The 2023-24 Order of the Torch and Maintaining the Flame submission deadline is May 10, 2024. Apply now!

Order of the Torch

The Order of the Torch is the annual award for the most outstanding chapters of Alpha Lambda Delta. Chapters submit a scrapbook describing their activities during the past year. The scrapbooks are then judged by a committee of Board of Directors members, and the winning chapters are presented with an award banner. ALD has been recognizing outstanding chapters with the Order of the Torch Award since 1989.

Maintaining the Flame

Chapters who are awarded the Order of the Torch are ineligible to apply for the award for the next four years. To reward chapters that have continued to excel in programming, activities, and service, the Board of Directors bestows the Maintaining the Flame award to chapters who are ineligible for the Order of the Torch. Winners receive a pin to affix to their Order of the Torch banner.

Application Process

Chapters must submit their applications electronically. We encourage chapters to be as creative as possible in your submission – it may be a standard scrapbook (PDF), a PowerPoint, a video montage, etc. Any way you best can document your chapter.

The judging criteria are the same for both awards (Order of the Torch and Maintaining the Flame). The most important thing to keep in mind is that your submission should be more than just pictures. We like to see your smiling faces, but we need to know why you’re smiling! In addition to photos, competitive applications should include captions, quotes, letters, emails, flyers, agendas, minutes, brochures, ticket stubs, screenshots of websites, social media pages, video testimonials, video footage, and anything else that may help document your success throughout the year.

More specifically, applications will be judged on the following:

Chapter Involvement - How successful is the chapter in getting its members actively involved in service and other chapter projects? How has your chapter adapted to the virtual environment? How many events did your chapter hold and how well attended are those events? How active is the chapter on campus and in the surrounding community? Does the chapter hold and take part in numerous and varied service, leadership, fellowship, and other projects throughout the course of the year? Evidence of chapter involvement might include photos of students at events, attendance sheets, flyers, screenshots of Zoom meetings, event summaries, captions, quotes from members, thank you letters from the community, etc.
Chapter Communication - How effectively does the chapter communicate with the membership, with campus leadership, and with the campus and community at large? If your chapter has moved to remote learning, how have you adapted to best communicate with your members? Evidence of effective communication may include photos of meetings, emails, agendas, minutes, letters, Facebook page screen shots, website screen shots, Zoom recordings, etc.
Campus Visibility – How aware is your campus and community of ALD? How do you market ALD on your campus if you are not in person? Evidence of good campus visibility may include flyers, newspaper clippings, press releases, social media posts, event co-sponsorship, letters from the community and campus officials, and photos of events on campus, online, and in the community.
Presentation - Is the application prepared in a careful, attractive manner?

Award Specific Requirements:

If your chapter has won the Order of the Torch within the past four years, you should apply for Maintaining the Flame. Your chapter should continue to show innovation and improvement - not simply maintaining the status quo - in all areas in order to be competitive for Maintaining the Flame. If you've recently won Order of the Torch and don't know when you're eligible to apply again, contact ALD Headquarters.

The 2023-24 Order of the Torch and Maintaining the Flame submission deadline is May 10, 2024. Apply now!