Members of UNK’s Delta Tau Delta fraternity are pictured during the Region 12 Emerge leadership conference in Lawrence, Kansas. (Courtesy photo)
KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Delta Tau Delta fraternity has been recognized as the No. 1 chapter in the nation.
UNK’s Theta Kappa Chapter received both the Court of Honor and Hugh Shields Award for Chapter Excellence during last month’s Delta Tau Delta Region 12 Emerge leadership conference in Lawrence, Kansas. The Hugh Shields Award recognizes the top 10 chapters, with UNK ranking first among the nearly 130 Delta Tau Delta chapters nationwide.
Originally chartered at UNK in 1993, the Theta Kappa Chapter has received that honor a total of seven times, including a first-place national ranking in 2023, second place in 2024 and third place in 2025. The chapter has received the Court of Honor distinction 14 times, recognizing placement among the top 20 chapters nationally.
Both awards signify excellence in academic achievement, chapter operations, honorable conduct, campus involvement, membership recruitment, financial integrity and member development.
Delta Tau Delta was also honored during last month’s Fraternity and Sorority Life Scholarship Night at UNK. The chapter received the William R. Nester Cup presented to the UNK fraternity with the highest average GPA. Theta Kappa has earned that distinction eight times in the past 10 semesters and, for the first time, recorded the highest GPA among all fraternities and sororities at UNK for the fall semester with a 3.726 chapter average.
UNK students Dylan Pfeifer and Van Fasbender of Central City, Alex Abels of Kearney, Zane Zoucha of Malcolm, Caden Steel of Hickman, Caden Jameson of Kenesaw, Carter Moss of Plattsmouth and Prestyn Long of Hastings attended the Region 12 Emerge conference, which focuses on leadership training and executive board development.
Other schools represented at the event include the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Kansas, Baker University, University of Missouri, Westminster College, Missouri University of Science and Technology and Lindenwood University.
