The halftime show of the San Diego State homecoming game featured the announcement of the winners of the Dean’s Trophy, presented to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Kappa Delta sorority.
The Dean’s Trophy is given to chapters that score highest on the Standards of Excellence, or “SOE” binder. President Matt Cecil describes SOE as “how a fraternity is ranked in the eyes of the school.” The binder contains ways for chapters to earn SOE points, which they need to remain in good standing with SDSU. Some activities are required, such as a certain number of community service hours and attendance at certain workshops.
Others offer opportunities for chapters to make up for missing points or to get ahead of other chapters. Fraternities and sororities aim to have guest speakers at meetings, set up a house philanthropy and earn the highest GPAs. At the end of the school year, the scholarship and SOE directors of the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association, Chris Catelli and Katie Hill, respectively, grade the binders from each house. The winner is announced on the field at the homecoming game the following year.
This is Sigma Phi Epsilon’s sixth straight time winning the Dean’s Trophy. Sigma Phi Epsilon’s president, Davin Heaton, credited his fraternity’s winning streak to the understanding that “continued success is never a given, and in order to achieve it (they) must continue to push the envelope and redefine what it means to truly defy the stereotype (of a fraternity).”
Phi Kappa Theta fraternity won the general homecoming competition for Greek members. The competition was one week long, including events such as a treasure hunt, golf cart decoration, blood drive and food drive. Alex Padua, coordinator of the homecoming competition team for Phi Kappa Theta, said, “Our house loves any opportunity to get involved and show the school Greeks are not just about partying.”
One tradition missing from the homecoming halftime show was the Greek Chariot Race, an exclusion many Greeks were unhappy about. School officials have promised they will bring back the popular event for next year’s homecoming.
—Compiled by Sean Guardian.
