6 PM Eastern.
The Gametime has been set for Noon for Michigan vs Wisconsin! Join us at House for our Annual Homecoming Tailgate on October 4th at 9:30 AM. Please RSVP by replying to this email with the number of attendees. Light food and drinks will be provided. To help us prepare, please RSVP by emailing jwcobau@umich.edu
Saturday morning at Syracuse University’s Hall of Languages, undergraduate and alumni convened for the 2025 Psi Upsilon Leadership Institute. Attendees arrived ready to engage in a full day of immersive professional development, organizational strategy, and historical reflection. This annual convening underscored the fraternity’s dual commitment to preserving its storied legacy and equipping chapters for sustainable growth.
Keynote: Growth as Legacy
At 9:00 AM, Jonah Mudse of Phired Up Productions delivered the opening keynote, challenging members to redefine growth as a long-term legacy rather than a semesterly recruitment target. Drawing on case studies from chapters of varying sizes, Mudse identified limiting mindsets—such as passive recruitment and reliance on word-of-mouth—and replaced them with actionable strategies for proactive name-generation, vision setting, and momentum building. By the session’s close, delegates possessed a clear, scalable framework for chapter recruitment: establish presence, cultivate pride, and implement a repeatable system that can be executed regardless of membership count.
In the afternoon, a track of the Roundtables continued these discussions and gave undergraduates
Organizational Support and Policy Review
Immediately following the keynote, Executive Director Thomas Fox, Omicron ’00 (Illinois), guided participants through Psi Upsilon’s comprehensive support infrastructure. He outlined the Chapter Support Matrix, detailing how chapters can leverage the Summer Leadership Series, Archons Academy, and online Townhalls to foster continuous development. He also reviewed Aboveboard and Commitment to Excellence initiatives, positioning them as tools for reinforcing the fraternity’s core values rather than regulatory burdens.
In a subsequent policy session on Sunday, he reviewed Psi Upsilon’s risk-management policy. Through analysis of recent higher-education trends and comparative fraternity case studies, he illustrated how proactive education, transparent communication, and shared accountability mitigate liability and safeguard the chapter experience.
Archives Committee and Engagement
Later in the morning, Jonathan Chaffin, Gamma Tau ’00 (Georgia Tech) and Alex Senchak, Eta ’06 (Lehigh), presented dual sessions on Psi Upsilon’s heritage and technological advancements. Jonathan as Director of Member Engagement, highlighted the History & Archives Committee’s research since its 2020 inception, showcasing remarkable discoveries from Pi Chapter’s archives and highlighting the accomplishments of underrecognized alumni from the chapter. Then, with Alex Senchak, President and Chairman of the Psi Upsilon Foundation, they reviewed the programs of the Psi Upsilon Foundation and how members could get more involved and benefit from the Foundation, including the Social Impact Fellowship, Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarships, and the Connects Stipend.
Interactive Roundtable Discussions
After a campus lunch at the Pi Chapter House, participants reconvened for three successive roundtable sessions. Undergraduate delegates met to explore recruitment pipelines, event programming, and service-learning initiatives. Concurrently, alumni delegates gathered to share insights on fundraising, advisory board structures, and crisis management protocols.
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 Tau, University of Pennsylvania
Owl Award for Exceptional Academic Performance
The Owl Award for Exceptional Academic Achievement recognizes chapters that demonstrate truly significant academic achievement
Delta, New York University For maintaining a GPA above 3.7 Upsilon, University of Rochester For having 80% of chapter members on the Fall 2024 Deans List Omega, University of Chicago For maintaining a GPA above 3.7 Eta, Lehigh University For having a higher than average ranking on campus, as well as creating an academic Big Brother Program and mandatory study groups. Epsilon Nu, Michigan State University Improved their academic ranking on campus from 15th to 5th of 28 fraternities Phi Beta, The College of William & Mary For improving its academic ranking from 13th to 6th of 15 fraternities on campus
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 2024-25 Academic Year Psi Upsilon chapters contributed over 8,000 hours of service in their communities and raised more than $240,000 for charities.
Pi, Syracuse University raised over $160,000 with the majority coming from their November fundraiser and averaged 12 hours of service per a brother Tau, University of Pennsylvania averaged 17.5 hours per brother with most of their fundraising going towards helping people re-join the work force Omicron, University of Illinois averaged 16.8 hours per brother through their service volunteering at food banks, schools and other organizations Epsilon Iota, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute averaged 17.8 hours per brother through a vast number of events including a bake sale for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and crocheting for various charity organizations Phi Beta, The College of William & Mary raised almost $400 per brother for charity and averaged just over 10 service hours per a brother Lambda Sigma, Pepperdine University raised $20,000 through their annual “Psi U Think U Can Dance” event and averaged 13.4 hours per brother Alpha Omicron, New Jersey Institute of Technology averaged 21.5 hours per brother, more than any chapter on a per brother basis
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.
Tau, University of Pennsylvania For giving over 980 hours of service to charities, more than any other chapter of Psi Upsilon. Eta, Lehigh University For implementing a study program and academic big brother program to bolster its academic performance, which has resulted in 40% of the chapter’s membership on the University Dean’s List and the chapter having the highest academic ranking among fraternities at Lehigh.
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.
Pi, Syracuse University
The Pi Chapter has exemplified Psi Upsilon’s highest ideals by graciously hosting the 2025 Convention for its 150th anniversary, raising an extraordinary $164,000 for philanthropic causes—more than half of the combined total raised by all other chapters—while contributing 972 hours of service (an average of 12 hours per brother). In addition to partnering with other fraternities and sororities to broaden the impact of their philanthropy, they have maintained a GPA above their university’s men’s average and cultivated a deep sense of brotherhood through intentional events like sports outings and campfire gatherings. For these outstanding achievements and their unwavering commitment to service, scholarship, and fellowship, the 181st Convention proudly awards Pi Chapter the Diamond Award for Exceptional Chapters.
Join us on Tuesday, August 12th at 6PM Eastern for our first session of the 2025 “Summer Leadership Series” – Getting Your Chapter from GOOD to GREAT! This session is for all chapter officers (Archon, Angelos, Grammateus, Thesauristes, and anyone who wants to take a leadership role in their chapter). During this session we’ll be reviewing some of the basic things every chapter needs to operate successfully – whether you are 10 members or 100. We’ll then dive a little deeper into some of the concepts that can really propel a chapter forward: Getting our members into the right roles, how to confront our reality and set goals, finding our purpose and creating a culture of discipline.
