Sigma Chi - University of Mississippi

4 "Our pledge class was instrumental in building the [new] house and getting funds for it," he said. "We spent a lot of time fundraising; one of the hardest things to do was raise money for the house." Donald was motivated to kick off the matching gift challenge since it was a good opportunity to see if he could encourage more alumni to donate to the campaign. With his help, the matching challenge was an incredible success; however, he hopes even more alumni will pay it forward. "If Sigma Chi has meant anything to you while at Ole Miss and beyond, and perhaps you haven't been as supportive in the past but can afford it now, then this is a good time to catch up," he stated. "It's wonderful that we've raised over $2 million, but just because we've reached that point doesn't mean we won't need more. If you can give more than what you originally figured, then please do." Through Sigma Chi, Donald made lifelong friends and has been fortunate to see his sons carry on his legacy at Eta Chapter. He also has a grandson who is a freshman at Ole Miss this fall and who joined Eta Chapter, so their family ties to the university and Sigma Chi are strong. Donald and his wife, Lynne, live in Meridian, Mississippi; his son Joseph also lives in Meridian while Don Jr. still resides in Oxford. You can connect with Donald at drdondavis@comcast.net. Committed to the Betterment of the Brotherhood (Continued from page 3) T he Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi has had tremendous success in all facets of the fraternity world. is past KTLW, or Sigma Chi National conference, we were awarded the Peterson Significant Chapter Award for the fourth consecutive year. Aside from national recognition, Eta received several distinctions at the university's Annual Fraternity & Sorority Excellence Awards. Among these are the Health & Wellness Award, which acknowledges our chapter's commitment toward enhancing the safety and well-being of our brothers. Charlie Chambers '21 received the Unsung Hero Award, which emphasizes the unrecognized contributions a member of an IFC chapter has made toward bettering fraternity life, and Marshall St. Amant '23 received the Outstanding Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes one member throughout IFC for their potential to make a difference at the University of Mississippi. Although they are highly appreciated, these honors represent only a fraction of what the Eta Chapter has accomplished in these confusing times. When the university made the executive decision to make the spring semester all online, it was realized that an absence of students would directly undermine the pay that our staff is able to earn. In response to this assumption, our brothers, with the help of several alumni and parents, were able to counteract that loss of income through a GoFundMe page. What started out as a small idea quickly gained momentum and, in the end, received over $11,000 in donations. In addition to these contributions for our staff, the Eta Chapter came together as one to memorialize Brother Michael Aulds '21, who sadly passed away this summer. Through the sales of his Dirty Mike and The Boys shirts, which represented a company he started at the young age of 12, the chapter raised over $17,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in his honor. Although COVID-19 restricted recruitment to some extent, our chapter proudly welcomed 66 outstanding individuals into the 2020 new member class while maintaining exceptional academic excellence. Reporting a 3.49 chapter GPA for the spring semester, our recruitment team coordinated and scheduled around coronavirus restrictions to maximize the success and variety of individuals we accepted. Without a doubt, the Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi is on a great path and has excess potential to continue this success. In hoc, Silas Cosby '21 Consul sicosby@me.com Eta Chapter Received Fourth Straight Peterson Significant Chapter Award Members Raise $11,000 to Support House Staff Brothers support Phi Mu's philanthropy event, Cheesin' for the Children, benefitting Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. From left: Dickson Ray '18, Jimmie Cain III '18, and Tristan West '18. Thomas Mayo '19 and Whitman Rowland '19 donate and deliver leftover food from our kitchen to Oxford Middle School. Their efforts helped to feed local students during the coronavirus pandemic.

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