Christina Covington is the National President of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She was nominated by one of her sisters for this award because she was instrumental in changing AST’s hazing prevention processes from reactionary to preventative with dramatic decreases in reported hazing incidents as a result. Chris worked to establish her organization as a founding member of the Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE) and to widely distribute this reporting number throughout the sorority’s publications, including a revised new member handbook. She also helped develop a more encompassing hazing prevention policy, and convinced her organization to become a sponsor of National Hazing Prevention Week sending out an emailed educational message as well. She has vastly increased awareness and education about hazing within the organization including stakeholders, and found funding to share three different media-related educational programs with members. “Collectively, these efforts demonstrate Chris’ unrelenting passion to eradicate hazing from the sorority, and demonstrate our values and behavior by example to our Greek colleagues,” said her nominator.

As Bill Gibson prepares to graduate from the University of Montana, he leaves knowing his chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity is in a better place than when he pledged.  During his term as chapter president, Bill realized that he and his chapter could no longer tolerate nor condone the hazing practices that had become a chapter “tradition.”  With assistance from the national organization, Bill helped to develop a candidate program based on the Fraternity’s values, rooted in the organization’s LEAD program and one that incorporated strategic planning and constructive team building.  Bill endured threats and overcame much adversity to set the chapter on the “right track.”  While Bill acknowledges that the nomination for this award was for him personally, he said, “This award is really for the chapter, as a whole, for doing the hard work to make these changes.” Bill is indeed an Anti-Hazing Hero, and deserves thanks and congratulations for his leadership, perseverance and true understanding of the values and foundations of fraternal organizations.

Daniel Kim has served in many leadership roles at Cal Poly, but demonstrated perhaps his strongest leadership in a role that doesn’t often have a great deal of visibility – as Associate Member Counselor for his fraternity, Delta Chi. As one of only a few members who saw hazing as detrimental, he tried many different approaches to bring the practice to an end, eventually succeeding in ending the long-standing tradition in his chapter through an impassioned speech that presented facts and pros and cons of hazing. “I have learned that change comes gradually,” he said. “Especially when dealing with issues that are deeply rooted in a chapter’s history and tradition. I have had plenty of struggles of whether being involved was what I wanted, but realized that if I simply quit, there would be no one to fight for what was truly right.”

Jacob Lopez initially left his fraternity due to hazing, but returned to make great change.  As the current chapter President for TKE at Cal Poly, Jacob’s road to this position has required courage.  After being hazed as a new member, and arguing for change, Jacob stood up at a chapter meeting and announced his resignation from the fraternity. After much pleading from his closest friends, he agreed to come back if no hazing would ever take place.  Because the chapter had recently been reported for hazing, the New Member Educator position opened up and Jacob stepped in.  Within two weeks, he had created a whole new hazing-free program for the Fall 2007 class. Seeing the need for tradition, Jacob revamped the new member education program to include the old traditions without hazing, and despite much resistance and complaining from older chapter members, the fraternity has been able to maintain a non-hazing new member education program thanks to the insistence of Jacob and other members.

Wallace McKinney witnessed the hazing of a freshman by one of his brothers. This first-year student had accepted a bid, but hadn’t even begun the new member process yet when this incident occurred. Wallace stepped in and asked the brother to apologize, and then turned the brother in to Standards Board, where the leadership of the chapter removed him from the chapter and took his badge. Wallace’s chapter had been found responsible for hazing in the fall of 2007, and he was determined that it would not happen again.  As President of the Alabama Mu chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Auburn University, Wallace has changed the culture of his fraternity, said his nominator and Greek Advisor. “One may feel like an outsider and a minority in the group by going against the accepted norm and tradition,” McKinney said. “But standing up for what I believed in and doing the right thing was more important to me that my social perception among my peers. I think that what happened will only contribute to the betterment of our fraternity, and our brotherhood will continue down the right path.”

Andrew Righter currently the Vice President of Tau Kappa Epsilon at Cal Poly and is a past President of the chapter.  When the President of Andrew’s chapter was ousted after hazing allegations made by Adrian Herrera, a 2007 Anti-Hazing Hero, TKE needed a new President and Andrew stepped up. After only a couple of months of membership, Andrew assumed the role as President and was harassed often for being a 1st year President. Many people didn't feel that he was ready, but he proved them wrong. During his presidency, Andrew completely eliminated hazing from the chapter’s new member program and was the recipient of the Most Outstanding Greek President at Cal Poly. Andrew’s real passion is teaching the values of Tau Kappa Epsilon through new member and member development.  “I’m proud of the fact that I was able to make my Fraternity much better then when I joined.  I attribute much of my success in my Fraternity to Adrian Herrera and UIFI,” said Andrew.