Dispatches from the Legion of Honor
Chapter & Alumni News
Alabama
The seniors of the Theta Chapter enjoying their (last) first day of school.
Alabama in Huntsville
This year, the Brothers of Mu Beta were proud to have won the award for best academics in Greek Life. In addition, the Chapter is happy to have Drew Humphrey, Jarret Grubb, Luke Worley, and Eddie Guzman serving as members of SGA as well as Drew Humphrey, Eddie Guzman, and Anton Baylon participating in lancers. Drew Humphrey, Nick Russo, Will Snyder, and Luke Worley also participated in the honors mentor program, helping incoming freshmen in the honors program adjust to college life.
Mu Beta has also had a successful year of philanthropy, raising nearly $2,500 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Sigma Nu brothers at JSU who were victims of a tornado. Nearly 20 brothers also drove to JSU to spend a day volunteering with the cleanup. Chapter also held food and clothes drives to benefit local homeless shelters and provided manpower for this year’s Margarita Ball, which raised and donated over 3,800 toys for local children. The Chapter has also held events to benefit several local elementary schools in underdeveloped communities.
Ball State
Theta Nu, 524, Muncie, Indiana. July 2018 the Muncie Fire Department presented Rich Brooks with a plaque, hat, shirt, and patch making him the second in history, Honorary Muncie Fire Department Firefighter. The firefighters of the city of Muncie also paid Rich a visit to his home in two firetrucks. Sigma Nu alumni; Elkhart County Sheriff Jeff Siegel and Dustin McFarland of the Middlebury Fire Department, both presented Rich with coins and more from the departments.
Rich is a Ball State University graduate with a degree in criminal justice and criminology with a minor in Army ROTC Military Science (non-contracted cadet). He was also a member of the Theta Nu 174 Chapter. Rich has been battling life threatening health problems for several years, which ultimately ended his lifelong dreams of becoming a firefighter and cop along with his family members. He has been placed on Hospice Home Care and receives many daily visits from his BSU brothers.
Florida
The Epsilon Zeta Chapter welcomed alumnus Benjamin Castro, EZ 2185, as their new House Director at the beginning of this academic semester. House Director Castro continues to lead the charge on housing improvements as he did during his time as an active brother with changes to the house such as upgraded landscaping, new grass around the entire house, and professional refurbishing of the tile flooring. In the upcoming months all the windows in the house will be replaced and upgraded. These newer windows are energy efficient, double paned, include screens, and feature a modern grid style that will give the exterior of the house an updated look.
They had many brothers who secured internships over the summer. Brother Joshua McLaughlin, EZ 2197, interned as a project engineer for Coastal Construction on the JW Marriott project in Tampa. Brother Tirthan Shah, EZ 2189, interned at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, the largest alcohol distributor in the United States, as an Operations Intern.
Brother and Epsilon Zeta Sentinel John Elliott, EZ 2228, was accepted into the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program and swore into the Navy May 1st. Admission into the program involved flying up to Washington DC for a four-day long interview process, as well as a face-to-face interview with Admiral James Caldwell.
Brother and Epsilon Zeta Commander Harrison Magoutas, EZ 2164, accepted a Systems Engineering position with Lockheed Martin Corporation and will begin after he graduates from the University of Florida in Spring 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering.
The Chapter would also like to announce that their annual Alumni Weekend will be held November 2nd – 4th, and ask that any alumni who are interested in attending the event please reach out to the active chapter for more details.
Columbus State
The Brothers of Mu Xi took a pledge class photo showing Sigma Nu spirit.
High Point
The Brothers of Nu Delta are out front of their house preparing in North Carolina preparing for recruitment season to begin.
Houston
Zeta Chi initiated five new brothers at a ceremony at the U Houston Student Center Sunday, September 2, 2018.
Iowa
Beta Mu chapter reached a milestone of their 125th year on campus last spring. The chapter has been focused on improving the chapter facility by making renovations throughout. These renovations have helped improve the brotherhood experience for all 34 members currently living in the chapter house, as well as improving the brotherhood of all 135 active members. This marks the most members the Beta Mu chapter has ever housed.
