2 students awarded coveted Kappa Sigma scholarships
On Dec. 10, Patrick Armstrong sent a text message to his friend Andrew Wilson. Both men are members of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Austin Peay State University, and both men had applied to receive one of that organizations coveted scholarship-leadership awards.Only 42 named awards, worth $2,500 each, were given out nationally this year. The chances of one of them receiving the scholarship were slim considering the large number of applicants.
On Dec. 10, Patrick Armstrong sent a text message to his friend Andrew Wilson. Both men are members of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Austin Peay State University, and both men had applied to receive one of that organization's coveted scholarship-leadership awards.
Only 42 named awards, worth $2,500 each, were given out nationally this year. The chances of one of them receiving the scholarship were slim considering the large number of applicants.
But that morning, Armstrong, a senior communication major, received an e-mail telling him he was one of the few award recipients.
鈥淚 was shocked, it actually happened,鈥 he said.
The odds of someone else in their 24-member fraternity chapter receiving the award weren't good. Armstrong sent out a cautious text. Moments later, a message appeared on his phone. Wilson, a junior business major, was also one of the nationwide recipients.
鈥淚t's a big deal for a chapter our size to get two,鈥 Armstrong said.
Since 1948, the Kappa Sigma Scholarship-Leadership Awards Program has given out more than $4 million to student leaders. Fraternity members on campuses across the country apply during the fall semester, filling out an extensive form listing all their extracurricular activities.
鈥淚t takes into perspective everything you could possibly do as part of the college experience,鈥 Wilson said. 鈥淵ou get points from your GPA to scholarships received, community service, money raised, chapter involvement, intramurals and club sports.鈥
Both men are extremely involved in both their fraternity and the University. Wilson is the outgoing Interfraternity Council president, vice president of the council's external affairs, his fraternity's chapter vice president and its membership development vice president, a peer mentor, an orientation assistant and the president of the Future Alumni Members Association.
Armstrong is the editor-in-chief of The All State student newspaper and he was the first editor-in-chief of The Monocle yearbook. He also serves as the fraternity's community service chair, its scholarship chair, the grand scribe and has been involved with alumni relations.
The fraternity awarded around $300,000 this year through the Scholarship-Leadership Awards. Wilson and Armstrong expect to receive their $2,500, along with plaques denoting the award, sometime next month. -- Charles Booth