Clemson’s chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, guided by principles of “love and respect,” has passionately led the charge of service for the Clemson community and abroad, earning its spot as this year’s best fraternity.

Members of the Eta Pi chapter, which was established on May 7, 1971, advocate for military personnel and pride themselves on philanthropy.

ATO plans various philanthropic events throughout the year, like the annual Viking Week, which includes an Olympics-style week-long event for participating students to raise funds for the Upstate Warrior Project.

“Many of our guys are truly passionate about supporting military service men and women as many of them have family who have served, which is why Viking Week may be a week-long event, but it’s really a lifetime commitment,” Jonathan Greco, president of ATO, said in an interview with The Tiger.

ATO also hosts the highly-anticipated Mogadishu Mile, which fundraises for its philanthropic projects through raffle prizes and the purchase of a T-shirt.

A top contributor towards supporting veterans and active duty members, ATO was recognized at the Clemson and Georgia Tech football game in Death Valley during Military Appreciation Week.

While military support is a huge portion of the fraternity’s philanthropy, other efforts include uplifting mental health awareness and partnering with ClemsonLIFE.

ATO has streamlined its efforts towards combating mental health crises by eliminating stigmas and harkening back to its focus on “love and respect” for all of the student body. The fraternity has also worked with Mission 34, a nonprofit organization that aims to eliminate mental health stigma.

Brothers from ATO have also volunteered for Mission 34’s walk for men’s mental health to continue showing their support.

Additionally, ATO partnered with ClemsonLIFE this year, hosting a basketball game with their students spearheaded by Edward Graham, a sophomore member of ATO.

Focused on promoting strong leadership within new members, training and mentoring inside the chapter has “really come into fruition as young guys like Edward have taken the initiative to organize the ClemsonLIFE event,” Greco said.

Setting the tone for the semester, ATO also welcomed 39 pledges this past fall, a new record for the chapter.

In light of its grand accomplishments and philanthropic efforts this year, the Clemson community voted ATO the best fraternity.

Greco emphasized Clemson’s positive culture as a key role in the chapter’s success.

“A large part of our success really goes back to Clemson being Clemson…people around here want to make a difference.”