The Epsilon Eta chapter has just qualified for the prestigious Bell Endowed Chapter Fund this month thanks to several Epsilon Eta alumni., as reported by Mike Patton (63-S).  So far they have committed $625,000 with 1/2 going to EH scholarships and 1/2 going to on-site transformational leadership training for the Active Chapter brothers.  We need just one or two more brothers for the final $125,000 payable over multiple years, if desired, to get us to the critically important on-site training level.

While the additional scholarships supplement our scholarship program, the leadership training is a game changer for our undergraduate brothers, and for us.  From brother Jeff Burnside, Beta Upsilon 1980, “Epsilon Eta will get former Grand Consul, Mike Greenberg, Alpha Iota 1982, to run the inaugural training. He may have one or two other trainers with him.  There are several categories of leadership you can select.  Generally speaking, the $750,000 endowment gets the “Leadership Journey” described as a mini-Horizons for the entire chapter.”

Past Grand Consul – Mike Greenberg

The training modules are accredited and will allow participating undergraduates to differentiate themselves from other job applicants. 

From Jeff Burnside: “Half of the annual payout funds tuition scholarships for a number of your chapter’s undergraduates (they apply through the Sigma Chi scholarship online portal). If you’d like, local alums can recommend the recipients. The size of the tuition scholarships depends on the level of endowment (see below).

The other half of the annual payout covers what we call Leadership Development Scholarships. The most notable benefit for endowments at $750,000 and above is our Leadership Journey program that sends trainers to the chapter house so everyone in the chapter can participate. They’re usually held over a weekend. The chapter or its alumni leaders must request the on-site training visit a year in advance. Gallup research shows chapters that do this training have a 76% better chance of staying out of serious trouble.

The other Leadership Development Scholarship benefits include online or in-person courses offered to all undergraduate brothers by the Sigma Chi Leadership Institute that teach them not just “leadership” but several different kinds of leadership. Each certificate comes with a LinkedIn badge. The curriculum is so well done that it is accredited under the U.S. Department of Education accreditation system – an incredible achievement that no other fraternity or sorority has accomplished. Other opportunities include teaching the undergraduates “Mission 365”, “Officer Training Academy” and other leadership guidance. And at annual Province Conferences, the Bell endowments enhance the training for all chapters present. You can see the options here.

Bell endowment perpetual benefits are exponentially larger at each level, these are annual payouts:

$250,000 Blue – $5,000 tuition scholarships, $5,000 value leadership development

$500,000 Gold – $10,000 tuition scholarships, $10,000 value leadership development

$750,000 Platinum – $15,000 tuition scholarships, $15,000 value leadership development

$1M Founders – $20,000 tuition scholarships, $20,000 value leadership development

$1.5M Constantine – $30,000 tuition scholarships, $30,000 value leadership development

Director of Development, Sigma Chi Foundation – Jeff Burnside

We currently have several outstanding items on the Auction Site with many more to be added as they are received.  

LOBSTER FEED & WINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Get your favorite brothers or friends together to enjoy this spectacular Auction Item.  A Lobster Dinner for 10 hosted at Sergio and Becky Ilic’s home with wine pairing provided by T.A. and Michelle Heckel. Enjoy an outdoor Lobster Dinner cooked before your eyes by Sergio!  Personally selected wine pairings by T.A. will complement the evening’s culinary selections!  This will be an experience you will never forget.  The Maine Lobsters will be flown in the day of the event.  The feast will be done in an East Coast Lobster/Crab/Clam Bake style.  Each participant will receive a full Lobster and T.A. will have the wine flowing throughout the entire evening.  This item can be purchased online at the buyout price.  DON’T MISS THIS MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE!!!

LUNCH FOR 6 WITH 2 FORMER FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFFS

Enjoy a fabulous lunch for 6 people at the renowned Elbow Room with former Sheriffs Magaret Mimms and Steve Magarian. This will be an opportunity to “pick their brains” and hear some of the experiences they have had over their decades of service as Law Enforcement Officers and Fresno County Sheriffs. 

To bid on these or the many other item visit the 2025 Wine Tasting Website by using the link or QR code below.

https://www.32auctions.com/sigalumniwinetasting2025

On February 12, 2025, Sigma Chi International recognized brother Brad Fischer (78-S) as an Order of Constantine Sig.  Brad will be inducted at the 85th Grand Chapter of Sigma Chi which will be held June 26–29, 2025, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.

“Each year, the Order of Constantine recognizes a group of Sigma Chi brothers for their commitment, dedication and service to the Fraternity. Induction into the Order of Constantine is considered to be the highest honor that the Sigma Chi Fraternity bestows upon one of its members. The honor of being named an Order of Constantine Sig has been conferred on just 829 brothers since the Order’s inception at the 47th Grand Chapter in 1948.” Because of the limits placed on annual inductions, on average a chapter would be able to induct one brother every 21 years while Epsilon Eta averages one every 5 years.  Currently only 21 brothers can be inducted into the Order of Constantine each year. Epsilon Eta now has a total of 15 with 8 still living.

Through the many years Brad’s leadership, mentoring and attention to detail the Fresno Sigma Chi Alumni Chapter has become the only fraternity alumni organization on the Fresno State campus that has enough critical mass to create significant activities for its alumni and to strongly support an undergraduate chapter. Epsilon Eta has the finest fraternity house on the Fresno State campus, it is maintained in pristine condition and has no debt.