Monday, October 30, 2006

Judith Eidson Receives Alumni Achievement Award

Judith Eidson was excited about attending the 2006 Triennial Conference at Illinois Wesleyan University because that was where she graduated as a music student and was initiated as a Delta Omicron member in Sigma Chapter in 1964. Little did she know that the Board of Directors would provide an additional surprise by presenting the Alumni Achievement Award to her at the Rose and Gray Banquet on the final evening of the conference. The Award is given in recognition of continuous service and support of Delta Omicron as an alumni member and is the most prestigious award given to an alumni member of the Fraternity. Carolyn Goodman Horrell, the 2003 recipient, made the award presentation.

Judith was recognized for her dedication and efficient supervision of Delta Omicron’s Triennial Composition Competition. She has served continuously as chair of that national project since 1987. The task involves many hours of correspondence with composer applicants, judges, and composer associations and careful record-keeping to insure fair and accurate judging procedures for submitted compositions. She creates the composition flyer and disseminates it by mail and online to national composer organizations, schools of music, and interested individuals throughout the United States and the world. Because of her efforts, the Triennial Composition Competition has grown from a small national project to one of international scope.

Judith was chapter president of Sigma Chapter and attended the 1965 Triennial Conference. She has been an active member of Zeta Zeta Alumni Chapter in Denver, Colorado since 1967, serving as Chapter Vice President several times and coordinating music programs between Zeta Zeta and the Denver Sigma Alpha Iota Chapter. She served as Gamma Province President from 1967 through the 1980’s, helping to install two chapters during that time.

The Board of Directors is pleased to recognize Judith’s outstanding service to the fraternity with this award. Judith received a certificate at conference, and a small diamond will be placed on her membership badge as is traditional with this award. Judith wears the badge of Edna de Vellin Best, a D.O. friend from Colorado, in her memory. Judith writes, “I would be very honored to share this diamond with Edna, because she was a loyal and devoted D.O.— a wonderful leader who made important contributions to our Fraternity throughout her life . . . Thanks to Delta Omicron for so greatly enriching my life and giving me so many opportunities.”