Nominees for the 2009 Greek Awards Ceremony were treated like celebrities last night as they walked into the Lenhart Grand Ballroom on a red carpet lined with velvet ropes.

The ceremony, nicknamed “A Red Carpet Affair,” featured more than 25 categories ranging from Outstanding Chapter President Awards to the All-Sports Awards. More than 800 fraternity and sorority members attended the event, most of them dressed in snazzy suits and elegant dresses.

Last night’s awards ceremony was organized differently from previous years. Usually the winners are noted in the script that the hosts read, but this year only two people knew the winners ahead of time.

One of those people was Jessica Melita, graduate assistant of Greek Affairs.

“This is the first year we didn’t reveal the winners to anyone until the envelopes were opened,” Melita said. “It was exciting that the hosts [of the ceremony] didn’t even know who was going to win.”

In a major category, the Dr. Donald Binder Outstanding President Award, Shacorrah Crosby of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority took home the prize. Crosby became a double winner on the night, also receiving the Outstanding NPHC Greek Award.

“I contribute my success really to the whole chapter,” Crosby said. “When I’m feeling overwhelmed, they are always there to help me.”

The night became even more of a thriller for Crosby when her Delta Sigma Theta chapter won the 2008 Overall Chapter Excellence Award.

“I was almost in tears when we won,” Crosby said while holding her two plaques after the ceremony.

The other Overall Chapter Excellence Award went to the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity.

Some of last night’s winners included:

Individual Student Achievement

Florence Currier Award – Sarah Dariano of Alpha Phi Sorority

Werner Book Scholarship – Princess Crenshaw of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Mitch Weitzman Memorial Award – Kevin Beres of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity

Steven R. Hanna ‘ Kevin L. Ross Memorial Award – Patrick Grayshaw of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity

Timothy F. Smith Award – P.J. Jones of Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Zac Ankrom of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity

Order of Omega Outstanding Student Award – Brandi Freeman of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Reuben Rodriguez of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

New Member Achievement

Outstanding NPHC Neophyte Award – Brandi Freeman of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Joseph M. Firment IFC New Member of the Year Awards – Jake West of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity

Outstanding Panhellenic New Member – Nichole Ditzel of

Outstanding GIB New Member – Elizabeth Ousky of Alpha Phi Omega Co-Ed Service Fraternity

President Achievement

Dr. Ronald Binder Outstanding NPHC President – Shacorrah Crosby of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Thomas D. Hayn Outstanding IFC Chapter President – Dan Caldwell of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity

Outstanding Panhellenic Chapter President Award – Jackie Mattmuller of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority

Outstanding GIB Chapter President Award – Katie McKibben of Alpha Phi Omega Co-Ed Service Fraternity

Outstanding Greek Awards

Outstanding NPHC Greek Award – Shacorrah Crosby of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Outstanding IFC Greek – Nic Baldwin of Kappa Alpha Order

Outstanding Panhellenic Greek – Alexis Kollay of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority

Individual Advisor Achievement

Outstanding NPHC Grad Advisor Brandon Tucker of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

Outstanding Interfraternity Council Advisor – Tim Smith of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity

Diane Kremer Outstanding Panhellenic Chapter Advisor – Mary Ann Begley of Sigma Kappa Sorority

Outstanding GIB Advisor – Danny Bubrig of Alpha Phi Omega

Faculty Member of the Year – Dr. Tami Steveson, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Chapter Awards

Academic Achievement Award – Omega Phi Alpha Service Sorority, 3.27 overall GPA and Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, 2.97 overall GPA

Hollis A. Moore Community Service Award – Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, 72 hours per member and Pi Kappa Phi, 62 hours per member

Hollis A. Moore Philanthropy Award – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, $180 per member and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, $224 per member

Campus Involvement Award – Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, 100% average participation and Pi Kappa Alpha, 91% average participation

Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol (GAMMA) Award – Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

Philanthropy Cup Award – Kappa Delta Sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

All-Sports Award – Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

Overall Chapter Excellence Awards

Bronze Achievement – Alpha Phi Sorority, Delta Chi Fraternity, Delta Zeta Sorority, Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Phi Mu Sorority, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Sigma Nu Fraternity, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Silver Achievement – Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, Chi Omega Sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, Sigma Kappa Sorority

Gold Achievement – Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Kappa Delta Sorority

2008 Overall Chapter Excellence Award – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity