Founded in 2007, Kentucky Iota at the University of Louisville has ended the 2015-16 school year with serious momentum. At this spring’s Fraternity & Sorority Life Awards, the chapter was recognized for ranking 3rd overall among 15 IFC fraternities in Fall, Spring, and Cumulative (3.265) GPAs. The chapter also won Outstanding Risk Prevention & Accountability, while becoming the Outstanding Communication & Brand runner up (the top fraternity with this honor). All 32 Greek organizations on campus were competing for these awards, as there were no separate divisions. Additionally, Brother Blake Manion was runner up for Fraternity Man of the Year.

Kentucky Iota has also had members elected to some key positions on campus, most notably in student government. Michael Knopf will be serving as an Arts & Sciences Senator, Blake Manion will be serving as President of the School of Public Health & Information Sciences, as well as a SPHIS Senator, Ryan Buckman will be the SPHIS Treasurer, and Jacob Abrahamson is the new SGA Chief of Staff and the outgoing SGA Communications Director. Also, outgoing A&S Senator Vishnu Tirumala is transitioning into his new role as the Engage Lead Serve Board’s Operations Director, a branch of the student government, where he manages daily operations of ELSB and is responsible for planning and promoting community engagement opportunities for students. While a senator, Vishnu was the chair for the SGA Appropriations committee where he was responsible for a $1million budget.

Other noteworthy positions include Chair of the McConnell Scholars Program – Jacob Abrahamson, IFC Executive Board members – Blake Manion and Jacob Vittitow, IFC Recruitment Team Members – Devin Clark, Alex Kearns and Nick Croyle, RaiseRED Executive Board member – Blake Manion, and Habitat For Humanity Executive Board member – Devin Clark.

Two of the chapter’s crowning group achievements of the past year were winning intramural indoor soccer and the campus’ Fryberger Greek Sing Competition.

Perhaps one of the most impressive feats has been Kentucky Iota’s ability to transform their 18 man chapter, just 3 years earlier, into a chapter full of quality men that is just shy of the 72 man campus average. Not even to their 10-year founding celebration, these men are on the cusp of becoming a model chapter at the University of Louisville.

When asked about their recent success, President Erik Rieger said, “Over the last year, the brothers of Kentucky Iota have experienced a great deal of growth in many areas within the chapter. Rather than any one specific achievement from this past year, the thing I am most proud of is the attitude that the brothers display towards each other in our brotherhood and towards the goals we set as a chapter. I believe the success of this chapter has arisen from the desire and passion of every single brother to become the best chapter that we can be. When a set of men can come together with a drive towards a common goal, amazing things can happen. With the continuation of the attitude from this past year, we believe next year will be an even better year for us as a chapter, and we can’t wait to see what it will hold.”

Pictured with University of Louisville’s Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life, Allison Commings, are Brothers Blake Manion, Walter Stubblefield III, Austin Hendrix, Erik Rieger, Leonard Faul, and Seth Wyatt.