Winners of the Hyperochos Awards were welcomed to the stage with flashing spotlights, loud music and a red carpet.
The 2009 Hyperochos Awards was held Monday night in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center's Heritage Hall, and about 150 people attended. The ceremony was meant to honor and recognize achievements of individual fraternity and sorority members and fraternity and sorority chapters of the four greek councils made during 2008.
Awards were given in categories including Outstanding New Member Awards and Chapter of the Year Awards.
Individuals and chapters were able to nominate people for the awards and the executive officers of the four councils decided on the winners, said Cordero Thompson, the National Pan-Hellenic Council president.
Thompson said the awards show that greeks are about more than partying and are leaders in the Penn State community.
"Everybody who won an award is truly deserved," Thompson said. "I'm very proud of greeks right now, I think they all deserve a round of applause for their contributions to the Penn State community."
Delta Delta Delta sorority was the recipient of the Panhellenic Council's Chapter of the Year Award and the President's Award for Organizational Excellence.
The President's Award was chosen from the four Chapter of the Year winners.
Deena Berger, the sorority's president, said it was "a wonderful honor" and gave credit to the previous president.
"This is my first semester as president," Berger said. "I have to give most of the credit to the previous president. I just followed in her footsteps. She laid out the path for me."
Delta Zeta sorority was recognized many times throughout the evening. It was awarded the Sorority Unsung Hero Award, the Diversity Programming Award, the Sorority Chapter Advisor Award, Sorority Woman of the Year Award, Most Improved Sorority Chapter Award and was recognized as one of the Chapters of Excellence.
"I'm so excited we won so many awards. We couldn't have done it without all the contributions of the members and their dedication to our sorority," Frances Kuhne, the sorority's president said.
Although normally talkative, Anthony Estes said he was at a loss for words after winning the Fraternity Man of the Year Award and the Living the Ritual Award.
"It's an honor and a privilege to be recognized on campus for something positive," said Estes, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity president
