Order of Omega honors outstanding greeks


By Danielle Rideau
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, April 29, 2005

Outstanding greeks were honored at Wednesday night's Greek Awards, hosted by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and the Order of Omega.

About 500 students from the greek community attended the 23rd annual Greek Awards to honor members for good work, said Kathy Adams Riester, assistant director of CSIL.

"The Greek Awards ... is a celebration of accomplishments in the greek community," Riester said.

Awards were given in community service, leadership development and social programming, and were given for individual accomplishments as well as chapter recognition, said Sara Birnbaum, Order of Omega vice president of recruitment.

Each chapter nominated students for the awards, and a panel of judges from all areas of campus voted on the winners, Birnbaum said.

Along with passing out awards, the Las Vegas-themed ceremony featured Lute Olson's wife, Christine, as the keynote speaker and a slideshow featuring pictures from throughout the year, said Megan Hammer, Order of Omega banquet co-chair.

Christine Olson, who is a Chi Omega and CEO of SW Jack Drilling Company, delivered a "motivational speech about over coming obstacles, and making the fraternity and sorority experience last a lifetime instead of just the four years of college," Riester said.

Jeff Hesser, a veterinary sciences senior from Phi Kappa Tau was surprised with the Shideler Award, an award given by the national fraternity to one graduating man in Phi Kappa Tau.

"Jeff competed with men across the country for this award," Riester said. "This honor makes the university nationally distinguished as well as bringing recognition to greek life."

The chapters that received the most awards were Chi Omega and Beta Theta Pi.