Three deserving recipients of the Spring 2016 David D. Morgan ‘Extra Mile’ Scholarship were honored on Wednesday evening, March 23 during a memorable awards dinner at NSU’s Sylvan Friedman Student Union.

Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity members David Johnson, a sophomore from Denham Springs, Noah Baudoin, a freshman from Shreveport, and Thomas Malbrough, a sophomore from Mandeville, were the winners of the scholarships, which totaled $2,500 in cash awards. Malbrough plans to use his $700 check to support his participation in Pi Kappa Phi’s Journey of Hope this summer.

A record total of nine brothers qualified to apply for the Morgan Extra Mile Scholarship, a program started by Morgan in 2008 for the Beta Omicron chapter. An entrepreneur, an insurance executive, and a leader within his industry, his alma mater and his fraternity, Brother Morgan has spent a considerable amount of his life helping others toward success.

The Extra Mile Scholarship Program recognizes academic performance by brothers who are active within the fraternity, on the campus and in the community. It rewards brothers who “go the Extra Mile” by making positive impact in several areas, with brothers who hold down jobs given bonus points in the scoring process to determine winners.

At the core of the Morgan Extra Mile Scholarship Program is the philosophy that a brother who works hard, applies his talents and “goes the extra mile” will find success at NSU and in life after college.

The scholarships are awarded once each semester. Winners are commemorated on a plaque displayed prominently at the Beta Omicron chapter house.  Over $40,000 has been distributed to deserving brothers of Beta Omicron thanks to Brother Morgan.

This spring’s dinner was particularly remarkable thanks to inspiring remarks made by two NSU student affairs staff members, Reatha Cox and Yonna Pasch.

Cox has been a staff member at her beloved alma mater for 28 years, and her impact on Beta Omicron has been immense. She was at the core of the chapter’s rechartering process in 1999-2000 and has seen the fraternity re-emerge as a Greek leader during her years of service.

She challenged the brothers of Beta Omicron and their dates to consider “why you are here” and suggested the answer is “to craft a life for yourself.” She urged the students to “pay your dues and stand out … pay it forward and make it count. Make your mark.”

“A group needs to be meaningfully better and different because you are a part of it,” Cox said.

Pasch, a breast cancer survivor and the wife of Beta Omicron chapter alumnus Alan Pasch, made a powerful presentation.

“Every day we have challenges to face,” she said. “I was diagnosed at age 33 on Dec. 16, 2011. That day, I became a breast cancer survivor.

“You have the choice daily to continue to laugh, continue to love, continue to live,” she said.

Pasch told the Beta Omicron brothers “you are stronger than the average student. You are held to a higher standard, and that’s good. You are your best advocate. You have to make the choice to excel.”

She urged the audience to “don’t lose who you are here at NSU. Find out who you are.”

For information on how to apply for the scholarship, click here.