Alpha Lambda Delta earns outstanding chapter award

KALAMAZOO—Western Michigan University's chapter of the Alpha Lambda Delta national honor society has won another prestigious Maintaining the Flame Award, it was announced in July.

The award was presented to 12 ALD chapters around the country in recognition of their continued excellence in programming, communications and service during the 2012-13 academic year. It is a follow-up to the honor society's highest accolade, the Order of the Torch Award, and rewards exceptional chapters that are so successful they are ineligible to compete for the torch award.

Up to five chapters receive torch awards each year, but recipients must wait four years before they can compete for the honor again. The Maintaining the Flame Award goes to chapters that continue their excellent work during this ineligibility period. WMU won its last two torch awards in 2007 and 2011, and was among the 11 schools receiving flame awards last year.

This year, the chapter was guided by co-presidents Monica Smith and Blair Williams, both of whom graduated in April. Smith is from Royal Oak, Mich., and majored in advertising and promotion as well as in graphic and printing science. Williams is from Marshall, Mich., and majored in accountancy. Advising the chapter this year were two Lee Honors College staff members, Anthony Helms of Kalamazoo, academic advisor, and Sue Oole of Portage, Mich., retired director of academic advising.

The 11 other schools that received this year's Maintaining the Flame Award are: California University of Pennsylvania, Georgia State University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Liberty University, Morningside College, Otterbein University, Purdue University, and the universities of Connecticut, Maryland, Oklahoma and Texas-Austin.

Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society for students in their first year of college. The organization recognizes and encourages academic excellence, as well as challenges members to make meaningful contributions to society. WMU's chapter was founded in 1962 and focuses on students who are looking for opportunities to contribute to the local community by volunteering in service projects.

For more information, contact Anthony Helms at anthony.p.helms@wmich.edu or (269) 387-3233.