CANTON, Mo. – $31,745. That is how much Culver-Stockton College’s Tau Kappa Epsilon Zeta Pi chapter raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the 2025-2026 school year.
The fundraising effort is one example of the recognition TKE has received in recent years for its philanthropy, community service, campus involvement and leadership. The chapter has been named a Top TKE Chapter for the 23-24 and 24-25 school years, received 100% completion recognition in its Key Result Areas from 2018-25 and was named C-SC’s Service Project of the Year in 2025.
TKE was also recognized as a Top TKE St. Jude Fundraising Group and received the Outstanding Campus Involvement and Community Service award for 2025-26.
While the awards recognize what TKE has accomplished, TKE President Mason Stevenson said the success comes from the culture within the chapter and the work its members put in behind the scenes.
“The effort and commitment our members demonstrate during their time in TKE is not something to be taken for granted,” Stevenson said.
The Work Behind the Recognition
The recognition TKE has received does not come without a significant amount of work from its members.
Stevenson said members spend time in late-night meetings, early-morning meetings, organizing events and setting up their work. He said there can also be frustrating conversations when members are trying to make their events the best possible.
Despite those challenges, Stevenson said members continue to come together and focus on the bigger picture.
The chapter’s work with St. Jude has been one of its biggest recent accomplishments. The $31,745 raised during the 25-26 school year earned TKE recognition as a Top TKE St. Jude Fundraising Group.
For Stevenson, the award was especially meaningful because he and fellow member Owen Russell were in New Orleans when the chapter received the recognition.
Stevenson said people from around the country recognized Culver-Stockton because of the chapter’s fundraising efforts.
“The fact that people knew of Culver-Stockton through the work our house has done made me so proud of my guys,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson said the amount of time members put into the chapter is something people outside of TKE may not see. He compared the commitment required by some positions in the chapter to that of a sport.
A Strong Brotherhood
For Michael Roesel, a TKE associate member, the people in the chapter were one of the main reasons he decided to join.
Roesel said he noticed how close the members were with one another and saw a genuine brotherhood within TKE.
“Everyone seems very close-knit and true friends with one another,” Roesel said. “The culture runs deep and there is a genuine brotherhood within TKE.”
Stevenson said the brotherhood is one of the biggest reasons the chapter has been successful. Members support each other when things are going well, but they also hold one another accountable when needed.
“We are always there for each other,” Stevenson said. “The brotherhood provides so much structure for our guys.”
Stevenson said members praise each other when someone does something well, but they are also willing to have constructive conversations when someone needs to improve. He also said the chapter takes the well-being of its members seriously.
The culture within the house has changed over the past three years as members have spent more time together outside of fraternity activities. Stevenson said members can often be found playing games, shooting pool, working out or spending time together around the house.
A Changing Chapter
TKE’s recent success has also come during a period of change in its leadership. Stevenson said the current executive board has only two returning members from the previous board. Most of the current positions are being held by members who had never served on an executive board before.
Russell, TKE’s Hegemon (new member educator), said one of the keys to the chapter’s success is making sure every member has a responsibility and understands the goals of the organization.
“I think a big one is just staying the course,” Russell said. “Having every guy in the house having a job having a collective mindset of what our goal is and what we can do to obtain that goal.”
Stevenson said the chapter’s direction is centered around the TKE phrase “Better Men for a Better World.” He said that the chapter provides members with opportunities for personal development, leadership and experiences that can help prepare them for their future careers and lives.
Looking forward, TKE hopes to continue growing its membership and becoming more involved on campus and in the Canton community.
For Roesel, the same brotherhood that first attracted him to TKE is what continues to stand out about the chapter.
For Stevenson, continuing that culture while growing the chapter is the next step.
TKE’s recent awards have recognized what the chapter has accomplished, but its members now have an opportunity to build on that success and continue developing the culture that helped get them there.
Sources:
Photo Credit – INSTAGRAM — @CSC_TKE
