ISU Panhellenic Council President Kelly Koeppel was the first recipient of the Sign of the Arrow Melissa Scholarship, one of the largest scholarships awarded to greek organizations for community service.

Panhellenic adviser Robert Aschentrop said the national $10,000 scholarship will be awarded once a year to a senior member of Pi Beta Phi sorority who has served the community and shows academic success and leadership ability.

The award was presented to her at a national convention this summer in Denver, Colo.

“I was really surprised I won,” said Koeppel, senior in child and family services. “I just went ahead and filled out the application, but I wasn’t expecting to win.”

The scholarship honors Melissa Gail Aptman, a member of Pi Beta Phi at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. Aptman died two weeks prior to her graduation. Koeppel read a poem written by Aptman at the convention.

Since December, Koeppel has been president of the Panhellenic Council, which is the government body for all ISU sororities. Before Koeppel was president, she was director of special projects for the Panhellenic Council. She helped plan many events, including Greek Trick or Treat and Greek Easter Egg Hunt.

In a letter of recommendation, Iowa Gamma Chapter Member Nicole Peckumn, senior in exercise and sports science, wrote, “[Koeppel] does the thankless jobs and continues to work towards making our community a better place to live for everyone.”

The Iowa Gamma Chapter is the governing body of all Pi Beta Phi sororities in Iowa.

Koeppel also has done community service for the Ames Boys and Girls Club, Blank Children’s Home and the Variety Club Children’s Center, she said. She had a summer internship in Chicago for the Cook County Juvenile Probation Facility. This semester, she has an internship in Des Moines for KidSake, an adoption agency for special needs.

“Community service is something you do because you enjoy it, and you don’t expect anything in return,” she said.

After graduation, Koeppel said she hopes to travel as a consultant for Pi Beta Phi for a year. She said she is looking into the possibility of graduate school or a job in the human services field.

“ISU is very lucky to have her,” Aschentrop said.

“She has done numerous things that show she cares not only about ISU, but the Ames community as well.”