SAN ANTONIO (July 11, 2026) — Over 40 chapters across North America were recognized by Theta Chi Fraternity for excellent performance and operations at Theta Chi’s 170th Anniversary Convention. These awards included the Most Improved Chapter Award, the Chapter Excellence Award, the Chapter Achievement Award, and the Alter Award: the highest honor a chapter may receive from the International Fraternity.
The Howard R. Alter, Jr. Award for Chapter Excellence
The Alter Award was created by a group of former Field Staff in 1984 upon the occasion of Howard Alter’s retirement as Executive Director. The Alter Award was first presented in 1986 to chapters that met or exceeded the Fraternity’s standards of excellence.
Consideration for the Alter Award is by application only. Applicant chapters are evaluated based on their performance in chapter operations, recruitment, scholarship, chapter safety, member and new member education, alumni engagement, community service and philanthropy activities, and other categories. The Alter Award may only be presented to active chapters.
2025/2026 Alter Award Recipients:
- Epsilon/WPI
- Phi/North Dakota State (their 14th overall)
- Beta Omicron/Cincinnati
- Gamma Delta/Florida Southern (their 2nd overall)
- Gamma Tau/Drake (their 4th overall)
- Epsilon Kappa/Idaho (a record 8th consecutive Alter Award; and record 17th overall)
- Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock (their 2nd consecutive Alter Award; 2nd overall)
- Eta Psi/UAB (their 2nd overall)
2025/2026 Chapter Achievement Award
The Chapter Achievement Award was created in 1991 to recognize and encourage chapters that demonstrate strong performance or significant progress in most areas of chapter operations and organization. It is the second highest award that may be given to a chapter on an annual basis. All chapters that apply for the Alter Award automatically qualify for Chapter Achievement Award consideration.
Twenty-four (24) chapters received the Chapter Achievement Award:
- Alpha Lambda/Ohio State
- Alpha Mu/Iowa State
- Alpha Nu/Georgia Tech
- Alpha Xi/Delaware
- Alpha Pi/Minnesota
- Alpha Sigma/Oregon
- Alpha Phi/Alabama
- Alpha Psi/Maryland
- Beta Theta/Drexel
- Beta Nu/Case Western
- Beta Phi/Nevada
- Beta Omega/Susquehanna
- Gamma Phi/Nebraska Wesleyan
- Delta Beta/Georgia
- Epsilon Rho/Rider
- Eta Alpha/Clemson
- Eta Beta/Eastern Kentucky
- Eta Gamma/Morehead
- Eta Kappa/James Madison
- Eta Phi/Oakland
- Iota Beta/Missouri State
- Iota Eta/Pacific
- Iota Sigma/Towson
- Iota Tau/Northern Kentucky
2025/2026 Chapter Excellence Awards
Nine (9) additional chapters received Chapter Excellence Awards for demonstrating strong performance in specific areas of chapter operations:
- Delta/Troy, NY
- Psi/Wisconsin
- Gamma Rho/Florida State
- Delta Psi/Kansas
- Epsilon Theta/Tufts
- Zeta Rho/Kentucky
- Eta Delta/Babson
- Theta Kappa/Texas Tech
- Iota Theta/Central Florida
The Most Improved Chapter Award
The Most Improved Chapter Award recognizes the chapter that has made significant developments over the last year. Past recipients of this award have made tremendous improvements in membership size, scholarship programming, and chapter operations while living up to the words of The Creed and our Fraternity’s motto of extending the Helping Hand every day.
The 2025/2026 Most Improved Chapter is Eta Alpha/Clemson.
About Theta Chi:
Founded in 1856, Theta Chi Fraternity is a men’s collegiate fraternity with more than 215,000 initiated members and has established 246 chapters. Theta Chi’s mission is to develop college-age men into successful students, good citizens, lifelong brothers, and resolute leaders.