by Michael Still
The saying goes that three’s a crowd, but the Iowa State University chapter of Eta Kappa Nu isn’t complaining after receiving its third Outstanding Chapter Award in four years.
Eta Kappa Nu, the scholastic honor society for electrical and electronic engineers, gives the Outstanding Chapter Award annually to college chapters who demonstrate excellence in their activities and involvement. The Iowa State chapter, among this year’s recipients, also won the award in 2008-09 and 2010-11.
The award is based around an Annual Chapter Report, which each chapter drafts and submits to the Eta Kappa Nu parent organization. These lengthy packets include descriptions and documentation of all the events a chapter hosts throughout the academic year. The reports are collected and reviewed by a committee that determines which chapters deserve the title “outstanding.”
When it comes to judging criteria, quality trumps quantity. The committee looks for chapters whose activities improve professional development, raise instructional and institutional standards, encourage scholarship and creativity, and further the goals of the organization.
In total, Eta Kappa Nu recognized 24 chapters from different universities across the nation.