AKL Blog

The Fraternity if Alpha Kappa Lambda is pleased to announce the 2009 award recipients of the Holmes Award and the Clarence E. Brehm Award. In making its decision the awards committee expressed the following:

“The quality of candidates for both awards this year made the decisions very difficult. It is clear that your Fraternity members are accomplishing a lot within their chapters and in their communities.”

Holmes Award

The Holmes Award, established in 1954 , is named in honor of Brothers Fred Gooding Holmes (Alpha `15) and Fred Weber Holmes (Alpha `38), both of whom lost their lives in a boating accident. Each chapter may nominate one senior member for this honor which is presented to the man considered by the judges to be the Fraternity’s “most outstanding undergraduate member”. This member must graduate or have graduated within the last academic year.

Kevin Uffelman, Beta Nu ‘05 (Virginia Commonwealth) is a man that has taken full opportunity in his membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda and in being a student at Virginia Commonwealth University. Brother Uffelman demonstrated his “Greek” leadership abilities serving as a member of his chapter’s executive board, as the Interfraternity Council President and as a National Executive Council Undergraduate Representative.

For the University he served as a Substance Abuse Committee Student Member, on the VCU Crew Team, and as a Student Ambassador. His involvement earned him recognition with by the Office of Student Activities with the University Leadership Award. Scholastically Brother Uffelman excelled earning a Bachelor of Arts in History. He spent three semesters on the Dean’s list graduating in December 2008.

An excerpt from his award application essay:

“Daily we are confronted by the temptations and difficulties of life. Through an examination of the Five Ideals of Alpha Kappa Lambda an understanding of the responsibilities is placed on an individual and how he may overcome the temptations and difficulties. “…”through membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda, a man learns that even through the most difficult times in life a guiding principle will always be there for him. A grander purpose is sometimes the necessary component of living a fulfilling life in which the man has a realization of his importance towards others, not only himself.”

Congratulations Brother Kevin Uffelman!

Clarence E. Brehm Award

This award was created in 1982 in honor of Clarence E. Brehm (Iota `32), a leader in the oil industry and loyal supporter of his chapter. It is presented to the individual collegiate member who has illustrated superior abilities in leadership. This award is based both on performance within the Fraternity and participation in campus activities.

Colin Emilius, Gamma Lambda ’07 (Temple University) currently serves as chapter president. Prior to assuming this role he has held other positions on the chapter’s Executive Board including Risk Management Chair and Fraternity Educator. He has embraced responsibility in his chapter since the day he pledged.

His leadership can be seen outside of Alpha Kappa Lambda too. He currently serves as the student liaison for the Temple University Alumni Association, Vice President of the Temple Greek Association, is a member of the Gamma Iota Sigma professional fraternity, and serves on the Student Center Advisory Board. He has also been inducted into the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and serves in the position of treasurer for that group.

The Program Coordinator for Greek Life at Temple University writes this about Brother Emilius, “Colin shows great vision and dedication to projects he takes on. He is a leader with character and vision who takes on leadership positions for the right reason, to serve and have an impact.”

Congratulations Brother Colin Emilius!

The Fraternity if Alpha Kappa Lambda is pleased to announce the 2009 award recipients of the Holmes Award and the Clarence E. Brehm Award. In making its decision the awards committee expressed the following:

“The quality of candidates for both awards this year made the decisions very difficult. It is clear that your Fraternity members are accomplishing a lot within their chapters and in their communities.”

Holmes Award

The Holmes Award, established in 1954 , is named in honor of Brothers Fred Gooding Holmes (Alpha `15) and Fred Weber Holmes (Alpha `38), both of whom lost their lives in a boating accident. Each chapter may nominate one senior member for this honor which is presented to the man considered by the judges to be the Fraternity’s “most outstanding undergraduate member”. This member must graduate or have graduated within the last academic year.

Kevin Uffelman, Beta Nu ‘05 (Virginia Commonwealth) is a man that has taken full opportunity in his membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda and in being a student at Virginia Commonwealth University. Brother Uffelman demonstrated his “Greek” leadership abilities serving as a member of his chapter’s executive board, as the Interfraternity Council President and as a National Executive Council Undergraduate Representative.

