Dikaia Awards 2023
by Jack Cote '24
by Jack Cote '24
February 25, 2023 | Syracuse, New York | www.dikaia.org
On February 25, 2023 the Dikaia Foundation awarded $24,000 in scholarship support to 33 members of the Delta Upsilon undergraduate chapter during ceremonies held on the SU campus. “We have an outstanding group of young men in our chapter who consistently demonstrate DU’s founding principles: promotion of friendship, development of character, diffusion of liberal culture and advancement of justice,” said Kevin Stein ’83, president of Dikaia Foundation. “We are delighted to honor these 33 men in our undergraduate chapter, and appreciate the continuing support of our alumni.” Funds used to support the scholarships come from contributions from the Syracuse DU alumni and parents.
Key awards presented include:
The Dikaia Scholar Award, presented to Jack Cote, '24. The award honors Jack’s outstanding undergraduate achievements. As a Dikaia Scholar, Jack represents Dikaia on campus and provides input to the Dikaia board on undergraduate matters.
The Jeff Ploshnick ’88 Friendship and Participation Award, presented to Dylan Greenhouse, '24, who exemplifies Jeff’s unyielding support of and participation in all facets of fraternity life.
Numerous other awards also bear the names of SU DU Chapter luminaries, including Herb Dean, M. Harold Dwyer, Jock Stratton, Dick Thorpe, and David Thorpe. The awards honor an array of accomplishments, including academic achievement, leadership, athletics, among others.
“The undergraduate chapter is extremely thankful for the recognition and opportunities created by the Dikaia Foundation” said undergraduate Chapter President Ethan Gunther '24. “The brothers who received awards have time and again demonstrated their dedication to this chapter and the pursuit of their educational goals.”
Also announced at the event and to be included in the 2023 Dikaia Awards, the Albert P. Stauderman Jr. Award in memory of Brother Stauderman ’58, a former Chapter President and Dikaia President, who passed away in February 2022.
A complete list of undergraduates who received awards is below:
|
Jared Aaronson '24
Nick Albanese '25 Brendan Berman '23 Corey Bruno '23 William Bulmer '23 Zach Byle '23 Chase Connolly 23 Jack Cote ' 24 Arren Cuyler '24 Geoffrey Goose '24 Ben Grainger '24 |
Tucker Gralewski '23
Nick Grande '24 Dylan Greenhouse '24 Ethan Gunther '24 Anthony Haak '24 Ben Harris '24 Zion Henriques '24 Matthew Holmes '25 Akshay Kapur '24 Cage Lasley '25 Jacob Leisawitz '24 |
Thomas Montfort '24
Jack Moochler '24 Robert Munch '25 Connor Pignatello '23 Nathan Starkey '25 Marco Tinetto '23 Leif Vassilovski '25 Riley Wall '24 Cole Weintraub '25 Aidan Zaicek '25 |
The Dikaia Foundation provides academic, merit, and needs-based scholarships in the name of these outstanding Delta Upsilon alumni along with 2023 Award Winners as follows:
The Herb Dean Scholar Award | Zach Byle, Riley Wall, Leif Vassilovski, Aidan Zaicek, Tucker Gralewski, Will Bulmer, Nick Grande, Corey Bruno
Named after Herb W. Dean ’39. Awarded in recognition of outstanding academic and personal achievement, with special consideration given to students in the School of Management and to applicants who have shown significant improvement in their grade point average (GPA) over the last year.
The M. Harold Dwyer Achievement Award | Jared Aaronson, Cole Weintraub, Nick Albanese, Akshay Kapur, Nathan Starkey, Matt Holmes, Ben Grainger, Jacob Leisawitz, Geoffrey Goose
Named after Harold “Pete” Dwyer ’32 who was the Founding President of Dikaia. Awarded in recognition of outstanding academic and personal achievement. Special consideration to new members for their outstanding leadership, accountability, and assimilation into the chapter.
The Jock Stratton Award | Cage Lasley, Ben Harris, Anthony Haak, Tom Montfort
Named after Hubert Charles “Jock” Stratton ‘26 who was a founder of Dikaia and was “alumnus of the year” in 1977. He was a member of the intercollegiate championship junior varsity crew team of 1923 and stroke of the 1926 SU varsity crew team. Awarded in recognition of outstanding leadership, with special consideration to members of a Syracuse University athletic team.
