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Published August 22, 2024

CAPTION: (L- R) – International consultant Anthony Bachmayer, Parker Doak, Kyle Waguespack, Caden Hickman, Landon Trahan, Ethan Miller, Braden Moore, Caleb Medlin and Ben CrawfordÌý

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MONROE, LA – Members of the University of Louisiana Monroe’s Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity recently returned from their International Convention held in Oklahoma City, where they won their fifth consecutive Robert A. Smythe Award.ÌýÌý Ìý

The Smythe is presented to the top 10 percent of Pi Kappa Alpha chapters each year. This win marks the 29th time in the last 33 years the ÍøÆØÃÅ Pikes have taken home the Smythe.Ìý

The Smythe is based upon excelling in 16 areas of chapter operations including academics, community service, campus involvement, athletics, management, health and safety, new member education, accountability and alumni relations.Ìý

Eight ÍøÆØÃÅ students joined four Pike alumni including Pike’s Delta Region president Tommy Walpole and Pike’s Arkoma Regional President Paul Wilkening at the four-day event.Ìý

During the Convention the group was recognized for earning—for the fourteenth consecutive year—an overall grade point average higher than a 3.0.Ìý

Other highlights of the trip included the ÍøÆØÃÅ chapter receiving the Raymond L. Orians Award for Chapter Excellence, which honors overall chapter performance from the previous year. This marked the chapter’s 37th consecutive Orians award for the ÍøÆØÃÅ Pikes.Ìý

The group was also recognized for excellence in support of the Fraternity’s Leadership program, 100% support of the International Undergraduate donor club, excellence in Alumni relations, Community Service and the Pikes Social Media program was judged as the best in all of Pi Kappa Alpha.Ìý

Kyle Waguespack earned Gold status for attending his fifth Pike University Leadership event. Ìý

The ÍøÆØÃÅ Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni Association won its 13th consecutive William R. Nester Outstanding Alumni Association award. This was the group’s 25th time to be recognized as one of the organization’s best alumni associations in North America in the last 30 years.Ìý

Pi Kappa Alpha has 200 chapters in North America and is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.Ìý

The Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at ÍøÆØÃÅ was founded in 1972 and is one of only eleven Pike Chapters in North America to operate more than one house on a university campus.Ìý