Awards

One of the most exciting parts of Convention is celebrating accomplishments of ZTA chapters and individual sisters for their hard work throughout the biennium.

Prior to 1930, the only awards given at Convention were scholarship medals. At Convention 1930 in French Lick, Indiana, the first Silver Award (a loving cup) was presented to the member with the highest GPA in the Fraternity. In 1939, the first major chapter Silver Award was presented, a sterling silver bowl called the Grand Chapter Award. It recognized the highest-achieving collegiate chapter in ZTA. Today, the Fraternity presents more than 50 awards at each Convention.

Individual Awards

  • Louise Kettler Helper Awards: Honor an alumna and a collegian whose service and achievements made notable contributions to the progress of the Fraternity and the fraternity/sorority world. Mrs. Helper was National President from 1937 to 1943 and helped guide ZTA as the U.S. joined World War II in 1941. During the war, she emphasized service to country above all else and directed our war efforts. She passed away in 1943 at just 43 years old. This award was first presented in 1946, the first Convention after WW II.
  • Chapters with residential housing may nominate candidates for the Nora Nell Hardy Jackson Outstanding House Director Award, which is based on management of staff and budget, care of the chapter facility and relationship with the chapter members. Since most House Directors are not sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha, this is the only Convention award a non-member is eligible to receive. The award is named for former National President and former ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation President Nora Nell Hardy Jackson after her retirement from the FHC in 2006.
  • Vivian Ulmer Smith Award: Honors members who have made the greatest contribution to increasing membership in the Fraternity during the biennium. This award was established by the Northern New Jersey Alumnae Chapter in 1958 in memory of Vivian Ulmer Smith.
  • Julia Marthaler Hill Award for Excellence in Housing Leadership: Created in 2022 to recognize the dedication required to sustain the quality of ZTA facilities and the proud tradition of ZTA’s leadership in fraternity/sorority housing. It was named after Julia Marthaler Hill, a former National President and former FHC President and longtime FHC board member. Mrs. Hill was also the first recipient of this award.
  • Honor Ring: The highest individual honor given by the Fraternity. To be considered for the Honor Ring, an alumna must accumulate at least 20 points as a volunteer and at least 10 of those points must be earned for service at the national level. This point system is outlined in the General Manual.
  • Outstanding Advisor Awards: Honor one advisor for each collegiate Area and one for a new chapter.
  • The FHC selects Outstanding Housing Advisor(s). Recipients are chosen for their outstanding service to the chapter facility and to the FHC.
  • Outstanding Alumnae Chapter Officer Award: Honors an alumna member who is an effective role model and is involved in ZTA and other community organizations. She is an excellent leader and mentor for others.
  • Loyalty & Commitment Award: Honors a sister who has never served on a board and continues to attend Convention as an alumna. This was previously called the Repeater Award.

Chapter Awards

  • Crown Chapter Awards: Annually recognize collegiate chapters that have attained a standard of excellence for the previous year. The alumnae award biannually recognizes alumnae chapters that have attained a standard of excellence each year of the biennium.
  • Helping Hands Awards: Recognize chapters and individuals that assisted the Fraternity or another chapter in some significant way during the year.
  • Academic Achievement Awards: Recognize collegiate chapters that attained Highly Commendable status (3.2 GPA or higher) and Commendable status (3.0 GPA or higher) for at least two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters during the biennium. The award is based on reports received since the preceding Convention. 
  • Quota/Total Awards: Annually recognize collegiate chapters that pledged Quota during Primary Recruitment and maintained maximum chapter Total each semester or quarter during the academic year.
  • Attendance Award: Recognizes the chapter that travels the most miles to Convention.
  • Founders Club: The ZTA Foundation’s recognition of chapters that donated $10,000 or more during the biennium.
  • Financial Improvement: Recognizes chapters that have made significant improvements in the area of finances.

Silver Awards

These top awards honor collegiate and alumnae chapters for outstanding achievement in leadership, service, academic success, programming and other areas.

