50 years strong: Celebrating the Legacy of Greek Life at MSU

Greek life at MSU has been a vibrant part of campus life for over 50 years, providing students with social opportunities, leadership development, service and philanthropic activities, academic support, and lifelong friendships. The positive impact of Greek life is evidenced by the countless alumni who have become successful leaders in their respective fields.

Several other Greek Organizations hosted 50th reunion celebrations at various locations. The reunions featured were partnerships with the MSU Alumni Association and included a fundraising campaign through the MSU Foundation. To learn more about fraternity and sorority life, visit moreheadstate.edu/student-life/activities

Band of Brothers

Founded in 1962 at then Morehead State College, the Aquila Club was a men’s social club with a goal of fostering fellowship, camaraderie and social service. In 1971, the club evolved into a chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, but this unique brotherhood never forgot their roots.

Robert Rasor (Class of 1968) and Andy Prefontaine (Class of 1971), the last president of the Aquila Club, rallied fellow brothers to raise funds to create the Aquila Club Scholarship Endowment. The Aquila Lounge in ADUC is named in honor of the group’s generosity.

Honoring founding members and 50+ years of sisterhood

Sue Bell Simpson, later known as “Ma” Simpson, led the efforts to create the Epsilon Theta chapter of Chi Omega ( CW) at MSU in 1969, making them among the first Greek organizations established on campus. Her daughter, Sally Balkcum (Class of 1969), became the first president.

Sue, along with other influential CW sisters, including longtime advisor, Mary Jo Netherton (Class of 1966), were honored at the chapter’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2019 with the establishment of the CW Founders Scholarship Endowment.

CW alumni raised over $50,000 for this special cause. In honor of this scholarship, MSU named Adron Doran University Center (ADUC) Conference Room 322 the “CW Founders Room.”

Delta Tau Delta celebrates 50th anniversary

Nearly 250 members of the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Delta Tau Delta (DTD) Fraternity at Morehead State University gathered on campus to commemorate the chapter’s 50th anniversary and celebrate their legacy with the establishment of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity Scholarship Endowment.

Empowering the next generation

Fifty years of sisterhood. This is the milestone that the Delta Omicron Chapter of Delta Gamma (DG ) celebrated at MSU recently. To honor and commemorate this occasion, the Morehead Alumnae Association of DG created the DG Book Scholarship Fund. Established with the hope of alleviating financial burdens of active collegiate members of the Delta Omicron Chapter, the scholarship will provide a book award to an active sister who is a sophomore, junior or senior.

The book award supports the guiding ideal of promoting educational interests and educates current and future sisters on the importance of giving back and putting philanthropy into action to support those interests. Here’s to fifty more years, DG.

Sisters serving sisters for 50 years

The Delta Tau chapter of Kappa Delta ( KD) has been a fixture at Morehead State University for more than 50 years. Celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2019, generations of sisters came back to campus to celebrate their legacy and reminisce. Reconnecting wasn’t the only way they honored this milestone occasion, however.

In 2017, sisters pledged their support to the Margaret Holt Duncan KD Endowment, a beloved sister who served the chapter at the highest level. The fund provides scholarship support to initiated members. To ensure its continuation for future generations, alumni grew the fund to a $50,000 endowment in honor of their 50th anniversary. A space inside ADUC was named The KD Room, honoring the chapter and the generosity of its sisters.

Support through sisterhood

The Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta ( GFB) was established on the campus of Morehead State University in 1991, when 41 charter members were initiated. Built upon the core values of love, labor, learning and loyalty, Epsilon Sigma has remained an active and involved organization at MSU ever since.

To honor their legacy of sisterhood at MSU, alumni created the GFB Sisterhood Scholarship in 2018. The scholarship is awarded each year to undergraduate or graduate members of the chapter with a minimum GPA of 3.2. The scholarship will continue to support active sisters and support GFB ’s mission of building confident women of character who celebrate sisterhood.

Leaving a legacy of leadership

For the Kentucky Zeta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon ( SFE ), it’s more than just a brotherhood. It’s a legacy of leadership and philanthropy, both within the chapter and campus. The brothers of Kentucky Zeta established the SFE Founders Award Endowment to provide a scholarship award to students at MSU, regardless of Greek affiliation and to recognize the chapter’s dedication to campus as a whole.

Through their commitment of $50,000, the endowment will live on in perpetuity and provide awards to new students each year. In addition to the scholarship award, donors also supported the naming of the SFE Lounge on the third floor of ADUC. The space provides a place to gather, study and nurture lifelong relationships as Eagles.

Strength through brotherhood

Though life after MSU may have taken them in many different directions, the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon ( TKE ) have held strong. Returning to campus often for Homecoming, they remain proud Eagles. Chartered in 1969, the Mu Sigma chapter recently celebrated their 50-year anniversary by establishing the $50,000 TKE –Mu Sigma Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment to a Mu Sigma chapter legacy or member in good standing. The TKE Meeting Room in ADUC was named to honor their generous contributions and legacy.