Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia chapter of the honorary band service fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi was named the top chapter in the nation for the two-year span 2003-2005.
Recognized as the best among 179 chapters, UGA’s chapter, Kappa Mu, received the award at the fraternity’s national convention in Lexington, Ky., in July.
The award, known as the “William A. Scroggs Founder’s Trophy,” is the highest honor that a chapter can receive and is only given to one chapter every two years.
Kappa Mu, only six years old, is one of the youngest chapters to ever receive the award, and is the first chapter from an SEC school to be selected for the distinction in 25 years.
“This is truly quite an honor for the brothers and for the UGA Bands and the Hugh Hodgson School of Music,” said John N. Culvahouse, UGA associate professor of music and interim director of bands.
Jordan Shaw, current president of Kappa Mu, said the chapter serves the UGA band program through leadership, service projects, logistical support, music and fun events held for the members.
Examples of Kappa Mu projects at UGA include: managing all aspects of uniform assignment, maintenance, and collection; hosting the freshman welcome mixer; serving as a logistics crew during the School of Music’s JanFest and MidFest events; providing back stage refreshments for concert band performers; hosting the now-annual Redcoat Band Banquet and honoring four-year members with a personalized gift; recognizing the directors at the end of the spring concert; and selling gameday CDs to football fans.
Kappa Mu also supports music in the community by large- and small-scale events. Recently, the fraternity brought “TubaChristmas” to Athens, developed a marching exhibition to be held this fall to help smaller high school marching band programs, and held a musicale open to the public.
Shaw said the brothers of the Kappa Mu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi excel academically.
“The chapter has an average GPA of 3.39,” he said. “The range of majors in the chapter covers nearly every school or college at UGA. Kappa Kappa Psi truly represents what a group of dedicated and bright students at the university can do when striving for a common goal.”
Kappa Mu will have 34 active members to begin the 2005 school year, but Shaw credits all 52 active members of the UGA chapter from the past two years for winning the national award.
