BOII Gamma Theta Alumni Association and Alumni Advisors Select Scholarship Award Winners

Jason Hagens

Sep 14

6 min read

Updated: 12 hours ago

The Gamma Theta Alumni Association (GTAA) will recognize its undergraduate members this weekend at the 3rd Annual Fall Brotherhood which starts at 11:00 am Saturday, October 24th. GTAA's Alumni Awards Committee will present just over $17,500 in scholarships and awards at the event. The scholarships and awards honor high standards in scholarship, leadership, service, character, and commitment to the chapter community. The committee will present the awards at the Lewis Alumni Centre, Pullman, Wa.

The Award presentation marks one of GTAA's most meaningful annual traditions. In fact, the upcoming distribution of over $17,500 is in addition to the $2,000 in scholarships GTAA awarded in January of this year. "We are very interested in recognizing those collegians who work hard to make Gamma Theta a better and more meaningful place", says Dan Young '83, an Alumni Awards Committee member. "While all of these awards include a monetary gift, 5 of them include an impressive $1,500 check." Young added.

Wide-angle view of a college campus walkway with autumn trees and students in the distance — Scholarship recognition begins with the everyday work students do on campus and for the house. This is a pre-game warm-up every Monday evening, as the exec teams meet before chapter.

How it works

Leadership and brotherhood award nominations are submitted either by Chapter Advisors or Chapter Collegians (the undergraduates), depending on the award. GTAA's Alumni Awards Committee then reviews the candidate's eligibility to make final selections. The academic awards generally involve a quantitative assessment.

While two of the awards are endowed through the WSU Foundation, the other 7 are each fully underwritten by 7 generous alumni. For a fraternity alumni association, that recognition matters because it connects education, brotherhood, and long-term responsibility. It's also a flex badge on your LinkedIn profile.

Award plaques are in the second-floor study room. Big thanks to Tristan Carter and Dan Young for aligning these and making them look good on the wall.

The selected recipients represent the kind of student leadership alumni associations often hope to encourage:

Strong academic habits
Reliable participation in chapter life
Service to peers and the broader community
Personal integrity and maturity
Steady contribution over time

These awards also show that alumni involvement can directly and positively affect undergraduate members. A scholarship may help with educational costs, but it also sends a message. It tells students that alumni notice earnest work, value character, and want current members to succeed.

The Awards are as Follows:

Joe Buchanan Leadership Award

Presented for Exemplary Leadership for the betterment of the Chapter.

Joe Buchanan #590, a loyal volunteer for nearly 2 decades, serving both our chapter and the general fraternity, becoming the 27th recipient of the Francis W. Shepardson Award.

Weldon B. “Hoot” Gibson ’38 Achievement Award

Presented annually by Gamma Theta Pi to one of its junior or senior members for his combined academic, civic, and university achievements, reflecting high credit on WSU, Gamma Theta of Beta Theta Pi Gamma Theta and himself. Established in honor of Weldon "hoot" Gibson #341 for his exceptional contributions to both Gamma Theta of Beta Theta Pi and Washington State University.

Unsung Hero Award

positive Influence and extraordinary contributions to our great chapter.

Ultimate Brother Award

E. Lee Smith Scholastic Award

1893 to 1991

The E. Lee Smith ’20 (#58) Scholastic Award is presented each semester to the active Beta member of the Gamma Theta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi with the highest academic standing. Brother Smith, whose motto was "Beta first, Cug second," was initiated January 17, 1920, and is a founding member of the Gamma Theta Chapter

Robert Gray Stevenson Jr. Scholastic

The Robert Gray Stevenson Jr. 44 Bond Number #457 Scholastic Award is presented each semester to the active member of Beta Theta Pi Gamma Theta Chapter who has shown the greatest improvement in scholarship from the previous semester. Brother Stevenson was initiated on February 2, 1942, and tragically died in a car wreck only weeks later. His brothers established this award in his honor

Brian W. Gurney, New Member of the Year Award

This is for outstanding leadership within his pledge class. Established in 2002 after the re-founding of the Gamma Data chapter, this award was rededicated in memory of Brother Gurney in 2025. The seven awards recognize achievement across the chapter experience.

