News

Posted by:Nick Hoke | Published: September 4, 2018

Theta Chi Announces 2017/2018 Recruitment Award Recipients

Carmel, IN - Theta Chi is pleased to announce the 2017/2018 recruitment award recipients. The James M. Holland, Phil S. Randall, and Henry B. Hersey awards were created to recognize and honor the Fraternity’s top recruiting chapters for the previous academic year. Winners were determined based on the total number of newly initiated members according to the International Headquarters files between May 15, 2017 and May 15, 2018. All active chapters are eligible for consideration for one or more of these honors.

Theta Chi Fraternity's recruitment awards are named in honor of the collegiate members who saved the Fraternity from extinction. In 1881, Theta Chi found itself with one undergraduate member, James Michael Holland. Holland did not quit, but struggled to find a solution. Fortunately for Theta Chi, one new cadet, Phil Sheridan Randall, felt strongly that Theta Chi was worth saving. Randall convinced his friend Henry Blanchard Hersey that they should become members of Theta Chi. Randall and Hersey approached Holland to join Theta Chi, and he agreed to initiate the two cadets, enlisting the help of local alumni. Randall and Hersey were initiated on Nov. 19, 1881, saving Theta Chi at Norwich University, and securing the future of the entire Fraternity.

Today, the Holland, Randall, and Hersey Awards recognize the recruitment efforts of Theta Chi chapters and their dedication to maintain and preserve Theta Chi Fraternity for the generations of brothers to come. 


James M. Holland Award – Presented to the chapter that initiates the most new members:

Winner: Iota Phi/South Carolina – 58 initiates

First Runner-Up: Iota Beta/Missouri State – 56 initiates 

Iota Beta/Missouri stated being presented with the Holland First Runner-Up Award 
by past International President Joseph Couch


Phil S. Randall Success in Recruitment Award – Presented to chapters that initiate 25 or more new members during the previous academic year. Forty-two chapters were recognized with the Randall Award during the International Convention:

Eta/Rhode Island – 25 initiates

Alpha Psi/Maryland – 25 initiates

Zeta Rho/Kentucky – 25 initiates

Theta Eta/Sam Houston State – 26 initiates

Iota Sigma/Towson – 26 initiates

Alpha Nu/Georgia Tech – 27 initiates

Beta Alpha/UCLA – 27 initiates

Alpha Gamma/Ann Arbor, MI – 28 initiates

Beta Delta/Rutgers – 28 initiates

Eta Kappa/James Madison – 28 initiates

Theta Epsilon/Kennesaw State – 28 initiates

Alpha Xi/Delaware – 29 initiates

Alpha Omicron/Washington State – 29 initiates

Alpha Rho/Washington – 29 initiates

Delta Beta/Georgia – 30 initiates

Delta Phi/North Texas – 30 initiates

Eta Lambda/Virginia Tech – 30 initiates

Theta Omega/Appalachian State – 30 initiates

Alpha Sigma/Oregon – 32 initiates

Delta Pi/Indiana State – 33 initiates

Delta Kappa/Ball State – 34 initiates

Zeta Phi/Cal Poly – 34 initiates

Theta Iota/UC-Santa Cruz – 34 initiates

Beta Omicron/Cincinnati – 35 initiates

Iota Tau/Northern Kentucky – 35 initiates

Delta Eta/Colorado State – 36 initiates

Zeta Sigma/Wisconsin-River Falls – 36 initiates

Iota Theta/Central Florida – 36 initiates

Zeta/New Hampshire – 38 initiates

Alpha Pi/Minnesota – 38 initiates

Beta Phi/Reno, NV – 38 initiates

Beta Iota/Arizona – 39 initiates

Iota Mu/Missouri – 39 initiates

Alpha Lambda/Ohio State – 40 initiates

Alpha Delta/Purdue – 43 initiates

Tau/Florida – 46 initiates

Alpha Iota/Indiana – 46 initiates

Alpha Phi/Alabama – 49 initiates

Beta Zeta/Michigan State – 51 initiates

Chi/Auburn – 53 initiates

Iota Beta/Missouri State – 56 initiates

Iota Phi/South Carolina – 58 initiates

The 2017/2018 Randall Award Recipients


Henry B. Hersey Significant Increase in Membership Award – Presented to chapters that have the highest membership percent increase from the previous year.

Winner: Eta Tau/CSU-Stanislaus – 25 members in the spring of 2017 to 46 in the spring of 2018, an amazing 84% increase!

Honorable Mention: Iota Phi/South Carolina – 85 members in the spring of 2017 to 125 in the spring of 2018, a 47% increase

Honorable Mention: Eta Lambda/Virginia Tech – 69 members in the spring of 2017 to 104 in the spring of 2018, a 50.7% increase

Eta Tau/CSU-Stanislaus with their 2017/2018 Hersey Award

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.