Sigma Kappa at UTC wins prestigious national award

Sigma Kappa at UTC was recently recognized as one of two chapters in the nation to achieve the highest ranking on the sorority’s Standards of Excellence. UTC’s Theta Phi chapter was awarded three stars for the highest level of achievement in academic performance, leadership, enhancement, skill development, and a variety of other aspects.

UTC students Tina Nguyen (left) and Kat Brewer (right) receive the Standards of Excellence Award from Cheri Morrell De Jong (center), National President of Sigma Kappa, at the organization’s national convention in Las Vegas.

“We are so ecstatic. It’s a huge honor for us and serves as a culmination for our entire school year,” Kat Brewer, a senior from Clarksville, Tennessee and president of Sigma Kappa at UTC, said.

To receive the award, the chapter had to exceed at the national organization’s set of standards. High performance in areas such as membership, financial management, philanthropy, scholarship, recruitment, leadership, alumnae relations, and campus involvement earned the chapter three stars.

According to Brewer, the meaning of the Sigma Kappa has changed for her since she joined the organization during her freshmen year.

“Over time, I’ve grown to appreciate the meaning of Sigma Kappa. Our chapter has 180 beautiful, talented, smart women who all have their own stories. Sometimes those stories are ones of heartbreak, sadness, or loss, but together, we can overcome them. That’s what sisterhood really means,” she said.

For Brewer, the award symbolizes not just a year’s worth of hard work, but also her admiration for her sisters.

“As president of the chapter, I tell my sisters all the time how proud I am, but it’s hard for them to see it. This award gives them a tangible thing. It says, ‘We have a lot to be proud of,’” she said.

Jennie Sumrell, UTC alumna and advisory board chairperson for Sigma Kappa, is also proud of the hard work from the chapter.

“I majored in education, so my passion is working with students. It’s been really powerful and meaningful to work with college-aged women and see them build strong character and leadership skills. It’s been rewarding to see the total transformations these young women go through,” she said.