Sigma Phi Epsilon - Oregon State University

3 SIGMA PH I EPSILON G rowing up in a goal-oriented family with an interest in amateur radio, Eldon Graham (60-618) arrived on the Oregon State campus with determined focus on becoming an electrical engineer. As many Oregon Alpha graduates know, the electrical engineering (EE) program is intense and requires significant effort and rigor from undergraduates. Always calculated, Eldon knew that he needed to find an environment where education and success was at the forefront. After a term living in a boarding house (where the food was notoriously terrible), Eldon connected with a former high school classmate who had joined SigEp and, after a mutual recruitment process, was invited to join. Eldon recalls Oregon Alpha had a great reputation on campus, both with other chapters (even if they didn't care to admit it) and the faculty, where he remembers 30+ Scholarship Cups prominently displayed in the house and a chapter full of well-rounded undergraduates. As he recalls, "The chapter was a healthy place to live, in terms of both education and self- esteem, as there was profound impact being involved with the caliber of organization." Eldon is very proud to be a SigEp. While the EE program kept Eldon busy during his time at OSU, he has fond memories of Rook Skip, Firemen's Ball (he confirms that the slide was very fast!), and formal meals held at the chapter house. Those positive memories led him to stay engaged with fellow members from his era. Eldon took the lead years ago in tracking down everyone from his 1960 graduating class and connecting them by email. Over the last 10 years, Eldon and his peers have had three reunions, spread throughout Oregon, with a large majority of his class in attendance. After graduating with an EE degree, Eldon was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and trained as a military parachutist. Following service in Germany, he returned to Oregon and was soon hired as an engineer by the telephone company Pacific Northwest Bell. After retiring in his early 50s, Eldon has spent his time with a wide range of activities; traveling in Asia with his son who lives in Hong Kong, sailing, horseback riding, traveling to Bend from his home in Bellevue, Washington, and even reigniting his interest in amateur radio. However, the biggest consumer of Eldon's time has come in the investment space, where he has seen tremendous growth in his portfolio. As Eldon reflected on his life, and how he wanted to structure his estate, he thought about where he could make an investment in the future. He believes engineering and technology will play important roles in maintaining the United States' economic advantage among nations, and he wanted to return some of the benefits he received from his long military service to the citizens of the United States. Through much work with the OSU Foundation (OSUF), Eldon decided to give a large majority of his estate to the foundation, in the name of the Eldon H. Graham College of Engineering Endowed Scholarship. According to the foundation, his is the largest scholarship fund commitment in Oregon State's history, benefiting dozens of engineering students each year in perpetuity. Before signing off, Eldon had one more unique requirement of the scholarship selection process: SigEps would receive preferential treatment on receiving the scholarship. As worded in the Statement of Intent (and agreed to by the Dean of OSU's College of Engineering, the Oregon State President, and the OSUF President), "If a member of the Oregon State University Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon is in the Scholarship Committee's opinion a qualified scholarship candidate, the Sigma Phi Epsilon scholarship candidate is to be given preference over similarly (not necessarily equally) qualified candidates." When asked why he made this part of his endowment, Eldon shared, "I owe something to SigEp because it provided me with a wholesome place to be during my time at Oregon State." What advice does Eldon have for the younger generation of SigEp? "Do your best. It would be nice to be the best, but that's reserved for a very few, so just do your best and your and our nation will prosper." A Place Where Brothers Do Their Best How Eldon Graham (60-618) Stays Connected to SigEp D oug Antone (75-977) and I met Coach Wooden after practice late in the afternoon on Friday afternoon, February 23, at the Town House, and he invited us to come back around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday after his breakfast with his coaches. Doug and I arrived at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, and Coach Wooden introduced us to his coaches and then took us to his hotel room to meet Nell, his wife, and lay out the plans for the morning. Doug drove his mustang with Coach Wooden in the passenger seat. I rode in the back. We had a full chapter house that morning, and Coach Wooden spoke and answered questions for about three hours, until around noon. Doug and I drove him back to the Town House. UCLA beat the Beavers that night. About one month later, on March 26, 1973, the Bruins beat Memphis State for the national championship. Bill Walton scored 44 points, converting 21 of 22 field goals, which is an NCAA basketball record that may never be broken. I have talked with Ken Maddox (75-962), and we have discussed inviting Walton to speak at the chapter in February 2023 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Coach Wooden's appearance at the chapter house. Walton led the Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977, and his appearance at the chapter would be a very special event for all of the members and alumni. I wrote to Coach Wooden again in the 1990s and asked him to autograph and send me three Pyramids of Success, one for each of my kids. He promptly did that, and I had them framed and gave them to my two sons on the day they graduated from OSU—and to my daughter when she graduated from West Albany High School a few weeks after Coach Wooden died. They have them hanging in their homes. Scott (07- 1890), my oldest son and one of my law partners, is an Oregon Alpha alumnus. Coach Wooden was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at Purdue, and I believe his own fraternity involvement while at Purdue was an important factor on his willingness to accept the invitation and speak to the members of Oregon Alpha. Fraternally, Michael Cowgill (75-959) mcowgill@wtlegal.com Reflecting on Coach John Wooden's Visit to Oregon AlphA John Wooden and Mike Cowgill (75-959) approach the chapter house.

• Cover