Clarksville, TN – At the awards banquet during the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference (SEIFC) Annual Leadership Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, Austin Peay State University student Aristeo S. “Ari” Ruiz was named SEIFC’s Gregory R. Singleton Fraternity Man of the Year.
“This award means a lot for me because it has given me a platform to say that we all need to reignite the purpose for fraternity and sorority life and go back to the basics – our values,” Ruiz said.
The award is named after Gregory R. Singleton, APSU associate vice president and dean of students.
Singleton served 18 years on the SEIFC Executive Board, six as executive director, and this award recognizes the undergraduate fraternity man in the Southeast who is a role model to his peers and consistently illustrates what it means to live with integrity and by the values of his fraternity.
“This award truly goes back to my incredible institution, and the top-tier opportunities that the Zeta Tau Chapter (APSU) of Kappa Alpha Order has opened for me as an undergraduate,” Ruiz said. “I chose to invest my time assisting other organizations and worked closely with the IFC council at APSU. Moreover, I strived for chances to develop members across of the nation through leadership conferences and programs, so we can continue advocating for the next generation of fraternal leaders, scholars and gentlemen.”
Ruiz has quite the list of leadership roles at Austin Peay, including the following:
- Student Organization Council President
- Executive Vice President of the Interfraternity Council
- SEIFC Vice President of Communications
- Residence Hall Director
- Recruitment Chair for Kappa Alpha Order
- Student Coordinator for the North-American Interfraternity Conference Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute
“Ari is one of the few students that I have had the opportunity to see grow and mature over the last four years,” Stephen Dominy, coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs at APSU, said. “He has become a confident leader who only strives to create innovative experiences for his peers while enhancing the progress of the fraternal movement at Austin Peay State University. I believe Ari will continue to make an impact on our campus and will be a name to watch in the future as an alumnus.”
Ruiz plans to graduate from APSU in May.
