Sigma Chapter Wins FIVE AWARDS at the 2014 Ekklesia - That's HUGE!

The International Fraternity's Condon Cup for most-improved chapter was presented at the 166th Ekklesia on July 25, 2014, in Indianapolis.  Above (left to right): Gabe Sayers '16, Austin Wilson '16, Archon Councilor Glenn Moore, Matt Miely '16, Max Jump '17, Skip Buckley '80, and Section Chief Ben Harper.

Our Undergraduate Brothers at Sigma Chapter won FIVE International Fraternity awards at the 166th Phi Gamma Delta Ekklesia in Indianapolis on July 24-26, 2014.  Although I don't think this is a record for Sigma Chapter, it has been a LONG TIME since our chapter has won so many awards in our Fraternity's international competition.  CONGRATULATIONS, Sigma Chapter!

The awards are:
  

o   FIRST PLACE in the Condon Cup, given for the most-improved chapter (among 150 chapters, 6,000 Undergraduate Brothers) – that’s huge!

o   Honorable Mention in the Coon Plaque (best chapter newsletter)

o   Honorable Mention in the Baker Cup (best philanthropy)

 

o  Certificate of Superior Academic Achievement for 7 consecutive years above Wittenberg's All Men's GPA. (It's really been 8 consecutive academic years, or 16 consecutive semesters, but IHQ bases it on calendar years.)

 

o  McCarty Proficiency Certificate (given annually to chapters that meet minimum operational standards - not easy to achieve)

 

 

 We had NINE Sigma Brothers in attendance at the Ekklesia - one of the largest delegations from any chapter.  Our Sigma Brothers:

o   Bill Downing ’15, Archon Councilor

o   Jack Mapes ’16, President

o   Matt Miely ’16, Treasurer

o   Austin Wilson ’16, Rush

o   Gabe Sayers ’16, Philanthropy

o   Max Jump ’17, Rush

o   Marcus Hitt ‘05

o   Jesse Hitt ‘07

o   Skip Buckley ‘80

Here are a few more photos from the Ekklesia...

Bill Downing '15, hogging the Condon Cup all to himself.

 

Left to right: Austin, Max, Matt, and Gabe holding up some of the other awards.

Sigma President Jack Mapes '16 arrived in time for the photo opp's. 
Left to right: Austin, Gabe, Jack, Max, and Matt.

Eight of the nine Sigma Brothers attending the 166th Ekklesia.  Left to right: Jesse Hitt '07, Austin Wilson '16, Jack Mapes '16, Matt Miely '16, Bill Downing '15, Gabe Sayers '16, Max Jump '17, Marcus Hitt '15. 
(Missing - hey, they never told me! - Skip Buckley '80.)

This is a huge deal for Sigma Chapter!  After our chapter's one-year complete closure in 2005-06, in my personal opinion, winning these awards among such tough competition is a kind of validation that Sigma Chapter has completely recovered from what could have been a devastating blow.  It's been a long and challenging nine-year climb back up, but our chapter is now well-positioned to carry forth this momentum on to greater heights and continued success. As every Sigma Pledge in the last 40 years learned in the story about the Wise Old Man: "It is as you want it to be..."

Well done, Sigma Brothers!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80

Perge!