They also had the pleasure of activating a new spring class consisting of 12 new members. Continuing to grow in numbers, the chapter received the manpower award at the recent Grand Chapter in Washington D.C. where our member’s, Commander Cade Burma, Jack Forester, and Jack Duey were able to learn the rich history of the fraternity by taking a pilgrimage to Lexington, Virginia.
Kansas
Nu Brothers were ready for the fall semester to begin.
Minnesota State
Several Brothers from the Lambda Delta Chapter participated in a volunteer event at Clearwater Farms in Onalaska Wisconsin. Combined they contributed 115 volunteer hours. They have been focusing on their impact in the community as well as branching out to other communities to continue to make a difference. Lambda Delta also participated in a community cookout which involved all residence from the Lincoln Park area of Mankato. The Brothers enjoy getting some quality time with the neighbors.
North Texas
This past spring the Zeta Omicron Chapter placed in the top 3 highest GPA in IFC. This summer Brother Oscar Celis served as a student coordinator of orientation at the University of North Texas and Brother Tanner Shields went to Lithuania.
Samford
The Brothers from the Iota Chapter held their annual car smash pre-recruitment event leading up to formal recruitment.
San Jose State
Earlier this year Earl Villorente Zeta Iota #922, and his Brother John Geoghegan , Zeta Iota #966, were at the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska. The solid ice they are standing on is 27 miles long, and 4 miles wide. The actual ground is about 300 feet below. Earl came to visit John for his birthday and wished him farewell, as he deployed to Afghanistan. The flag is signed by the Zeta Iota Brothers. Earl is on the left, John is on the right.
Southeast Missouri State
Mu Kappa had an extremely successful recruitment this fall and welcomed 41 candidates to the Chapter on September 9, 2018.
Stephen F. Austin
The Brothers of Mu Upsilon partnered up with the sisters of Tri Delta this summer and collected school supplies to distribute throughout the Nacodoches ISD Elementary Schools. Both organizations wanted to give back to the community that gives SFA and Greek life a home.
Together they raised over $8,000 in school supplies for the local children. On August 20, members of Sigma Nu and Tri Delta went to eight elementary schools and donated backpacks, notebooks, expo markers, pencils, and other supplies. They hope to help out the NISD students and teachers get the 2018-2019 school year started on the right foot.
Stevens
This past Spring the Gamma Delta chapter welcomed 9 honorable men into our brotherhood. At the 68th Grand Chapter the chapter was awarded the Bronze Cup given to the chapter with the second highest GPA for all chapters of Sigma Nu. The chapter achieved this with an average GPA of 3.60.
Gamma Delta chapter members are also incredibly involved in leadership roles at the institution and in the Hoboken community; President of the Interfraternity Council, President of Order of Omega Honor Society, members of Rho Alpha Sigma Honor Society, Varsity Sports Athletes, Student Government Organization Representatives, Resident Assistants, Orientation Leaders and Emergency Medical Technicians at the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corp.
The Chapter participated in various community service events. Among these events were the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Wine Tasting Fundraiser, the Hoboken Spring Fling Community Cleanup, TRUE Mentors, Stevens THON, and the Hoboken Family Alliance (HFA) Easter Egg Hunt. On top of these events, the chapter also co-hosted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-making event with sorority Delta Phi Epsilon. The chapter is as excited as always for our staple philanthropy event ‘War of the Roses’ in the fall.
Tennessee
The Brothers of Epsilon Eta welcomed 40 new candidates to the brotherhood this fall.
Texas Tech
The Brothers of Zeta Pi welcomed many candidates to the class of Fall 2018.
Virginia Wesleyan
Dr. Brian Kurisky is the Director of Wesleyan Engaged: Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning at Virginia Wesleyan University. He wanted to share the outstanding work of the Iota Beta Chapter. They completed 590 hours of service for the academic year (Silver Level for the Presidential Volunteer Service Awards). Kurisky noted they had to self-report the hours and he knows that there were men who may not have entered their hours into the database. He says their work was invaluable in helping promote the Virginia Wesleyan focus on giving back to our community in various forms. He looks forward to working with the men of the Iota Beta Chapter this fall.
Western Kentucky
The Brothers of Eta Rho took some group photos outside of their chapter house before recruitment was underway.