ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell University chapter of Acacia fraternity has received five awards from its national fraternal organization, including the prestigious National Award of Merit to an outstanding alumnus.

Steven L. Stein, Class of 1973, was presented the award by chapter president Thomas Balcerski, Class of 2005, at the Fall Scholarship Banquet of the Cornell chapter Sept. 12. The Award of Merit is Acacia's highest honor, recognizing individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the fraternity or attained a high position in their community or profession. The award is given only to alumni, and no more than 10 can be given at each biannual national conclave. This year, Stein was one of seven recipients nationally; he is one of only six Cornell Acacians to have received the award.

A business and technology analyst in Cornell's Division of Financial Affairs, Stein was previously a senior systems analyst for the Campus Store. A graduate of the College of Engineering, he has served as corporation board president of Acacia's Cornell chapter for nearly 15 years.

"Steve's tireless commitment to the fraternity house in all matters of maintenance has been invaluable," Balcerski said in presenting the award. "From arranging the furnishings of the rooms to rewiring the 97-year-old chapter house to watching over the house over vacations, he has been the unsung hero of Acacia. When the Cornell chapter went through tough times in the early 1990s, Steve and fellow Award of Merit winner James Showacre, Class of 1950, kept the house running. Steve Stein has been and continues to be a vital asset to Cornell Acacia."

Stein said the strength of Acacia is that it allows its members to be strong individuals.

The Cornell chapter also received national awards for membership recruitment, dining operations, the Founder's Achievement Award for Outstanding Chapter and the Best Alumni/Chapter Publication for its newsletter, The Traveler .

Located at 318 Highland Road in Cayuga Heights, the undergraduate chapter consists of 29 brothers who participate in a wide range of student activities. The national fraternity, whose motto is "Human Service," was founded in 1904, and Cornell joined it in 1907.