Acacia Leadership Scholarship

The Acacia Leadership Scholarship

The Acacia Leadership Scholarship is offered by The Acacians, a group of Iowa State University alumni who were members of the Acacia Fraternity at Iowa State during their undergraduate years. The Acacia Leadership Scholarship program was established in 1998 to recognize graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills during their high school experience while also succeeding academically.

Each year, The Acacians award up to twenty $1,000 Acacia Leadership Scholarships to graduating high school senior males who also attend Iowa State University. To be eligible for this scholarship, the applicant must complete this application in its entirety and submit it by the application’s due date. Those selected as recipients of the Acacia Leadership Scholarship will receive the scholarship funds via the Iowa State University Financial Aid Office during their second semester of enrollment at Iowa State University.

The Acacia Leadership Scholarship is designed to identify and reward outstanding high school seniors who have demonstrated their ability to excel in the fields of academics, extra-curricular school activities, and community involvement.  The scholarships are available to any male graduating senior from an accredited high school who attends Iowa State University. Demonstrated financial need is not a criteria. These scholarships are NOT transferrable to another person or for attendance at another university.  The scholarships are awarded by The Acacians.

Acacia Leadership Scholarship Application Requirements

Following the submission of your application and after the Scholarship Committee has reviewed the applications, finalists for the scholarship will be required to meet with members of the Scholarship Committee.  This meeting may occur either in-person or via Zoom.

The Scholarship Committee will select the recipients of the Acacia Leadership Scholarships by August 15 annually, with scholarships awarded for the following Spring Semester. The Acacians may select a second round of scholarship recipients for awarding in subsequent semesters.

About Acacia Fraternity:

About Acacia Fraternity at Iowa State: Acacia is a Greek Social Fraternity established at the University of Michigan in 1904 by Master Masons and established at Iowa State University in 1909.  It has the distinction of being the only International Fraternity to choose a Greek word as its name rather than Greek letters. Acacians strive to achieve academic excellence and balance in college and throughout their lifetimes. Some of our Chapter’s most distinguished alumni include several former faculty and administrators of Iowa State University, including: Albert Storms (former University President), Charles Stange (faculty member and namesake of Stange Rd. in Ames), Spencer Beach (distinguished faculty member and namesake of Beach Avenue in Ames), Anson Marston (former Dean of the College of Engineering and for whom Marston Hall is named), and Virgil Lagomarcino (former Dean of the College of Education and for whom Lagomarcino Hall is named).

Academic Achievement: At Acacia, our top priority is academic achievement for our undergraduate members. Our goal, as a chapter, is to have a semester GPA above a 3.0, above the all university semester average GPA, and above the all-fraternity semester average GPA. To support academic achievement, The Acacians reimburse tutoring expenses for the undergraduate members. Additionally, The Acacians awards academic achievement scholarships each semester: If a member earns a 3.0 to 3.49 GPA, a $200 scholarship is awarded for the following semester; and if a member earns a 3.50 GPA or higher, a $500 scholarship is awarded for the following semester through the University’s financial aid office.

Brotherhood: At Acacia, brotherhood amongst our members is the ‘why’ we exist as a fraternity. Through Acacia, members (both undergraduates and alumni) are part of an organization that spans generations and geography. We’re a support system and a connection that creates life-long bonds of friendship.

Human Service: Acacia’s motto is “Human Service” and each chapter of Acacia and our members are committed to Human Service. Whether it’s through volunteering, raising funds for a local charity, or simply ‘giving back’ to the local community through being involved—our commitment to Human Service is what sets us apart.

The Acacia Fraternity Chapter House: In August 2020 the undergraduate members of Acacia Fraternity moved into our newly constructed chapter house.  With more than 18,000 square feet, this facility provides a home-like atmosphere for 42 men. The Acacia Fraternity Chapter House provides our undergraduate members with modern amenities, including:  A recreation room that includes a pool table, ping pong table, Foosball table, game table and shuffleboard table; A theater room with an 85-inch TV; A gathering space on each of the upper levels equipped with relaxed seating and TVs as well as a kitchenette for members to utilize. There are also several meeting and study rooms throughout the chapter house which members may utilize for studying, working on group projects, or meetings.

Living in Acacia: Living in Acacia provides each member an opportunity to live in either a 2-man or 4-man suite, each furnished with a bed, dresser, designated closet space, and desk. Each suite also has a private full bathroom. For members who live in the chapter house, our meal plan includes 14 meals per week, with milk, salads, breads, and snacks available 24/7. We invite you to visit our website to view pictures of our new chapter house here. 

About The Acacians

About the Acacians: The Acacians is a not-for-profit corporation established by the alumni brothers of the Acacia Fraternity Chapter at Iowa State for the purpose of maintaining and providing housing for the undergraduate chapter of Acacia Fraternity. The Chapter House is located at 138 Gray Avenue, Ames, Iowa and has been the ‘home-away-from-home’ for over 1,000 undergraduates throughout our chapter’s nearly 125 years of existence at Iowa State. The Acacians annually award over $40,000 in scholarships to undergraduate members of Acacia Fraternity. The academic and leadership scholarships are funded through generous donations from our alumni brothers who are committed to ensuring the continued academic and leadership success of the undergraduate members of the Acacia Fraternity Chapter at Iowa State. In the mid-2010s, the decision was made by the Acacians to build a new chapter house. Following a multi-year fundraising campaign, the former chapter house (also located at 138 Gray Avenue) was torn down in June 2019 and construction on the new chapter house immediately commenced. Construction and furnishing of the new chapter house was completed on August 1, 2020 and the undergraduate members moved in immediately for the Fall 2020 semester.

About Acacia International Fraternity

About Acacia International Fraternity: The Acacia International Fraternity is a men’s general social college fraternity founded on May 12, 1904, at the University of Michigan by fourteen Master Masons. Today, Acacia International Fraternity has nearly 30 chapters located at various University and College campuses across the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, the Acacia International Fraternity supports the undergraduate membership and chapters through leadership and organizational development programming. With over 50,000 men who have been initiated into Acacia Fraternity since 1904, Acacia continues to be committed to its core values of Knowledge, Virtue, and Truth. To learn more, visit acacia.org.

Interested in Joining Acacia Fraternity?

To learn how to join Acacia Fraternity, please visit this page. By submitting the form, one of our membership recruitment chairmen will contact you about how to join Acacia Fraternity.