Ritter Awards

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life hosts an annual Fraternity & Sorority Life Ritter Awards Program that celebrates the accomplishments of our chapters and members. Below is a description of each award. Please visit Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Cowbell Connect portal for award applications. All awards will be available at the end of October of each year and due the following January. The annual awards banquet will be held at the end of January.

4 Areas: Member Development, Academic Excellence, Chapter Advancement, Member Wellness

Member Development Awards

Excellence in Leadership Award

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter for its overall leadership program for the award year. The committee is looking for a chapter, which has implemented a well, thought-out leadership program, which makes a meaningful impact on individuals or organizations throughout the year.

Excellence in Brotherhood/Sisterhood

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter that has provided extensive opportunities and forums for individual and collective membership development.

Excellence in Community Service

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter for its overall community service program for the award year. The committee is looking for a chapter, which has implemented a well, thought- out community service/philanthropic program, which makes a meaningful impact on individuals or organizations.

Best Program

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter for the best overall program or an event for the year. The committee is looking for a chapter, which has implemented a well thought-out program, which made a meaningful impact on chapter members.

Academic Excellence Awards

Excellence in Scholarship Award

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter for overall scholarship/academic program for the award year. The committee is looking for a chapter, which has implemented a well, thought- out scholarship/academic program, which makes a meaningful impact on individuals or organizations throughout the year.

Best Academic Program

Purpose: This award recognizes a chapter for academic programming or an event for the year. The committee is looking for a chapter, which has implemented a well thought-out academic program, which made a meaningful impact on chapter members.

Chapter Advancement Awards

Most Improved Chapter

Purpose: This award recognizes one chapter that has found a way to overcome obstacles to improve their chapter drastically in the areas of sisterhood/brotherhood, scholarship, leadership, and service. Other areas the selection committee will evaluate are recruitment/intake, membership development, retention, and public relations both on- campus and off-campus.

SOFE Award

Purpose: The SOFE chapter of the year award is awarded to the chapter with the highest points from the previous year.

Greek Collaboration Award

Purpose: This award recognizes chapters that have made strong and successful efforts to program with other Greek organizations throughout the year either within their own council or with chapter in other councils. The groups may be the sponsors or co-sponsors of a single event or program that enriched the Greek Community. Chapters involved in the event should complete one application together. Should the event win, both groups will be awarded.

Member Wellness Awards (Individual Awards)

New Member of the Year

Purpose: This award recognizes a member who is a new member of his/her organization. For this award, a new member is defined as someone who has been a member for less than one calendar year. This new member will be recognized for his/her outstanding leadership, service, and overall excellence to the Greek community during his/her first year as a Greek member. To be considered, applicants must complete the following application. Applications will be judged on merit, not the length of the application. One letter of recommendation from your chapter president and one letter from the officer responsible for new members, intake process, etc. must be submitted with the application. The recommendation form is located on the Award Submission page.

Sorority President of the Year

Purpose: These awards are given to individuals who represent Mississippi State University and the Greek community well through their quality leadership skills, enthusiasm for the university, and relentless determination to succeed.

Fraternity President of the Year

Advisor of the Year

Greek Hall of Fame