The Order of Omega, a Greek leadership honors society, celebrated the achievements of sororities and fraternities with its fourth annual Golden Greek awards ceremony Monday.

This ceremony highlighted the Greek chapters at NIU for their achievements in categories like Chapter of the Year, Highest GPA Received by Chapter, Best New Member Education and Best Internal and External Operation. Individual awards, like Greek Woman of the Year and Greek Man of the Year, were distributed to chapter members who excelled in brotherhood and sisterhood.

Katie Reporto, senior corporate communications major and president of the Order of Omega, said the awards were based on leadership, involvement and scholarship in the community.

“We recognize the top 3 percent of leaders from the entire Greek community,” Reporto said.

All chapters within sorority and fraternity life were invited to the night’s event.

“Every single chapter in fraternity life and sorority life at NIU has to complete a chapter success plan, which evaluates how well our chapters are doing on campus, from programming scholarship community service housing,” said Helen Mellas, graduate student for the United Greek Council and member of the Order of Omega.

The chapter success plans outline standards fraternities and sororities strive for. They are based on information the chapters receive through their internal operations, such as running the chapter, philanthropies and their contact with alumni and the community.

The awards were based on the success of each chapter and council during 2013. Members of each chapter could apply for special awards based off of their individual accomplishments over the past year.

Chapter of the Year was awarded to a fraternity or sorority in each of the four councils: Panhallenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and United Greek Council.

David Goings, Sigma Alpha Mu member, was awarded Greek Man of the Year.

Susie Richard, senior political science major and Sigma Kappa member, was awarded Greek Woman of the Year. Her sorority participates in philanthropy that concentrates on Alzheimer’s disease. Richard attended the Alzheimer’s Walk in Chicago and her chapter also held Kiss the Cook, a barbecue to raise money for Sigma Kappa’s philanthropies.

“I would just like to thank the members of my chapter,” Richard said. “It’s just really exciting to receive this award, and I couldn’t have done it without them.”

The awards ceremony officially kicked off Greek Week, which is held between the last week of March and the first week of April. There will be community service events, athletic events such as Tugs and other philanthropy events throughout the rest of the week.