Pharmacy Fraternity Ranked #1 in Province, #8 in Nation

Talk about rising up through the fraternal ranks…

The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy’s Kappa Psi Beta Phi chapter received three of the four awards at the fraternal organization’s recent Great Lakes Province assembly. There they were also recognized as the #1 chapter in the province, which included nine pharmacy schools chapters such as Ohio State University, the University of Kentucky and the largest pharmacy school in Ohio, at Ohio Northern University. 

It’s a recognition that comes on the heels of UC’s chapter being ranked among the top ten Kappa Psi chapters in the country at #8, up from #49 in 2013.

It’s the first time the chapter has ranked in the top ten since its charter in 1927, chapter leaders say.  
"We’ve always been a good chapter and been very active. We just happen to have a group of well-organized officers in place,” remarked faculty advisor Robert Cluxton, PhD.

Indeed, meticulous record keeping is at the core of accumulating and reporting the amount of points needed to earn a high ranking , says current regent, third –year PharmD candidate Megan Borchers. Points are used to rate the different collegiate chapters and chapters are awarded points based on work in community service, presence within their own colleges, the use of Kappa Psi rituals, communication skills to the other chapters and nationals through websites and newsletters, as well as rush and pledging processes.

"As a chapter of 72 brothers, we do a lot, but ensuring someone is tracking everything and everything that we are doing is helping us achieve recognition, helping the community, and ultimately producing great pharmacists can be quite challenging,” says Borchers.

This year, the brothers of Beta Phi were recognized by at the Great Lakes Province assembly for not only being #1 in the province based on the point system, but also for having the best collegiate chapter presentation during the assembly and their hard work to reduce hunger and promote nutrition within their community through a 2013-2014 philanthropy challenge.

"In order to jump the ranks so quickly, it took a commitment to understanding what we were being judged on and ensuring throughout the year the list of what we needed to get done was completed,” Borchers adds. 
But record keeping isn’t the only way that the chapter improved. There was the addition of a newsletter, the recognition of a member achievement through scholarship funds and the creation of a website.

And being a member of this student professional organization isn’t just about competition; it’s an opportunity to enhance education through leadership, communication, philanthropy, management and networking.