The Dick Thorpe Award | Marco Tinetto, Chase Connolly, Brendan Berman
Named after Dick Thorpe '64, who remained involved in the fraternity throughout his lifetime and inspired many DU alumni. He was the Chairman of the Task Force, which raised $325,000 to fund our return to campus in 2016. Awarded in recognition of a Brother who leads by example, puts Brotherhood above self, and stays involved in DU to the end of his undergraduate career. Special consideration to seniors that have lived the mission of Dikaia exhibiting leadership, kindness, generosity, and helpfulness when needed in the chapter.
The Jeff Ploshnick Friendship and Participation Award | Dylan Greenhouse
Awarded in honor of Jeff Ploshnick ‘88 to an undergraduate Brother who made the Brotherhood closer by constant participation in all things DU and promoting friendship. As an undergraduate, Jeff never missed a Chapter, Rush, Hash, Initiation, party, intramural match, or philanthropic event. As an alumni, Jeff was a member of the Chapter Advisory Board, attended all DU reunions, kept in touch with his classmates as well as older and younger brothers, and donated to every fundraising and scholarship campaign. Jeff made fast and permanent friends. He gave you his undivided attention and took a genuine interest in others, always before himself. Every time you talked to Jeff, you got a little tighter, and the Brotherhood did too.
The scholarship was awarded to an individual who is an active member of the fraternity and exemplified all of the characteristics and ethics at the core of who Jeff was.
Raymond Ranellucci Emerging Leader Scholarship | Jack Moochler
Raymond Ranellucci ’88 was a fun-loving, quick-witted, enthusiastic Brother, who could rally the Brotherhood like no other and make things happen in the House. The turning point of our 2016 Comeback to Syracuse was the Ray Event in New York City on October 30, 2015. On this date, over 100 alumni Brothers gathered at O’Flanagans to remember Ray and fully fund his scholarship. The Comeback needed a shot in the arm and it got that and more from Ray and his Event. At one point during the Ray Event, 100+ guys were chanting Ray’s name and the walls began to move – more sway – just like they did in the 711 Comstock Chapter Room when the Brotherhood belted out Two Rivers back in the day. After the Ray Event, the Brothers were back together again, ready to finish off our Comeback as a Brotherhood. Without remembering Ray, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Ray’s scholarship winner has a number of his traits and definitely be a positive force in the Brotherhood and with great leadership potential.
The money raised in NYC covers the registration costs for a deserving undergraduate brother to attend the prestigious Delta Upsilon Emerging Leaders Experience (DUEL) at Williams College. In addition, an annual scholarship will be awarded to the Brother who will attend DUEL to cover travel costs.
The David A. Thorpe Class of 1964 Leadership Scholarship | Robert Munch, Ethan Gunther, Arren Cuyler, Zion Henriques
Dave Thorpe ’64 was a quiet leader in our old house at 426 Ostrom. In a group of Brothers, Dave would be in the middle, unassuming, calm and strong – kind of like the stitches holding the tight-knit band of Brothers together. If you were in a bind, Dave would be the guy to help you out of it. Patriotic to the core, Dave was Air Force ROTC and in the first group of airmen deployed to Vietnam. Air Force 1st Lt. David A. Thorpe never made it back. Dave's C-130E Hercules, with five men aboard, including Dave as Navigator, failed to arrive at Nha Trang Air Base following its departure from Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. The cause of the crash is unknown. The incident file is blacklined – all we really know is the mission was top secret. Dave was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart for his last mission. Dave's remains weren’t identified until 2011. That year, more than 47 years after Dave last hung out with the guys on the porch at 426 Ostrom, eight of Dave's Syracuse DU Brothers attended his service at Arlington Cemetery. Brotherhood really is forever. Dave’s winner has a number of his traits and exemplary leadership.
The Herb Dean Scholar Award | Zach Byle, Riley Wall, Leif Vassilovski, Aidan Zaicek, Tucker Gralewski, Will Bulmer, Nick Grande, Corey Bruno
Named after Herb W. Dean ’39. Awarded in recognition of outstanding academic and personal achievement, with special consideration given to students in the School of Management and to applicants who have shown significant improvement in their grade point average (GPA) over the last year.
The M. Harold Dwyer Achievement Award | Jared Aaronson, Cole Weintraub, Nick Albanese, Akshay Kapur, Nathan Starkey, Matt Holmes, Ben Grainger, Jacob Leisawitz, Geoffrey Goose
Named after Harold “Pete” Dwyer ’32 who was the Founding President of Dikaia. Awarded in recognition of outstanding academic and personal achievement. Special consideration to new members for their outstanding leadership, accountability, and assimilation into the chapter.