The awards reflect a broad view of student accomplishment. Academic performance is central to any scholarship program, but chapter leadership takes many forms. Some students lead from visible positions. Others contribute quietly by mentoring younger members, organizing service work, helping maintain chapter standards, or setting a strong example day after day.

This broad view matters especially in fraternity life. A healthy chapter depends on more than one kind of achievement. It needs members who study seriously, show up consistently, treat others with respect, and understand that membership carries responsibility.

Close-up view of scholarship certificates and a fountain pen on a wooden table — The awards recognize effort, character, and continued academic commitment.

The Beta Theta Pi Gamma Theta Alumni Association and Alumni Advisors are excited to announce the Scholarship Award Winners, which reflect a balanced standard. The awards are not only about a single semester or a single role. They reflect the full picture of a student’s record and contributions.

While each award may highlight a different strength, the shared theme is clear. The winners have demonstrated conduct that strengthens both the individual and the chapter.

Alumni support helps scholarship become a tradition

Scholarship programs are strongest when they feel connected to a larger story. For Gamma Theta alumni, supporting awards is one way to stay engaged with the chapter’s future while honoring the values that shaped their experience.

Alumni associations often provide continuity. Undergraduate members graduate, leadership turns over, and chapter goals change each year. Alumni advisors help preserve standards across those changes. When they vote on scholarship recipients, they bring long-term perspective to the process.

That perspective helps keep awards meaningful. The goal is not to hand out recognition casually. The goal is to encourage the habits that help students grow during college and long after graduation.

A strong scholarship tradition can also inspire future applicants. When undergraduate members see peers recognized for academics, service, and leadership, they get a clearer picture of what the association values. Recognition becomes more than an award ceremony. It becomes a standard to work toward.

The selection highlights the full value of fraternity membership

Fraternity membership is often measured by friendship, shared events, and chapter life. Scholarship awards highlight another part of the experience: personal development.

The selected students earned recognition that reflects the larger purpose of a collegiate fraternity. That purpose includes building responsible habits, learning to serve others, and developing the judgment needed for life beyond campus.

Eye-level view of a student reading a textbook on a campus lawn beside a backpack — Academic focus remains at the center of a meaningful scholarship program. This is why the 3.57 Achievement Award is so fun to present at Fall Brotherhood.

For the recipients, the awards can provide encouragement at an important stage. College students balance classes, work, family responsibilities, chapter obligations, and future plans. Recognition from alumni can carry real weight because it comes from people who once stood in a similar place.

For the association, the vote affirms a simple priority. Scholarship remains central to the alumni association’s work. Awards help make that priority visible.

What comes next for the award winners

The selected scholarship winners will carry the recognition forward as part of their academic and chapter record. The awards may also remind them that leadership does not end when a term, title, or semester ends.

Recipients now become examples for other undergraduate members. Their recognition can encourage younger members to take academics seriously, seek meaningful service roles, and understand that alumni engagement is built on trust and shared expectations.

The association’s next step is to recognize the recipients in the appropriate chapter and alumni channels. That recognition gives the winners the credit they have earned while also strengthening the tradition for future scholarship cycles.

Wide-angle view of a quiet fraternity house exterior near a green lawn at golden hour — Alumni support helps connect past members with the chapter’s future.

A meaningful vote of confidence

The alumni advisors’ vote does more than name scholarship award winners. It recognizes students who are helping carry the Gamma Theta experience forward through study, service, and character.

For the Beta Theta Pi Gamma Theta Alumni Association, the awards show a continued commitment to undergraduate success. For the recipients, they offer both honor and responsibility. The recognition shows their work matters and that the alumni community watches with pride.