CSUSB’s Sigma Chi Chapter Earns Gold Peterson Award

The national Sigma Chi Foundation has selected Cal State San Bernardino’s Sigma Chi Iota Alpha chapter as one of only four Gold J. Dwight Peterson Significant Chapter Award winners in the United States. While CSUSB’s Iota Alpha chapter has earned the Peterson Significant Chapter Award in the past, this is the first time it has been recognized with the prestigious Gold Peterson Award. Only four chapters from more than 240 institutions around the nation received the honor at the annual Sigma Chi Balfour Leadership Training Workshop held at Purdue University. “I was amazed when I saw the name ‘California State University, San Bernardino’ flash across the screen when we were awarded the Gold Peterson,” said Jon Miller, the current president of CSUSB’s Sigma Chi Iota Alpha chapter. “This recognition was always something that seemed so out of reach for our chapter, but now we are more inspired and empowered than ever to start the academic year and continue recruiting quality leaders into our chapter.” The Peterson Award is the highest honor the national Sigma Chi Foundation bestows upon a college or university undergraduate chapter. A chapter earning a Gold Peterson is considered to be in the top 3 percent of all of the organization’s chapters in North America. This is the 10th time that CSUSB’s Iota Alpha Chapter of Sigma Chi has been honored with Peterson Significant Chapter Award and the fifth year in a row. “Our chapter is a group of young men who know our potential and together we push each other past our limits,” said Tony Ochoa, the 2012–2013 chapter president and current president of CSUSB’s Associated Students Inc. “Leading this group of ambitious young leaders this past year and receiving this type of recognition makes for a CSUSB memory I will cherish forever.” The Peterson Significant Chapter Award is presented to chapters that rank in the top 10 percent nationally for a combination of criteria, as outlined on each chapter’s annual report. Chapters that score between 90 and 96.99 percent on the score ascribed to their annual report qualify for the Peterson Award. Chapters achieving a score of 97 percent or higher qualify for the Gold Peterson Award. Named for 38th Grand Consul J. Dwight Peterson, the award recognizes excellent performance by chapters in all major areas of operation and programming. There is no minimum or maximum number of chapters that may win the award in any given year. Award criteria are assigned on an objective scale and encompass the entire gamut of chapter activities, from financial stability and recruitment, to chapter and member reputation, to Ritual and Initiation performance. Several members of CSUSB’s Iota Alpha Chapter attended the ceremonies at Purdue, including Jim Connell, B.S. marketing 1996, alumni adviser; Asher Kalef, B.A. finance and management 2011, alumni adviser; Alex Chavez; John Orta; Tony Ochoa, immediate past president; Michael Greenberg, Grand Consul, Sigma Chi International Fraternity; Owen Odigie; Juan Herrera, current vice president; Manny Hernandez, B.A. criminal justice 2004, alumni adviser; Ryan Bracken; and Jonathan (Jon) Miller, current president. Earlier this year, the Sigma Chi chapter received several campus awards, including the Greek Organization of the Year at CSUSB, as well as recognition from President Obama for its more than 1,000 hours of community service. The Iota Alpha Chapter was installed in 1987 as the 200th chapter of the international fraternity. The Sigma Chi Foundation sponsors the annual award and presents each winning chapter with a monetary contribution for its university’s counseling or tutoring program.