2017/2018 David L. Westol Sacred Purpose Award
Presented to Alpha Mu/Iowa State
Carmel, IN - Theta Chi Fraternity is proud to announce the Alpha Mu Chapter at Iowa State University as the 2017/2018 recipient of the David L. Westol Sacred Purpose Award. The award was presented during the 162nd Anniversary Convention in Las Vegas.
The mission of Sacred Purpose is to protect our brothers, and the broader campus community, by providing health and safety education. By offering programmatic support at the chapter and international levels, Theta Chi inspires its members live up to our Fraternity’s highest calling.
The Alpha Mu Chapter exemplifies the meaning of our Sacred Purpose in their everyday lives. This past academic year, these men regularly hosted speakers to discuss important health and safety issues affecting their campus. They have a strong relationship with the fire and police departments in their city, have hosted their mayor to discuss how to positively impact their community, and held sessions for campus professionals to have conversations about recognizing depression and suicide prevention.
The Chapter partnered with their campus health center to recognize the negative effects of stress including depression, anxiety, and suicide. Collegians are exposed to high amounts of stress, so the men provided a free and friendly way for their colleagues to de-stress before final exams.
At the 162nd Anniversary Convention, past International Chaplain Creig L. Andreasen presents the 2017/2018 Westol Award to Alpha Mu/Iowa State
Every year, these men go above and beyond by hosting a campus-wide sexual assault prevention candlelight vigil. This past academic year, the chapter partnered with Pi Beta Phi and Phi Kappa Psi and brought in guest speakers to discuss the issue of sexual assault and available resources. The event supported victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and focused on a proactive approach to prevention. The local newspaper praised Theta Chi for hosting the vigil and reported that more than 100 students attended the event and that it continues to grow each year.
The gentlemen of Alpha Mu Chapter continue to exceed expectations of implementing Sacred Purpose in their daily operations and this year was no exception. The Fraternity is proud of their commitment to the health, safety, and well-being of our members and others.
The Sacred Purpose award is named in honor of David L. Westol, Beta Zeta Chapter at Michigan State 1973, who’s volunteer and professional career have been devoted to the health, safety, and protection of fraternity and sorority members. After graduating from Michigan State in 1973, Dave worked for his alma mater as Assistant Director of Student Activities and Advisor to Fraternities. He was admitted to the Michigan Bar in November 1979 and became an assistant prosecutor for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in Kalamazoo County, MI.
From 1975-1980, Westol served as a Regional Counselor for Theta Chi before being elected to the Grand Chapter as International Vice President in 1980. He remained in that role until completing his maximum second term in 1988. In December of that year, he was named the Fraternity’s Executive Director and held that position for 18 years. Today, he is the founder, owner and CEO of Limberlost Consulting.
Westol’s interfraternal career is equally impressive. He was elected to the board of directors of the Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIPG) in 1993 and served continuously on the board since that time. He has also served FIPG in the roles of Director of Policy Interpretation and Administrator since 1996. In July 1998, he was elected to the Fraternity Executives Association board of directors and served as president from 2002-2003. He has also served on the board of directors for HazingPrevention.org and on the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values.
Dave has become a universal figure at fraternity and sorority leadership development events. He has performed his signature anti-hazing presentation “Hazing on Trial” over 1,800 times since 1981 and has spoken on more than 350 campuses and at over 200 Greek leadership events. Dave has served as a faculty member for the Association of Fraternity Leadership and Values, the Northeast Greek Leadership Association, the Southeast Interfraternity Conference, and the Fraternal Risk Management Trust, Inc. From its first session in the early 1990s through 2010, he was a faculty member for “Risk Management on the Road,” an annual workshop for traveling consultants of women’s national fraternities and sororities.
In 2012, Dave was named a recipient of the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s Gold Medal, the most prestigious honor in the inter-fraternal world. Brother Westol is one of only four Theta Chi members to have received the Gold Medal.
Founded in 1856, Theta Chi Fraternity is a men’s collegiate fraternity with more than 191,000 initiated members and has established 239 chapters. Leadership development, personal development, and service to alma mater are fundamental to Theta Chi Fraternity’s mission.