FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Alpha Chapter of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women at the University of Arkansas recently received the fraternity’s highest and most prestigious honor, the Balfour Cup, for the third year in a row at the fraternity’s 67^th biennial convention held in Grapevine, Texas.

“Words cannot express how proud I am of our chapter for winning this prestigious award three years in a row,” said Rachel Hope, chapter president. “It is so exciting to be a part of a group of women who have such a strong legacy of excellence.”

The Balfour Cup was introduced in 1921 and is based on an evaluation of the chapter’s organizational knowledge, good citizenship, intellectual development and leadership development. This includes the chapter’s financial management, community service and philanthropic activities, scholarship, risk management and campus leadership. Of Pi Beta Phi’s 133 international chapters, the Arkansas Alpha Chapter was one of nine chapters ranked as Chapters of Excellence, a pool of chapters from which the Balfour Cup recipient is selected.

“Greek Life is truly pleased with Pi Beta Phi’s achievements over the years. This is a tremendous honor we will forever cherish as we continue to actively engage and build exemplary Greek men and women for life,” said Parice Bowser, director of Greek Life.

 In addition to the Balfour Cup, the chapter also received other international awards and honorable mentions. The chapter won the Excellence in Pi Phi for Life and Senior Programming Award. The Arkansas Alpha Chapter was chartered at the University of Arkansas in 1909.

Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women was founded at Monmouth College in Illinois in 1867; today it has 133 active chapters and more than 350 alumnae groups in the United States and Canada. The fraternity’s partnership with First Book, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to giving children from low-income homes the opportunity to read and own books, solidifies Pi Beta Phi’s commitment to literacy. The fraternity promotes friendship, develops women of intellect and integrity, cultivates leadership potential and enriches the lives of members and their communities.