Theta Chi Fraternity is proud to announce the 2012/2013 recipients of the Lewis Memorial Trophy. One chapter and one individual member are recognized for their commitment to helping others in need:
- Psi/University of Wisconsin
- Shawn Czerniak, Epsilon/Worcester Polytechnic Institute 2014
A member from Psi/Wisconsin was present and received recognition at Awards Ceremony held during the Gamma Class of the Initiative Academy. Brother Czerniak’s award will be formally presented on his campus at a ceremony this fall.
Psi/University of Wisconsin
During the 2012/2013 school year, Psi Chapter organized or participated in 38 events, completing a total of 1,722 hours of community service and raised $87,600 for various organizations and causes, including: Habitat for Humanity, Make a Wish Foundation, Wisconsin Public Television, St. Vincent De Paul’s, just to name a few. Their long-standing philanthropy, Ski for Cancer, raised $30,000 for the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund.
Shawn Czerniak
Brother Czerniak has a history of helping others. Shawn began his commitment to community service prior to enrolling at WPI by tutoring and raising money for an Adopt-A-Family program. In his freshman year at WPI, he was selected to drive the community service van that transports students to various community service projects in the local area. He was quickly promoted to supervisor of the van service. Shawn’s commitment to campus service is extended to driving WPI’s evening safe transport van and participating in EPICS, which stands for “Engineering Projects in Community Service.”
Even before his term as his chapter’s Philanthropy Chairman began in March 2012, Shawn was encouraging his chapter to increase their service to the community. Epsilon Chapter went from 470 combined community service hours in 2010/2011 to 5,800 hours during the 2011/2012 academic year. Some of the events and endeavors Shawn helped organize in 2012 include: putting together and raising money for care packages for Marines stationed in Afghanistan; assisting a local day care center by applying mulch to their playground, not just once but twice, in order to meet accreditation requirements; participating in The Spirit of the Giving Tree, which provided gifts to a less fortunate child during the holiday season; and working with Alpha Xi Delta to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Emily Perlow, Director of Student Activities at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said “Across his life, you can see Shawn is committed to supporting the community. As an involved and committed member of the WPI community, Shawn strives to exemplify Theta Chi’s principle of ‘the Assisting Hand.’”
The Lewis Award, represented by the Lewis Memorial Trophy, is based on the account of past National Vice President James G. Lewis of Alpha Xi Chapter at the University of Delaware (left). In 1930, his daughter, Sidney Ann, was stricken with spinal meningitis, which developed from an infection following a serious operation. Lewis gave blood transfusions but when doctors refused to use his blood again, it was essential that others be found whose blood would match Sidney Ann’s. Fellow Grand Chapter officer Dr. Robert L. Irish, of Alpha Chapter at Norwich University, was in constant contact with the situation and informed the officers of Upsilon chapter at New York University. The next day several of Upsilon’s members arrived at the hospital offering to donate their blood. Two more transfusions were made, but tragically, Sidney Ann passed away at midnight. Later that year, Brother Lewis presented a trophy to the Grand Chapter in memory of his daughter. He did not specify a purpose, but merely wanted to thank the Fraternity for its assistance during the period of his daughter’s illness.
Today, the Lewis Award recognizes Theta Chi members and chapters that most exemplify lending a helping hand to their campus and community, matching the true Theta Chi spirit demonstrated by Dr. Irish and Upsilon Chapter’s desire to help Brother Lewis in his time of need.