BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) has announced a partnership with Chi Alpha Sigma to welcome all 13 conference institutions into the National College Athlete Honor Society.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the conference to celebrate the achievements of MIAC student-athletes not just in competition, but in the classroom and the community as well,” said MIAC Associate Commissioner BJ Pickard, who also serves as the Assistant Director of the National College Athlete Honor Society. “As the MIAC begins its new strategic plan this fall, this is a partnership that aligns perfectly with our goals of promoting academic success and holistic excellence within the conference, and the greatest beneficiaries of that will be our student-athletes.”
MIAC student-athletes of junior academic standing or higher who maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale will now be eligible for induction into the National College Athlete Honor Society. Induction ceremonies will be held on each campus at a time determined by the institution. Inductees will also be eligible for additional national awards and postgraduate scholarships offered by Chi Alpha Sigma.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome the MIAC and its membership into Chi Alpha Sigma,” said Kellen Wells-Mangold, executive director of the National College Athlete Honor Society. “The mission of Chi Alpha Sigma aligns very well with the vision of the MIAC. We’re excited to be able to help support and celebrate these high-achieving student-athletes.”
This is the first time in the 28-year history of Chi Alpha Sigma that the organization has offered conference-wide enrollment. Six MIAC institutions already had active Chi Alpha Sigma chapters, led by Augsburg University, which inducted its first class of student-athletes in 2019-20. All 13 MIAC institutions will now be able to induct eligible student-athletes into the National College Athlete Honor Society this year.
Chi Alpha Sigma was founded in 1996 by then-DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. His goal was to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime. The name “Chi Alpha Sigma” was chosen to identify the organization as a national “College Athlete Society.” Any four-year institution with an active membership in the NCAA, NAIA, NCCAA, or USCAA may apply for membership in Chi Alpha Sigma. There are currently more than 360 active chapters across all divisions of college athletics in the United States.
About Chi Alpha Sigma
The National College Athlete Honor Society, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 1996. Theta Chi Alpha and Chi Alpha Sigma work with state chapters of two- and four-year institutions to recognize college student-athletes who excel in their sport, the classroom, and the community.