September 2011

To: Chapters

From: Liz Eberhart, Board of Trustees

Re: 2012 National Awards Packet and Binder

cc: The Grand Council, Conference Administrators, Conference Directors, Chapter Advisory

Board Liaisons, Traveling Educational Consultants, Chapter Advisors

Welcome back and Happy New Year!

Convention 2012 is under a year away and that means it is time for your chapter to begin the process of applying for National Awards. The National Awards Packet for Chapters has been developed to aid you in gathering necessary documentation for the Circle of Excellence and other National Awards. Please review the contents of the Awards Packet and begin to gather the needed documentation. The binder that contains your National Awards Packet is due to the National Office by April 30, 2012. The National Awards Packet for Chapters may be found on the National Website ( in the Members’ Only Section under the Resource tab, Chapter Officers and Chairman, National Awards Packet for Chapters.

The packet is developed around the Circle of Excellence award which encompasses the activities of a chapter for an entire biennium (August 2010 – April 2012.) The Circle of Excellence recognizes our most outstanding chapters in the Fraternity. As a chapter, you will be competing against yourself, not other chapters, to be recognized with this prestigious award. It is my sincere hope that many chapters will be recognized for achieving the criteria and be awarded the Circle of Excellence at National Convention in 2012.

Awards that require applications are included within the criteria of the Circle of Excellence. You may apply for individual awards without applying for the Circle of Excellence.

Many of the awards presented at Convention do not require an application. You may be wondering how your chapter can be considered for these awards. The key is to submit your required reports to the National Office. A list of awards and the criteria for the awards that do not require an application are included in this packet.

Here’s how to get started.

  • Form a committee of sisters to gather documentation and complete the application. Consider including past and present officers and sisters who are excellent writers.
  • Contact past and present officers/committee chairs to gather required information and reports.
  • Contact the National Office if you are unable to locate a required report that was submitted by your chapter earlier in the biennium.

April 30th will be here before you know it! Start your preparations now! Don’t delay!

Please feel free to me with any with questions you may have. I may be reached by phone at 630-910-1226 or via e-mail at I look forward to seeing you win an award at our Centennial Convention in Ann Arbor!

Enclosures: National Awards for Chapters