October 18, 2001

Contact: Scott Thomas, Theta Chi Fraternity, (317) 824-1881.

KU senior is first to win national award offered by Theta Chi fraternity

LAWRENCE -- A University of Kansas senior and Theta Chi social fraternity member became the first KU student to receive the Reginald E.F. Colley Award at Theta Chi's Chapter Leadership Conference at the University of Maryland this past summer.

Ryan Gerstner, a business administration student from Frankfort, was recognized for outstanding leadership in his chapter, the KU greek community and the Kansas area. He currently serves as the chapter president and helped his chapter grow from nine members to more than 85 members in the past three years. Gerstner was a runner-up for the Colley Award last year.

"The determination and creativity that Ryan has is exceptional,"Angie Carr, KU coordinator for greek programs said. "He gives 200 percent to everything he does. Ryan looks at something, thinks how it could be done better and then proceeds to work on that until the task is mastered."

The Colley Award is presented annually to an undergraduate member of Theta Chi in recognition of service to alma mater, fraternity and chapter. It is considered to be Theta Chi's version of undergraduate of the year.

Theta Chi fraternity is represented at 136 campuses across the United States and Canada with 6,000 undergraduate members.