The Jock Stratton Award | Cage Lasley, Ben Harris, Anthony Haak, Tom Montfort
Named after Hubert Charles “Jock” Stratton ‘26 who was a founder of Dikaia and was “alumnus of the year” in 1977. He was a member of the intercollegiate championship junior varsity crew team of 1923 and stroke of the 1926 SU varsity crew team. Awarded in recognition of outstanding leadership, with special consideration to members of a Syracuse University athletic team.
The Dick Thorpe Award | Marco Tinetto, Chase Connolly, Brendan Berman
Named after Dick Thorpe '64, who remained involved in the fraternity throughout his lifetime and inspired many DU alumni. He was the Chairman of the Task Force, which raised $325,000 to fund our return to campus in 2016. Awarded in recognition of a Brother who leads by example, puts Brotherhood above self, and stays involved in DU to the end of his undergraduate career. Special consideration to seniors that have lived the mission of Dikaia exhibiting leadership, kindness, generosity, and helpfulness when needed in the chapter.
The Jeff Ploshnick Friendship and Participation Award | Dylan Greenhouse
Awarded in honor of Jeff Ploshnick ‘88 to an undergraduate Brother who made the Brotherhood closer by constant participation in all things DU and promoting friendship. As an undergraduate, Jeff never missed a Chapter, Rush, Hash, Initiation, party, intramural match, or philanthropic event. As an alumni, Jeff was a member of the Chapter Advisory Board, attended all DU reunions, kept in touch with his classmates as well as older and younger brothers, and donated to every fundraising and scholarship campaign. Jeff made fast and permanent friends. He gave you his undivided attention and took a genuine interest in others, always before himself. Every time you talked to Jeff, you got a little tighter, and the Brotherhood did too.
The scholarship was awarded to an individual who is an active member of the fraternity and exemplified all of the characteristics and ethics at the core of who Jeff was.
Raymond Ranellucci Emerging Leader Scholarship | Jack Moochler
Raymond Ranellucci ’88 was a fun-loving, quick-witted, enthusiastic Brother, who could rally the Brotherhood like no other and make things happen in the House. The turning point of our 2016 Comeback to Syracuse was the Ray Event in New York City on October 30, 2015. On this date, over 100 alumni Brothers gathered at O’Flanagans to remember Ray and fully fund his scholarship. The Comeback needed a shot in the arm and it got that and more from Ray and his Event. At one point during the Ray Event, 100+ guys were chanting Ray’s name and the walls began to move – more sway – just like they did in the 711 Comstock Chapter Room when the Brotherhood belted out Two Rivers back in the day. After the Ray Event, the Brothers were back together again, ready to finish off our Comeback as a Brotherhood. Without remembering Ray, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Ray’s scholarship winner has a number of his traits and definitely be a positive force in the Brotherhood and with great leadership potential.
The money raised in NYC covers the registration costs for a deserving undergraduate brother to attend the prestigious Delta Upsilon Emerging Leaders Experience (DUEL) at Williams College. In addition, an annual scholarship will be awarded to the Brother who will attend DUEL to cover travel costs.
The David A. Thorpe Class of 1964 Leadership Scholarship | Robert Munch, Ethan Gunther, Arren Cuyler, Zion Henriques
Dave Thorpe ’64 was a quiet leader in our old house at 426 Ostrom. In a group of Brothers, Dave would be in the middle, unassuming, calm and strong – kind of like the stitches holding the tight-knit band of Brothers together. If you were in a bind, Dave would be the guy to help you out of it. Patriotic to the core, Dave was Air Force ROTC and in the first group of airmen deployed to Vietnam. Air Force 1st Lt. David A. Thorpe never made it back. Dave's C-130E Hercules, with five men aboard, including Dave as Navigator, failed to arrive at Nha Trang Air Base following its departure from Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. The cause of the crash is unknown. The incident file is blacklined – all we really know is the mission was top secret. Dave was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart for his last mission. Dave's remains weren’t identified until 2011. That year, more than 47 years after Dave last hung out with the guys on the porch at 426 Ostrom, eight of Dave's Syracuse DU Brothers attended his service at Arlington Cemetery. Brotherhood really is forever. Dave’s winner has a number of his traits and exemplary leadership.