Awards and Recognition
On Campus
2022 Greek Awards Banquet
Each year the University of Tulsa's Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services and the Office of Student Affairs host an All Greek Awards Banquet to recognize the achievements of the Greek Community and award chapters and individuals for outstanding achievement during the previous year.
In 2022 the Gamma Upsilon chapter of PIKE and its members took home several awards this year including:
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The Point of Excellence in Leadership: This is the highest award any chapter can receive from the University for campus leadership. This award is given to recognize a fraternity and a sorority for exemplary contributions as leaders in the TU community and the greater Tulsa community. ​
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The Circle of Excellence is the highest overall award any chapter can receive from the University. Sororities and fraternities are evaluated and awarded points in four different categories:
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Leadership & Character
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Scholarship
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Responsibility
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Philanthropy & Community Involvement.
This award was created in 2009 and PIKE has won 6 of the 12 years since (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018)
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In addition to the Point of Excellence in Leadership the chapter also garnered individual awards for 2020:
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Outstanding New Initiate: Ryan Danley
Outstanding Scholar (Business): Clay Moyer
Outstanding Sophomore: Jon Huff
Outstanding Campus Leader: DJ Lienhard
Greek Man of the Year: DJ Lienhard
Accepting the chapter's Circle of Excellence Award and Point of Excellence for Leadership and Character.
President Andy Ernst
In addition to the All Greek awards, PIKE has accumulated a number of other on campus awards and recognition over the years including:
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Top 10 Freshmen: Awarded annually to top ten freshman based on their achievements during the first year of their time at TU. (Clay Moyer, 2017-'18, DJ Lienhard, 2018-'19)
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Jess Choteau Outstanding Seniors: Awarded to top ten seniors on basis of academic, philanthropic, and leadership merit. (Matthew Wells, 2017-'18)
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The Medicine Wheel: TU's highest philanthropic honor (Won 3 times)
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Chi Omega Sing Champions: Winners of the annual instrumental and vocal competition (Won from 2017 - 2019)
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Overall Intramural Champions: Given to team that has accumulated the most points based off performance in all sports and competition over the year. (Won last 11 years in a row)
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DG Lipsync Champions: Winners of annual philanthropic dance competition. (Won from 2008 - 2014)
International Awards
Robert Adger Smythe Excellence Award
The Robert Adger Smythe Excellence Awards recognize overall chapter superiority and prominence. The chapters that win this award are top on their campus and the “best of the best” among all of Pi Kappa Alpha. This is the highest award that any chapter of the Fraternity can receive. The award is based upon excelling in 16 areas of operation, including: academics, community service, campus involvement, athletics, management, health and safety, new member education, and alumni relations.
The Gamma Upsilon Chapter's recent excellence has not gone unnoticed and has won the coveted Smythe Award 9 times.
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019
The chapter won its 9th after the very successful 2018-2019 school year at the 151st Convention in at the end of July.
The Robertson Award
The Robertson Award is given to one exemplary graduating senior PIKE every year along with a $2500 scholarship. The scholarship honors the memory of Brother Jenkins M. Robertson (Clemson, Eta Alpha ’71), who was a beloved advisor of Epsilon Chapter at Virginia Tech. Epsilon Chapter alumni generously funded this endowed scholarship in Brother Robertson’s memory. Today, a volunteer alumni committee selects each year’s recipient based off of academic achievements, chapter leadership, and community engagement among other criteria.
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Gamma Upsilon has had four recipients of this award in recent years:
Benjamin W. Quick, 2010: During his time at TU, Ben served as President of the Gamma Upsilon Chapter among other positions. Outside of PIKE he was involved with University Ambassadors, Presbyterian Leaders and Scholars, and created an organization with fellow PIKE, Ryan Staebell, called Students Acting on Poverty. He graduated with a degree in Biochemistry with a Pre-Medicine focus. He continued his education at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and graduated his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in June of 2018.
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Ben will be staying in the Kansas City area as an Internal Medicine Physician.
Caleb A. Lareau, 2015: While at Tulsa, Caleb served as Treasurer and several other positions within the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, Chief of Staff of our Student Association, and a volunteer focusing on bone marrow transplant recognition through a NOVA fellowship. He also gave a TEDx talk discussing sources of motivation as an athlete and scholar, which coincides with overcoming insecurities. Caleb graduated with dual majors in Mathematics and Biochemistry.
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Currently he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical and Biological Sciences at Harvard Medical School. His research on genome editing via CRISPR/Cas9 has been published in Forbes.
Matthew B. Wells, 2019: While at Tulsa, Matthew served as Internal Vice President, Recruitment Chairman, and several other positions within the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, President of Order of Omega, President and founder of TU Club Golf, an undergraduate research fellow, and a voluteer and active participant at the St. Philip Neri Catholic Newman Center. Matthew was also a Jess Choteau Outstanding Senior in 2018. Matthew has completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing his second degree in Spanish.
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Matthew S. King, 2020: While at Tulsa, Matthew served as Treasurer, President, and as a great example to all of us at the Gamma Upsilon Chapter. Matt also served as the President of the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society, the President and founder of TU Club Baseball, and as a University Ambassador. Matthew has completed his undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems with minors in Computer Science and Cyber Security and is now working as a Security Analyst in Tulsa.
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