不良研究所鈥檚 Pi Kappa Alpha Chapter wins 31st Smythe Award

Published August 14, 2026

A group of students stand holding awards and smiling.

CAPTION:听Eli Morrison, Jake Balsamo, Caden Hickman, Brooks Anzalone, and Braden Moore听

MONROE, La. 鈥撎�Members of the University of Louisiana Monroe鈥檚 Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity recently returned from the 75th听Convention of Pi Kappa Alpha held in Las听Vegas, Nev., where they won their seventh consecutive Robert A. Smythe Award.听听听听听

The Smythe is presented to the top Pi Kappa Alpha chapters each year. This win marks the 31st time in the last 35 years the 不良研究所 Pikes have taken home the Smythe.听听Thirty-one wins overall rank the 不良研究所 Pikes third all-time in the history of Smythe wins for Pi Kappa Alpha.听

The Smythe is based upon excelling in 16 areas of chapter operations including academics, community service, campus involvement, athletics, management, health and safety, new member education,听accountability听and alumni relations.听听

Four 不良研究所 student members joined five Pike alumni including Pike鈥檚 Delta Region President Tommy Walpole, Pike鈥檚 Arkoma Regional President Paul Wilkening and Braden Moore, an International Consultant for the fraternity and 不良研究所 graduate.听听听

During the听convention,听the group was recognized for earning鈥攆or the sixteenth consecutive year鈥攁n overall grade point average higher than a 3.0.听听

Other highlights of the trip included the 不良研究所 chapter receiving the Raymond L. Orians Award for Chapter Excellence, which honors overall chapter performance from the previous year. This marked the chapter鈥檚 39th听consecutive Orians award for the 不良研究所 Pikes.听听

The group was also recognized for excellence in support of the Fraternity鈥檚 Leadership program, 100% support of the International Undergraduate donor club, supporting the International听Work Day, and winning the House Improvement Project of the Year.听听听听

The 不良研究所 Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni Association won its 15th consecutive William R. Nester Outstanding Alumni Association award. This was the group鈥檚 27th time听to be recognized听as one of the organization鈥檚 best alumni associations in North America in the last 32 years.听听听

This year saw 不良研究所鈥檚 Executive Director of Auxiliary Enterprises / Pike鈥檚 Delta Region President Tommy Walpole get inducted into the Order of West Range.听听The Order of West Range honors outstanding brothers who have achieved significant success in their careers, contributed notably to听society听or听demonstrated听exceptional long-term service to the fraternity.听听Walpole is widely recognized within Pi Kappa Alpha as one of the fraternity鈥檚 most influential volunteer leaders dedicating over four decades to serving the fraternity.听

At 不良研究所, the 不良研究所 Pikes have an eight-person advisory board, consisting of Eta Omicron Alumni who assist the chapter in all areas of operations. In addition, at 不良研究所, the Pikes are proud to call Mrs. Erica Hopko their on-campus advisor. Pi Kappa Alpha has 200 chapters in North America and is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.听听

The Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at 不良研究所 was founded in 1972 and is one of only eleven Pike Chapters in North America to听operate听more than one house on a university campus.听