Small but Mighty: How 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Kappa Sigma is Making a Difference in 糖心Vlog传媒, Service, and Brotherhood
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock鈥檚 Theta Eta Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity is proving that size is no measure of success. With just over 20 active members, the fraternity has achieved remarkable growth over the past year. The chapter has earned national recognition for academic excellence, logging thousands of community service hours, and raising tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes.
Their efforts culminated this summer when Kappa Sigma received two national awards from the fraternity鈥檚 international headquarters: the Academic Excellence Award and the Silver Bowl Award, recognizing chapters that maintain a GPA higher than the all-men鈥檚 campus average for three consecutive years.
A Year of Record Growth
Under the leadership of President Ryan Gillenwater, a junior finance and real estate major from Little Rock, the chapter has experienced one of its most successful years in recent memory.
鈥淲e鈥檝e all worked really hard these past two years, especially on academics,鈥� Gillenwater said. 鈥淲e make sure every member stays on top of their classes. If someone falls behind, we create an action plan that includes study hours, tutoring, or pairing them with a study partner. We want to show that academics are just as important as leadership and service.鈥�
The results speak for themselves. Kappa Sigma鈥檚 chapter GPA rose from 2.9 to 3.2, now standing 20 percent higher than the all-men鈥檚 campus average. Beyond the classroom, the fraternity more than doubled its community service from 883 hours to over 2,000 in a single year. Members participated in cleanup projects along Coleman Creek, volunteered at community festivals, and assisted with events like the Paul Dunn Classic golf tournament, which raises funds for ALS research.
The chapter also raised nearly $17,000 for charitable causes during the 2024-25 academic year, which is a giant leap from just a few hundred dollars raised the previous year. Much of this success comes from the fraternity鈥檚 commitment to the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign, a nationwide initiative supporting veterans and first responders.
鈥淥ne of the organizations we support is Sons of the Flag, which helps revolutionize burn care for veterans and first responders,鈥� Gillenwater explained. 鈥淲e take pride in making sure the money we raise goes directly toward helping people who have served.鈥�
The chapter鈥檚 spirit of service also thrives on collaboration. Members have partnered with groups like Keep Arkansas Beautiful, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Sustainability Club, and Delta Chi Fraternity to organize monthly volunteer projects.
鈥淲e just try to be better every year,鈥� Gillenwater said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about branching out, building partnerships, and making a positive impact both on campus and in the community.鈥�
Brotherhood that Builds Leaders
For Jeremy Laxton, the chapter鈥檚 advisor and a 2011 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduate who first joined Kappa Sigma in 2004, watching the fraternity鈥檚 growth has been deeply rewarding.
鈥淚 am so proud of the hard work our undergraduates have accomplished,鈥� Laxton said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e set high goals for themselves and are achieving them. Out of all eight Kappa Sigma chapters in Arkansas, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 is currently outperforming them overall.鈥�
Laxton, who served twice as chapter president and later as Interfraternity Council president, said the fraternity helped him develop leadership and organizational skills that continue to benefit him professionally. As the university鈥檚 undergraduate recruitment manager in the Office of Admissions, he now helps guide a new generation of Trojans; many of whom are discovering the same opportunities for personal growth that Kappa Sigma offers.
鈥淭he leadership experiences I gained through Kappa Sigma shaped who I am today,鈥� Laxton said. 鈥淚 see those same qualities in our current members. They鈥檝e brought new energy, accountability, and pride to the chapter.鈥�
Building for the Future
Today, Kappa Sigma boasts 21 active members and nearly 20 pledges in training. The fraternity鈥檚 momentum continues to build as it sets its sights on earning the Founder鈥檚 Award for Chapter Excellence, the highest honor a Kappa Sigma chapter can receive.
鈥淲e were just two points away from earning it last year,鈥� Gillenwater said. 鈥淚鈥檓 confident we鈥檒l get it this time. We tell ourselves that we鈥檙e always moving the goalpost. We鈥檙e always striving to be better than we were yesterday.鈥�
Beyond the accolades, the fraternity鈥檚 greatest accomplishment may be the lasting impact it has on its members.
鈥淜appa Sigma has taught me what it means to make an impact鈥攐n campus, in the community, and in life,鈥� Gillenwater said. 鈥淭he brotherhood here is phenomenal. You gain a support system, lifelong friends, and connections that last well beyond college.鈥�
For a small fraternity with big goals, Kappa Sigma鈥檚 story is a great example of what happens when dedication meets purpose.
鈥淲e may be small, but we鈥檙e proving every day that determination, leadership, and unity can make a huge difference,鈥� Laxton said.