Two chapter members were among the national fraternity and Purdue Interfraternity Council’s top leaders for 2022 in awards given in the spring semester.
Grant Gottlieb, a sophomore in engineering from Carmel, Indiana, was recently honored as the national fraternity’s Ability Experience Chairman of the Year. He was also named the Purdue Interfraternity Council’s Philanthropist of the Year.
Andrew Eichmeier, a junior in political science from Valparaiso, Indiana, was named the Steven C. Beering Outstanding Chapter President and John Wooden Leader of the Year.
Two chapter members were recently named the national fraternity and Purdue Interfraternity Council’s top leaders for 2022.
Grant Gottlieb, a sophomore in engineering, was recently recognized as the national fraternity’s Ability Experience Chairman of the Year. He was also named the Purdue Interfraternity Council’s Philanthropist of the Year.
Andrew Eichmeier, a junior in political science, was honored as the Steven C. Beering Outstanding Chapter President and the John Wooden Leader of the Year at Purdue.
Gottlieb was selected for the IFC award among three finalists.
During the announcement at a Greek Awards gathering, he was credited with creating donation boards for the Ability Experience and managing “plenty opportunities for (chapter) volunteering” with two local agencies benefitting people with disabilities. During 2022, the chapter raised $29,000 in fund-raising through campus activities as well as with the Journey of Hope and Gear Up Florida.
“Our chapter has a really strong history of its commitment to philanthropy, so I was glad to be able to uphold that tradition of excellence,” he said. “The guys really supported our efforts through assisting with the bike-a-thons, volunteer relationships and other programs. I was proud to be help lead the Ability Experience efforts and the local programming.”
He said the chapter’s community outreach “was a considerable factor” in joining Pi Kappa Phi. He had worked with Special Olympics and Best Buddies in his hometown of Carmel, Indiana.
When Eichmeier was introduced as the President of the Year recipient, Tania Pliego Torres, program coordinator for Purdue’s Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life office, lauded his positive changes in the chapter.
“He also consistently pushed for the chapter to continue improving its philanthropy efforts, campus involvement and academics,” she said.
Eichmeier was also selected from among three finalists for the Wooden Leadership Award as well.
“This year’s winner was instrumental in addressing Power-Based Personal Violence awareness … and worked to support the Panhellenic Council’s Respect Resolution.” He supported IFC’s collaboration with the Purple Thursday Initiative.”
Those programs are intended to build domestic violence awareness and to prevent sexual assaults.
He was one of three Omega chapter members on the 2022 Gear Up Florida as well.
Eichmeier served as chapter president for the calendar year 2022 – the first “normal” year post-Covid.
“Throughout the year I tried hard to fulfill leadership roles and was representing the chapter on campus,” he said. “I was fortunate to have the support system that I did from my family and guys who served on chapter exec council so I don’t think it’s as much as an individual award, but what we accomplished as a team.”
He knew coming from Valparaiso, Indiana, he wanted to be in a fraternity and did his research to learn about Purdue’s top chapters. A friend of his sister knew a Pi Kapp and he learned about the chapter that way.
“Joining Pi Kappa Phi allowed me to make more out of my college experience,” he said.
