Zeta Beta, Howard Payne University’s chapter of the Kappa Kappa Psi national band fraternity, recently received the D.O. Wiley Award as the most outstanding chapter in the Southwest District. The HPU fraternity competed against chapters from New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma to receive the award.

According to the organization’s website, the award is given to the chapter that best exemplifies the ideals of the national fraternity. Zeta Beta also won the award in 2011.

“This is a huge accomplishment and I’m proud of the men and women in the group,” said Stephen Sullivan, Zeta Beta adviser and alumnus who serves as director of development and alumni relations for the university.

Active Zeta Beta members for the 2015-2016 academic year included Alex Atkinson, senior from Haslet; Kayla Chadwick, junior from Tulia; Ryan Contreras, senior from Early; Jarod Dowling, freshman from Grandview; Joshua Farquharson, May 2016 graduate from Iowa Park; Evan Fleming, senior from Goliad; Melanie Hammond, senior from Springtown; Brady Hardin, junior from Fort Worth; Angel Hernandez, senior from Brownwood; Hayden Jacobs, junior from Lytle; Nathan Lacy, junior from Early; David Lambert, senior from Brownwood; Holly Leatherman, junior from Tolar; Alex Lemus, sophomore from Ballinger; Robert Martinez, senior from Copperas Cove; Travis Moraga, junior from Little Elm; Jakob Morgan, junior from Blanket; Crystal Ochoa, sophomore from Early; Ray Palousek, sophomore from Holland; Grant Saltar, sophomore from Plano; Sky Schoolfield, junior from Aledo; Gavin Paul Stewart, senior from Flower Mound; and Aaron Walling, senior from Georgetown.

Pictured above:  Zeta Beta members are pictured with the award and Tippy, the group’s penguin mascot.