Sigma Phi Epsilon - Oklahoma State University

D r. Robert Breedlove '69 has been instrumental in inspiring and continuing the philanthropic mindset within Oklahoma Alpha's alumni and undergraduates. Having both a journalism and medical degree, his diverse professional and personal career has exposed him to various people, places, and organizations that have all impacted his life. Since graduating from OSU in 1969, he has been generous with his time, talents, and treasure to numerous worthy organizations that have held a special place in his heart. Some of these notable organizations include American Medical Association, Skin Cancer Foundation, Payne/ Pawnee/Noble County Medical Association, American Academy of Dermatology Association, Heifer International, lifetime American Legion and Boys State Co-Chairman, Greater Tulsa Officials' Association, and North Central Officials' Association. One organization in particular we would like to highlight is Wings of Hope, a woman's shelter located in Stillwater. Donations to Wings of Hope are notably recognized by butterfly statues, which some Stillwater Greek houses and businesses have prominently displayed. Dr. Breedlove was generous enough to donate on behalf of Oklahoma Alpha so that our chapter house could also have a butterfly. This SigEp-themed butterfly sits proudly in our front flowerbed of the chapter house. It was for this and his many other philanthropic endeavors that we awarded Dr. Breedlove with our chapter's Most Philanthropic Brother Award at our recent Centennial Gala. His lifelong generosity embodies SigEp's vision of "Building Balanced Leaders for the World's Communities" and inspires us all to be more philanthropic. Thank you again and congratulations, Dr. Breedlove! For 100 years, Oklahoma Alpha has had a "lost" chapter founder. Benjamin F. Harrison Jr. '52 donated a handwritten chapter history from his father, Benjamin F. Harrison Sr. 1919, a Sigma Tau founder. The account detailed the installation of Sigma Tau as OK Alpha as well as a Sigma Tau brother who was excluded from joining SigEp due to his Jewish faith. By profiling every OSU yearbook, I narrowed my search to Henry Futoransky, a man from Haileyville, Oklahoma, who was among the first 20 members of Sigma Tau; however, he remained the only Sigma Tau not invited to campus to be a SigEp. In addition, I found a Henry Futoransky who rented a room in California from Ben Sr. and his son in a U.S. Census file from 1940, further proving to me that the Harrisons likely had special knowledge of Futoransky's exclusion. I located Futoransky's great-nephews in Oklahoma City and, should we get family blessing, we plan on including him on the permanent plaque. While I am of Baptist faith, I have distant Jewish heritage as well. I did not know any of my own Jewish ancestors, but maybe in spite of that I took Henry's exclusion to heart...and I also thought of our fellow (relatively few) Jewish chapter brothers as well. The fact remains that Henry was one of the first members of Sigma Tau and bore some responsibility for the century of brotherly love that you, me, and our brothers have all enjoyed as Oklahoma Alphans. Our chapter was one of the first (and among very, very few in the south) to push for integration in SigEp in 1959. As such, opening the red door is in our chapter's heritage. As your historian, I'm grateful we honor our founders, but we can express our gratitude to brother Henry as well. While we cannot rewrite the charter history, I hope that this small symbolic step goes a long way to making us better brothers to one another. Fraternally, Aaron Cromer '16 Oklahoma Alpha Historian, Past Chapter Counselor Permanent Plaque in Student Union (Continued from page 1) Our Most Philanthropic Brother Recognizing DR. RobeRt bReeDlove '69 AVC Treasurer Chas Schoolcraft '14 (left) and AVC Member Levi Close '17 (right) presenting the Most Philanthropic Brother Award to Dr. Robert Breedlove '69. This butterfly was donated by Dr. Robert Breedlove '69 to support Wings of Hope and is on display at our chapter house. Large donors to Wings of Hope are given a butterfly statue, painted in whatever theme they wish. Dr. Breedlove donated his statue to the chapter house and commissioned Mom Val's daughter, Carlie London, to paint it in a SigEp theme. Our SigEp plaque to be displayed in the Student Union Little Theatre to commemorate the founding of Oklahoma Alpha.

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