[caption id="attachment_33679" align="alignleft" width="300"] From left are Southeast Phi Delts Sam Wright, Justin Tuschhoff, Mitchell Behke and Kaleb Arends; and Moe Stephens, Phi Delta Theta General Council treasurer.[/caption]

The award was presented at the 2019 Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute July 27-30 in Oxford, Ohio.The Founders Trophy was donated by Judge William R. Bayes, Ohio Wesleyan 01, in 1929 and is presented each year to an outstanding chapter.It really shows how much weve grown in such a short time and the work the guys put in before us, the alumni from the past and the precedence theyve set, said James Vance, chapter president and a Southeast senior from Valmeyer, Illinois.Vance credited former chapter president Elwood Voss for compiling a national awards packet that placed the chapter into nomination for the award. The field was narrowed to three finalists before the Phi Delta Theta National Headquarters selected Southeasts Missouri Zeta chapter as this years Founders Trophy recipient.The chapter has done really well that past year and they have certainly earned their recognition, said Dr. Bruce Skinner, associate vice president for student life at Southeast. The men of Phi Delta Theta look for ways to strengthen the people and communities around them, making our University better for everyone.Last year, Southeasts Missouri Zeta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta was honored with the international Phoenix Award for the most improved Phi Delta Theta Chapter.The award was presented at the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity Convention in San Antonio, Texas, in summer 2018.I am so proud of these young men for proving they are some of the best Phi Delta Theta has to offer, Jeff Davis, former Phi Delta Theta National Headquarters president and a Southeast Missouri State alumnus.