For the University he served as a Substance Abuse Committee Student Member, on the VCU Crew Team, and as a Student Ambassador. His involvement earned him recognition with by the Office of Student Activities with the University Leadership Award. Scholastically Brother Uffelman excelled earning a Bachelor of Arts in History. He spent three semesters on the Dean’s list graduating in December 2008.

An excerpt from his award application essay:

“Daily we are confronted by the temptations and difficulties of life. Through an examination of the Five Ideals of Alpha Kappa Lambda an understanding of the responsibilities is placed on an individual and how he may overcome the temptations and difficulties. “…”through membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda, a man learns that even through the most difficult times in life a guiding principle will always be there for him. A grander purpose is sometimes the necessary component of living a fulfilling life in which the man has a realization of his importance towards others, not only himself.”

Congratulations Brother Kevin Uffelman!

Clarence E. Brehm Award

This award was created in 1982 in honor of Clarence E. Brehm (Iota `32), a leader in the oil industry and loyal supporter of his chapter. It is presented to the individual collegiate member who has illustrated superior abilities in leadership. This award is based both on performance within the Fraternity and participation in campus activities.

Colin Emilius, Gamma Lambda ’07 (Temple University) currently serves as chapter president. Prior to assuming this role he has held other positions on the chapter’s Executive Board including Risk Management Chair and Fraternity Educator. He has embraced responsibility in his chapter since the day he pledged.

His leadership can be seen outside of Alpha Kappa Lambda too. He currently serves as the student liaison for the Temple University Alumni Association, Vice President of the Temple Greek Association, is a member of the Gamma Iota Sigma professional fraternity, and serves on the Student Center Advisory Board. He has also been inducted into the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and serves in the position of treasurer for that group.

The Program Coordinator for Greek Life at Temple University writes this about Brother Emilius, “Colin shows great vision and dedication to projects he takes on. He is a leader with character and vision who takes on leadership positions for the right reason, to serve and have an impact.”

Congratulations Brother Colin Emilius!

Jonathan Krueger, a member of our Lambda Chapter at Emporia State University received the North-American Intrerfraternity Conference Award of Distinction at a lunch in Washington DC on April 20, 2009.  Brother Krueger was one of five undergraduates from over 800 campuses chosen to receive this recognition.  The Undergraduate Award of Distinction seeks to recognize the fraternity man who has found in his experience an outlet for developing as both a leader and a better man.

Jonathan Krueger is one of four men that Lambda Chapter alumni recruited as a freshmen three years ago to restart their chapter. From the very beginning he took a leadership role with the colony as president for two years (now a chapter) and on campus. He is currently a junior with a 3.97 GPA. His list of accomplishments is impressive and to name a few includes student government, numerous leadership societies, involvement with the state of Kansas Higher Education Board and an internship in the state of Kansas Attorney General’s Office. He is truly a Man of Character Committed to Making a Difference.

It is important to point out that Jonathan is not alone in this recognition. He is a result of continued commitment from the Lambda Alumni as well as excellent support from his chapter brothers, many of whom I believe would be just as deserving of this recognition. Lambda Chapter is the first experiment with our “Book Scholarship Expansion” approach and is proof that it can work well. The chapter is currently one of the largest on campus, has the highest chapter GPA on campus, and produces leaders such as Jonathan. All of this in just 3 years.

Congratulations to Jonathan and to Lambda Chapter for this achievement!

In the 2007-08 academic year, the chapters and colonies of AKL
achieved the highest recruitment results in over 10 years. The
membership increase was up 20% compared to the year before. The fall
2007 results alone were 394 recruits.

This year is looking to
be as good, if not better. The fall 2008 totals are complete and AKL
brought in 395 recruits … one better than last year and, again, not
matched in at least a decade.

Our retention rates are currently at 85%, which is one of the highest among all 72 national fraternities in the U.S. and Canada.

Good job
to all of our chapters and colonies for growing our organization!