The Alpha Rho Chi Silver Medal
The Silver Alpha Rho Chi Medal was established by the 20th national Convention in June, 1941 to recognize fraternal distinction of outstanding merit. Honorees can be proposed by active chapters or alumni associations with the signatures of ten brothers. The Grand Council reviews the nomination and, if appropriate, formally submits the nomination to a vote of the chapters and alumni associations for a 3/4 majority approval.
Silver Alpha Rho Chi Medal Recipients
- E. E. Eggert, 1941
- George A. Whitten
- Dwight P. Ely, 1948
- Charles W. Cloud, 1977
- Galen F. Oman, 1977
- Charles Burchard, 1979
- M. Robert DeMarais, 1980
- John B. Filip, 1980
- Franklin D. Baxter, 1984
- Carl E. Meinhardt, 1985
- Stephen P. Janick, 1990
- John Hagely, 1998
- Ronald L. Grogan, 1999
- Charles L. Nickel, 2000
- Howard Van Heuklyn, 2003
The Alpha Rho Chi Silver Medal
Recipient: Brother Howard Van Heuklyn
On January 25th 2003, the Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity honored Brother Howard Van Heuklyn with the Silver Alpha Rho Chi Medal. This honor is awarded to brothers who have made an outstanding contribution to the furtherance of the fraternity. This great honor will be only the 16th such medal conferred in the fraternity’s 88 year history.
Normally this honor is conferred at the national convention, but due to an illness, Brother Van Heuklyn was unable to attend. In its stead, a reception was planned solely to honor Brother Van Heuklyn at the Andronicus chapter house the campus of the University of Southern California
Andronicus Alumni Howard Van Heuklyn’s life-long commitment is renowned throughout the Alpha Rho Chi fraternity for a series of drawings drawn exclusively for the fraternity, representing each of the chapter namesakes. For many years, these images adorned the covers of the fraternity’s national publication, The Archi. These drawings continue to be reproduced in the fraternity’s national pledge manual, TheArchi Pledge. He has also served as the Worthy Grand Lecturer and was instrumental in the installation of the Daedalus Chapter at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo.
Brother Van Heuklyn is 81 years old. He was a renowned architect in Southern California, noted for his work on churches and auditoriums. Along with his wife, a talented opera singer he lived a charmed life. Until her death, six years ago, she would inaugurate each of his performance spaces with a performance.
Since his retirement in 1992, he has continued to keep busy. He has continued illustrating for publication, including a book about I Ching that will be published very soon. He not slowed down with his artwork, stating that his new favorite media is colored pencils. He has a close relationship with his daughter Lisa, who attended the event. Lisa has followed in her father’s footsteps, and is an artist herself.
As evidenced with the attendance at the event, Brother Van Heuklyn continues to keep in touch with the people he befriended in the fraternity all those years ago. Joining him at the reception were schoolmates Wes Hollinger, Gene Loose, Peter Creamer, Bill Hertel, Gordon Stice and Ron Pagliasotti.
Attendance was not limited to schoolmates alone. Alumni, and their spouses, from several eras conversed with the current Andronicus actives. One such alumnus was Dwight Broadneaux who was awarded the Pop Ely Award for his years of service and dedication to the Andronicus Alumni Association.
Overall, it was a wonderful evening, showcasing the fact that the bonds created by the fraternity remains with each brother long after graduation.
Jay Mock, Michael Calzada, Ken Smith, Dwight Broadneaux, and Greg Moesser