Collegiate Silver Awards

  • Helen Margaret Harrison Award for Most Outstanding Chapter: The highest honor given to a collegiate chapter. It recognizes a consistently high level of excellence in every phase of chapter operations during the biennium. Mrs. Harrison served as National President from 1946 to 1954. Upon her retirement, she gave a silver tray to the Fraternity to honor the most outstanding chapter. The original tray was retired in 2016 and replaced with a new one.
  • Nelly Galloway Shearer Achievement Award for Second Most Outstanding Chapter: The second-highest honor given to a collegiate chapter. It recognizes a consistently high level of excellence in every phase of chapter operations during the biennium. The silver bowl was first presented at Convention 1988 when Mrs. Shearer retired after five terms as Secretary-Treasurer. She also served as National President from 1974 to 1978 and Fraternity Housing Corporation President from 1982 to 1984.
  • Merit Award - Third Most Outstanding Chapter: The third-highest honor given to a collegiate chapter. It recognizes a consistently high level of excellence in every phase of chapter operations during the biennium.
  • Zeta Tau Alpha Fourth Most Outstanding Chapter Award: The fourth-highest honor given to a collegiate chapter. It recognizes a consistently high level of excellence in every phase of chapter operations during the biennium.
  • Zeta Tau Alpha Fifth Most Outstanding Chapter Award: The fifth-highest honor given to a collegiate chapter. It recognizes a consistently high level of excellence in every phase of chapter operations during the biennium.
  • Anne Winnes Redmond Service Awards: Recognize collegiate chapters for service efforts. The awards are named in honor of Mrs. Redmond, who served as the Fraternity’s Service Chair for more than 50 years. This award will have three recipients based on chapter size.
  • Becky Hainsworth Kirwan Chapter Improvement Award: Recognizes a collegiate chapter that has shown the courage and commitment to improve and achieve success. It is named in honor of former National President Becky Hainsworth Kirwan who led the Fraternity from 1984-1988. Mrs. Kirwan also served as Foundation President from 1998 to 2018.
  • Martha C. Edens Best New Chapter Award: Recognizes the most outstanding new collegiate chapter operating under the supervision of the Extension Director. It was established by Beta Omicron Chapter (University of South Carolina) in recognition of its 50th anniversary and in honor of Martha C. Edens who served as National President from 1968-1974 and as Extension Director from 1974-1980 and again from 1984-1986. Ms. Edens also served as the President of the ZTA Foundation from 1990-1998.
  • Sherry Server Tilley Leadership Award: Recognizes the collegiate chapter that has developed or shown sustained excellence in leadership training by offering challenging and ongoing motivational training for its membership and recognizing outstanding leadership performance. It honors Sherry Server Tilley who served as National President from 1988-1992 and as the Foundation Vice President of Philanthropy from 1998-2022.
  • Vallera Clough Ross Panhellenic Award: Recognizes the collegiate chapter that excels in Panhellenic leadership and involvement on its campus. It honors former ZTA NPC Delegate Vallera Clough Ross who served from 1974 to 1980.
  • Alumnae-Collegiate Relations Award: Recognizes a collegiate chapter that has, through communication, joint activities, service projects, social gatherings and an emphasis on sisterhood, developed and/or maintained a strong commitment to connecting collegians and alumnae.
  • Collegiate Social Media Marketing Award: Presented to the collegiate chapter that has made the most outstanding contributions in the area of social media. 
  • Collegiate Chapter Programming Awards: Recognize outstanding achievements in collegiate chapter programming during the biennium.
  • Collegiate Recruitment Excellence Awards: Recognize exceptional recruitment results for both years of the biennium.
  • New Member Programming Award: Given to the chapter that not only meets the requirements of the new member program but also exhibits the spirit of involvement. National Council may name three recipients based on collegiate chapter size.
  • National Council Special Recognition Awards: Honor collegiate chapters that National Council wishes to recognize for outstanding contributions to the Fraternity. Areas of excellence for which the awards are given may vary at each Convention.
  • Golden Anniversary Academic Achievement Award: Honors the collegiate chapter with the highest academic average throughout the biennium.
  • Margaret Dunkle Hardy Academic Improvement Award: Given to the collegiate  chapter with the most improved academic average during the biennium. It was established in 1982 to honor former National President Nora Nell Hardy Jackson. The award was named for her mother, who served as the Fraternity’s Academic Achievement Chair for more than 20 years.

Alumnae Silver Awards

  • Betty McGehee Schuessler Awards: Recognizes an alumnae chapter with a nearby collegiate chapter that has achieved excellence in all areas of the alumnae experience. Mrs. Schuessler served as National Alumnae Director and Vice President Alumnae from 1964 to 1970. As the previous Public Relations Chair for the Fraternity, she worked extensively to engage alumnae chapters in making an impact in the community. She died unexpectedly in 1973, and the award was presented for the first time in 1974.
  • Nan Barkley Boettcher Awards: Recognizes the alumnae chapter without a nearby collegiate chapter that has excelled in all areas of the alumnae experience. The award was first given in 2000 in honor of Mrs. Boettcher, who served as Vice President Alumnae II from 1992 to 1994 and National President from 1994 to 1998. She focused on growing alumnae activities so the next phase of ZTA would be as exciting as the college years.
  • Alumnae Improvement Award: Recognizes the alumnae chapter that has shown the greatest commitment to improve and attain success.
  • Alumnae Programming Awards: Recognize outstanding achievements in alumnae chapter programming during the biennium.
  • Alumnae-Collegiate Relations Award: Recognizes the alumnae chapter that has, through communication, joint activities, service projects, recruitment support, social gatherings and emphasis on sisterhood, developed and/or maintained a strong commitment to connecting collegians and alumnae.
  • Alumnae Membership Awards: Recognize alumnae chapters that have achieved the greatest growth in membership during the biennium.
  • Alumnae Panhellenic Awards: Presented to alumnae chapters that have made the greatest contribution in the area of Panhellenic service.
  • Alumnae Public Relations Awards: Recognize alumnae chapters that have made the most outstanding contributions in the area of public relations.
  • Alumnae Service Awards: Recognize alumnae organizations that have made the most outstanding contributions in the area of service. National Council may name three recipients based on chapter size.
  • National Council Special Recognition Awards: Honor alumnae chapters that National Council wishes to recognize for outstanding contributions to the Fraternity. Areas of excellence for which the awards are given may vary at each Convention.