Tau Kappa Epsilon - Iowa State University

5 I n July, we were ecstatic to receive Epsilon's ninth consecutive Top TKE Award, which brings the Chapter's total to 28. It's worth noting that this award came with much more difficulty than those in the past. Due to COVID-19, Iowa State University only had a few weeks of a spring semester before sending students home to complete their courses virtually. Epsilon prides itself on having a very effective plan for each semester, but as the rest of the world learned this year, there was no way to plan for a global pandemic. When students were sent home, the cabinet came together and quickly created a new plan for the spring semester. After countless hours of effort, we created a plan to operate entirely online. While it hardly compares to in-person interaction, we've conducted online Chapter meetings, hosted virtual brotherhood events, and had a successful online recruitment. Even with a global pandemic, Epsilon still had impressive statistics for the 2019-20 academic year. This fall, now that we are back on campus, Epsilon plans to hit the ground running and improve on these numbers. Epsilon has overcome countless obstacles since its founding—world wars, fires, and so much more. No matter the obstacle, the Chapter has remained stable. Following suit, in the midst of this pandemic, Epsilon is striving for excellence. Although conditions are very different, we are committed to advancing the TKE mission of better men for a better world. While it would have been easy to become pessimistic and give up during quarantine, we used the time away from Ames to reflect, brainstorm, and plan. This resulted in men returning to Iowa State with confidence that the Chapter will come out of COVID-19 better than ever and have a clear understanding of what it will take to be successful. It has also brought many men comfort in knowing that TKE is there to support them in uncertain times. Thanks to a talented executive team and a Chapter of wonderful men, Epsilon is due for a safe and productive semester. Yours in the Bond, Mason Ohnemus '17 E-2304 Chapter President (515) 238-9651 mohnemus@iastate.edu Undergraduate Fraters Fueled to Carry Over Success into Fall Semester EPSILON EARNS NINTH CONSECUTIVE TOP TKE AWARD Zach is an Ames, Iowa, native and graduated in May 2020 with a master's degree in business administration. As an undergraduate, he studied industrial engineering. Both inside and outside of Tau Kappa Epsilon, Zach wore numerous hats and was a prominent leader. Zach left a trail of excellence wherever he went and was an avid believer in perfecting "the little things." His most noteworthy positions included serving as the Interfraternity Council president, Epsilon's Prytanis, and as a member of the Collegiate Advisory Committee for TKE Headquarters. Outside of TKE, he was also very active in multiple clubs such as St. Jude's Up 'Til Dawn, Cardinal Key, and Fraternal Values Society. He helped Epsilon and the rest of the Greek community find success in new ways. Under his leadership, Epsilon won a Top TKE Award and the ISU IFC was declared the highest-performing council in the nation. Alongside his mission to improve existing operations, he helped lead multiple initiatives on mental health, responsible partying, and the modernization of fraternities. After graduation, Zach began working for Coca-Cola as a business intelligence analyst. Matthew hails from Burr Ridge, Illinois, and is senior studying industrial technology. Matt has held numerous positions within the Chapter and on campus and is well known for his philanthropic and collaboration efforts in the Greek community. A few notable positions that Matt has held are TKE philanthropy chairman, IFC VP of philanthropy, director of fundraising for Project Jamaica, and multiple positions within St. Jude's Up 'Til Dawn. No matter the role he is in, you can expect him to challenge the status quo. A few examples of this would be his term as TKE's philanthropy chairman. Matt created multiple new events and challenged men to reevaluate how they look at philanthropy. In his term, TKE raised an astounding $50,000 for philanthropic causes, resulting in TKE being the top fundraising fraternity at Iowa State. He also led an initiative to normalize cross-chapter and cross-council philanthropic events. As IFC VP of philanthropy, he is spreading his teachings to other fraternities so that they, too, can find success in their philanthropic efforts. After graduation, Matt hopes to find employment with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Zach Woodbeck '15 E-2239 and Matthew Kaczynski '16 E-2286 Named Top TKE Individuals E psilon was pleased to have Zach Woodbeck '15 E-2239 and Matthew Kaczynski '16 E-2286 selected as Top TKE Individuals. This award is given to 10 outstanding men in the fraternity each year and is one of the highest honors that an undergraduate member can receive. This honor is achieved by going above and beyond the call of duty as a TKE member

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