2020-2021 Top Scholarships & Named Scholarships Recipients

The TKE Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of our prestigious 2020-2021 named scholarships and continue our longstanding tradition of recognizing and rewarding academic excellence.

As active members of their chapters, universities and communities, these Tekes have excelled in their pursuit of academic excellence and represent some of the best and brightest young men in TKE Nation.

Please join us in congratulating our 2020-2021 Grand Chapter scholarship recipients. To make a gift supporting chapter and Grand Chapter scholarships, please visit TKE.org/Donate

2020-2021 TKE Foundation Top Scholarship Recipients

JOHN A. COURSON TOP SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Nick Pancheri
Alpha-Delta Colony
University of Idaho

“The reason I became a man of Tau Kappa Epsilon and the reasons I am a researcher are one and the same; I have a passion and conviction that I can improve the livelihood of people in the world around me. I never anticipated my time as a Teke would alter my research career, but today, I realize it has catalyzed my success as a biological engineer. My leadership role in founding the Alpha-Delta Colony has facilitated my growth into an adept intrapersonal communicator who can rapidly address problems as they arise. As a rising professional in a field where these skills are more valuable than gold, my Fraternity has given me an edge over my peers that has already manifested itself in the form of research fellowships, professional networking, and access to prestigious graduate programs. Exactly one year ago, I sat writing my application for the Tau Kappa Epsilon Grand Chapter Scholarships. I wrote that my experiences as a refounder “laid the foundation for achieving my career goals.” I was wrong. My Fraternity has not only laid the foundation for my professional success; it has built the frame, walls, and roof that will ensure it.”

GREG & CAY WOODSON LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP
Jon Brumley
Alpha-Delta Colony
University of Idaho

“Membership in Tau Kappa Epsilon has benefited me by helping me maintain a lot of friends. I met many of the men in our chapter during freshman year and do not believe that I would be as close to them today if we had not all joined TKE. Friends in college come and go, but when you all join the same thing, it is easy to stay in touch. In addition, I have learned a lot of life skills that will be beneficial in my career. Professional development is a big part of the college experience, and Tau Kappa Epsilon has helped contribute to that.”

LON JUSTICE SCHOLARSHIP
Nick Holaday
Epsilon
Iowa State University

“Leadership to me is primarily about listening. Leaders don’t have to be the smartest ones in the room. Leaders optimize the talents, efforts and personalities of those around them and turn them into something greater. Being two years older than most of my initiation class gives me the unique opportunity to learn as much as possible from them while hopefully representing the best of what a passionate and driven student can become. Every day, I walk back from the library, class, or engineering lab and begin the climb up Ash Avenue to the Tau Kappa Epsilon house. No matter if I struggled on a test, had a rocket deliverable fail, or am just having trouble in my personal life, I know there are dozens of men ready to welcome me with open arms and a smile on their faces. I joined TKE as a junior to find men I could learn from and grow with. I believe I bring a sense of calm in tense situations, push our men to be the beautiful messes they are, and just yearn to be the best man I can be for them. I am beyond privileged to be a Frater, and I look forward to giving back to this house after all of the love it has given me.”

GEORGE P. BUNDY SCHOLARSHIP
Aidan Looby
Theta-Lambda
Widener University

“It’s funny looking back because TKE was the very first organization I joined as a student at Widener University. I started to get active in the chapter, but little did I know how many doors TKE would open, both through the Fraternity and in my community. Since joining TKE, being IFC President, and participating in Alternative Spring Break, I have become so much more open-minded and carry a positive attitude wherever I go. I owe that to all the people who I have met along the way. If there is one thing I learned, it is that surrounding yourself with people who want the best for you can pull you out of dark places. I intend to continue this mentality for years to come.”

Honorable Mentions

CHARLES R. WALGREEN, JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Andrew Gauthier
Beta-Phi
Louisiana State University

“Since joining TKE in the beginning of my college career, I have formed unbreakable fraternal bonds with my fellow brothers. There have been countless times that I have relied on my fellow brothers in my time of need, and they have always been there for me and helped me get through whatever adversity I have faced, be it a death of a loved one or something as simple as calming me down before a huge exam. TKE has shown me that in unison with like-minded people, anything can be accomplished and that a team is always stronger than an individual. I have learned that the most powerful and crucial friends are those who are so close to you that you can refer to them as brothers. Whenever I am in my career, I know that I will always lean back on the values instilled in me as a Teke.”

CHARLES R. WALGREEN, JR. LEADERSHIP AWARD
John Pruden
Xi-Tau
Lyon College

“Before I joined TKE, I had no sense of guidance. I was an incredibly anxious, ambitious, and scared freshman. I knew that I wanted to have a successful career, but even wanting to go to college was a big change in my mindset, so I had no clue where to go after orientation was over. I came to TKE looking for guidance and self-betterment. After becoming a brother, I felt a sense of purpose and comradery; I was with a group of guys who all believed in self-betterment, yet I still didn’t have a sense of internal guidance. When you look at your life and identify what brings love, you get that inner sense of guidance not through external validation, but rather, through understanding yourself. I realized through TKE that I feel truly fulfilled when I’m helping other people. When we changed officers, I immediately requested to be put as the Philanthropy Chair. This new perspective provided by my philanthropy work has been invaluable, and I know that no matter what I do in my future, I will make sure that I am always helping someone. TKE gave me guidance when I was totally lost, brotherhood when I felt alone, and support when I needed it most. I will forever be grateful for that.”

RONALD REAGAN LEADERSHIP AWARD
Braeden Pugh
Alpha-Pi
George Washington University

“When I entered GW as a freshman, I was inadequately prepared for the social environment of a large university. Since I was young, I had struggled to make friends and frequently felt like an outcast in most social situations. When I joined TKE, I was exposed to a group of men who were very different than me yet determined to develop myself and my initiation class into the best versions of ourselves. There wasn’t an expectation that we would conform to some arbitrary norm – only that we would seek to authentically improve our character where it may have been lacking. The men in my chapter helped take me outside my comfort zone and pushed me to grow as an individual. They imbued in me a sense of responsibility and respect as well as a sense of confidence to allow me to put myself in a position to succeed. My chapter has also helped me become a leader. Leaders cannot lead without believing in themselves first, and my Fraters subtly pushed me to recognize my ability. Alpha-Pi saw that I had an ability, which I didn’t recognize, and they made sure that it came to the surface. Without TKE, those innate abilities may have gone undeveloped, and I wouldn’t have made the major strides during my collegiate years to set me up for future success.”

Named Scholarship Recipients

To make a gift supporting chapter and Grand Chapter scholarships, please visit TKE.org/Donate.