Howard Payne University’s Zeta Beta chapter of the national band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi was named winner of the D.O. Wiley Outstanding Chapter Award for the 2010-2011 school year.

In April, the group traveled to Norman, Okla., for the 2011 Southwest District Convention attended by active, alumni and life members of Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity and Tau Beta Sigma sorority. The Southwest District is comprised of schools throughout New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Twelve of those schools qualified for the award.

“Since the founding of our chapter in 1971, this is the first time our chapter has received this recognition,” said Stephen Sullivan, then-president of HPU’s chapter. “In addition to this, the chapter also received one of two spirit awards that are given to the two chapters at convention exhibiting the most spirit.”

Zeta Beta was also recently notified by the national council of Kappa Kappa Psi that the HPU chapter has been chosen as a Chapter Leadership Award recipient. This award was presented to only 18 out of more than 200 chapters in the nation. This recognition allows the chapter to compete for the William Scroggs Founder’s Trophy, the top chapter award for Kappa Kappa Psi. The award will be presented at the Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma National Convention, held July 19-24 in Colorado Springs, Colo.