When Zack Riffle ’25 (St. Clairsville, Ohio) first stepped onto Marietta College’s campus, he sought more than just academic success; he sought a community where he could truly belong.
“I chose to join ATO because, from the first few days of knowing the brothers, I knew it would be a home away from home,” Riffle, President of the Beta Rho Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega, said. “The Beta Rho Chapter made Marietta feel like home. In addition to feeling so comfortable with all of the guys, there was limitless potential for leadership development. I was presented so many opportunities to develop my professional abilities.”
Riffle’s experience with ATO reflects the chapter’s values and goals. Recently, these values were recognized nationally when the Beta Rho Chapter was awarded Alpha Tau Omega’s highest honor, the True Merit Award. This accolade, which acknowledges outstanding chapter performance, emphasizes the chapter’s dedication to excellence and personal growth.
Recently, Riffle and Serj Wahl ’26 (Zanesville, Ohio), Vice President of the Marietta chapter, accepted the award during the 2024 Biennial Alpha Tau Omega Congress. Presenting the award was National President Jeff Miles, Beta Rho Alumnus and National Director of Health and Safety Bryan Murray, and CEO Wynn Smiley.
The True Merit Award, introduced in 1969 as the Chapter Efficiency Award, has undergone several name changes before being solidified as the True Merit Award in 1979. Only 29 chapters nationwide were deemed True Merit this year, highlighting the Beta Rho Chapter’s excellence. Riffle said earning the award was even more remarkable because his fraternity only has 25 members and they were competing with chapters with more than 100 members.
“Starting college as a freshman, all you want is to find a group where you truly belong,” Wahl said. “For me, that place was with the down-to-earth people at Alpha Tau Omega. Since joining ATO, I’ve noticed significant growth in my leadership skills. Holding a meaningful position in the fraternity from the start, I’ve consistently engaged in activities that have helped me grow as a leader.”
The True Merit Award recognizes the Beta Rho chapter's outstanding performance in Brotherhood, Grade Point Average, Campus Involvement, and Open Recruitment and its remarkable contributions to service and philanthropy. This year, the chapter ranked 26th in service hours and was within the top 35 for philanthropy dollars raised, demonstrating a commitment to both their fraternity and the broader community.
“Winning the True Merit award has symbolized our dedication to being better men than we were the day before,” Wahl said. “It has reassured us that we have been working in the right direction and has boosted our morale towards developing better individuals.”