This article was published in the Fall 2015 Ag Review, Volume 34 – a publication produced by the William H. Darr College of Agriculture.

The Missouri State University chapter of Sigma Alpha, known across the nation as the Alpha Xi chapter, is the organization’s best chapter in the nation for the second year in a row.

During the National Sigma Alpha Convention held in St. Louis, Mo The Alpha Xi chapter received the Founder’s Cup, the highest honor a chapter can receive in the organization.

President Rebecca Tyler, senior environmental plant science/crop science major from Sweet Springs, Mo said, “Winning the Founder’s Cup is such an accomplishment. I have so much pride in this Sigma Alpha chapter. The effort we put into making the chapter what it is continues to increase every year since I’ve been a member.”

The Founder’s Cup is based off a point system for chapter activities, involvement, national event attendance, GPA and having required materials turned in on time.

Complimenting current members, Tyler said, “Members continue to get good grades and keep our average GPA high. They have also done a fabulous job coming up with events that get the School of Agriculture together, give back to the community and keep the sisterhood alive.”

Several chapter activites led to this honor. One even is Giving Thanks to Ag, an event held with the entire Darr School of Agriculture. Every club is asked to donate a dish to a potluck dinner. Each Sigma Alpha member supplies a dish as well. The chapter asks everyone attending the meal to donate $2 or two canned goods for Ozarks Food Harvest.

Also contributing to their success, members attended leadership conferences to develop their skills. Last February, nine members attended Joint Leadership Seminar with Alpha Gamma Rho in Fort Worth, Texas. In August 2014, six members attended the National Sigma Alpha Convention in Naples, Florida. This year three members attended the National Convention in St. Louis Missouri.

Former president Katelyn McCoy, graduate student in agricultural communications from Ozark, Mo, said, “Getting this award not only means we are the number one chapter in the country, but also instills pride and a high standard of success among our members.”