Gamma Tau/Drake University receives the
2016/2017 David L. Westol Sacred Purpose Award
Carmel, IN - Theta Chi Fraternity is proud to announce the Gamma Tau Chapter at Drake University as the 2016/2017 recipient of the annual David L. Westol Sacred Purpose Award. The award will be presented to the chapter later this fall by International Chaplain Creig Andreasen.
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.
Over the course of the past year, Gamma Tau has exemplified the mission of Theta Chi Fraternity’s Sacred Purpose: helping to keep our brothers and our communities healthy and safe. The Gamma Tau Chapter went above the standard Sacred Purpose framework by hosting a total of eight health and safety related events – two were campus-wide events and reached approximately 450 students at their university. Through liking and sharing the Fraternity’s blog posts, to staying in constant communication with the International Headquarters, this group has gone above and beyond and has set the standard for every chapter moving forward.
What stands out most about Gamma Tau’s health and safety efforts is what others in Drake University’s campus community had to say on the chapter’s commitment to Sacred Purpose:
“My first presentation consisted of the importance of mental health, common types of mental conditions that affect young men, and how to help someone struggling with mental conditions. Each brother was attentive during the discussion and asked meaningful questions about what he could do to help a brother in need. I was exhilarated with the commitment each member made to help the mental health community.”
“I cannot speak highly enough of this Chapter. Their Vision of creating meaningful programming speaks to the ideals of which Theta Chi was founded upon.”
Maxwell J. Lasko
Health & Safety Adviser
Gamma Tau/Drake Chapter
“The Chapter is implementing a sustained program devoted to sexual violence prevention. Starting last spring, Fraternity and Sorority Life launched a program called Healthy Relationship Ambassadors in which a member from each chapter facilitate multiple sessions of violence prevention curriculum to the entire chapter. Theta Chi has gone above and beyond expectation by selecting three members to serve as Healthy Relationship Ambassadors and guide their discussions.”
“They have devoted time to special events and speakers. In both the fall and spring semesters of the 2016-2017 academic year, the chapter brought in special speakers. This included staff from the Iowa Coalition against Sexual Assault, as well as Mentors in Violence Prevention to talk about alcohol and consent. This chapter has worked to bring meaningful education opportunities to their members.”
Tess Cody
Violence Prevention Coordinator
Drake University
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 185,000 initiated members and has established 236 chapters. Leadership development, personal development, and service to alma mater are fundamental to Theta Chi Fraternity’s mission.