Sigma Nu's 2019-2020
Sigma Nu Epsilon Eta Chapter
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville
Brother Will Hensley Receives Alpha Award
Will Hensley was one of ten seniors from all Sigma Nu chapters in the nation to receive the Alpha Alumni Chapter Affiliate award. This is the highest honor that an undergraduate received from Sigma Nu nationals. This is the second year in a row that a brother of the Epsilon Eta chapter has received the award. His letter stated "Your commitment to the Mission of Sigma Nu, as evidenced by your great body of work, is one of distinguished proportion. We are grateful for your dedication to honor and excellence. Your name will be added to the Alpha scrolls alongside Founders Hopkins, Quarles, and Riley."
Will served the chapter as Treasurer and Commander during his four years on campus. He was a member of the Haslam College of Business and majored in Business Analytics. Will made the Dean’s List all eight semesters on campus. He was very involved in the Haslam College of Business and studied abroad during this sophomore year with the Global Leadership Scholars (GLS) program. GLS is a highly selected program and Will was one of only 27 students selected to study in London. He was a Haslam College of Business Ambassador. Will is employed with Cricket Wireless as a Business Analytics Specialist.
Chapter Awards
Each spring semester the chapter votes on three awards. This spring the chapter voted Phil Deaton-Man of the Year, Ryan Brennan received Athlete of the Year and Luke McConnell was voted Alumni of the Year. Scholar of the Year goes to the brother who had the highest combined GPA for Spring 2020 and Fall 2020. This year brothers Ethan Cerrito and Charlie Evans made a 4.0 both semesters and tied for the award.
Chapter finishes fourth in Carnicus
The chapter joined with Kappa Delta for Carnicus 2020. The chapter has finished in the Top 4 for years in a room and won the competition in 2017 and 2018. Under the direction of brother Matthew Peterson for four years in a row, the groups spend many hours working together in February in preparation for the performance.
Carnicus has a long and storied past at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The commonly known beginnings date back to the early 1900’s. In the early part of the 20th century, UT students celebrated the end of the year’s classes with an event called the June Jubilee. It evolved with the Glee Club performing, vaudeville shows by the students, and side shows. In 1911, a circus was added with students dressing as elephants, cows, and other animals. By 1925, the carnival had become a mid-winter carnival held indoors and the circus an outdoor event held in the spring. In 1929, the All Campus Events committee combined the two activities and George Abernathy, a member of the All Students’ Club, coined the word Carnicus. The event ended with the crowning of a Carnicus Queen. As Carnicus evolved over the years, emphasis was placed on the skit competitions, and the parades, dances, and queen crowning were eliminated. Today’s Carnicus competition allows groups, single or co-ed, from any student organization.
IFC Officers
Brother Allen Pack (EH #1732) is serving as IFC President and brother David Plante (EH #1790)
serves as IFC Vice President for Health and Safety. Allen is the second Epsilon Eta member in
three years to be elected IFC President. Sigma Nu is the only chapter on campus to have three
IFC Presidents in the past 10 years. Overall, he is the seventh Sigma Nu to be elected IFC
President. The IFC Presidents from the Sigma Nu are listed below ---
2020 Allen Pack EH #1732
2018 James Eun EH #1650
2011 Mason McGlamery EH #1505
1970 – 71 Tommy Thomas EH #756
1950 – 51 Bruce E. Harrison EH #418
1935 – 36 Jack Williams EH #169
1928 – 29 William Ridley EH #89
Sigma Nu wins IM Basketball championship
The chapter won the IM Basketball champion during Spring Semester. The team went 7-0 this spring and defeated Phi Gamma Delta in the finals after defeating Beta Upsilon Chi in the semi-finals. Last spring, the chapter finished 7-1 and lost in the semi-finals.
Sigma Nu wins Big Orange Give Second Year In A Row
Each November, the UT Foundation conducts Big Orange Give. UT raised $2.555 million in one day. As part of the Big Orange Give 2019, UT conducts The Greek Challenge. The Greek Challenge is sponsored by Ron and Don Frieson (Kappa Alpha Psi). All Greek organizations compete against each other in two categories: Large Chapter (100 members or members) and Small Chapter (less then 100 members). There were two competitions this year and $2,500 was awarded to the winner in each – the chapter with the most donors and the chapter who raised money. Sigma Nu won the competition for the second year in a row with 308 donations and raised $9,087. By winning both categories the Chapter won an additional $5,000.
Sigma Nu and Sigma Kappa Sorority Finish Third in Homecoming 2019
Sigma Nu and Sigma Kappa joined forces to finish Third in Homecoming 2019. The two Greek organizations entered the following events: Three on Three basketball, Small Float, Large Banner, Smokey’s Howl, Chalk Ped Walkway, Anything Goes, Torch Pursuit, Lawn Decorating and The Tower of Cans. The organizations finished first the Three on Three basketball and Tower of Cans. In the Tower of Cans competition, the groups donated 7,721 lbs of food and the height of the tower was 13 feet, 1 inch. They finished fourth in Smokey’s Howl, Lawn Display and the Torch Pursuit.
Tindall/Curtis Alumni Scholarships Presented
The alumni of the Epsilon Eta Chapter have awarded $42,000 in scholarships to 14 chapter members over the past four years. The efforts of Don Fancher (EH #708) and John Shoemaker (EH #708) are appreciated in having the vision to start this scholarship. The Dan Tindall (EH #1525)/Steve Curtis (EH #727) honors two brothers who have passed away.
This year’s winners are ---
Michael Brown is a junior in Business Analytics from Timonium, Maryland. He served as the Chapter Marshall for the past year.
Will Hensley is senior from Alpharetta, Georgia and majoring in Business Analytics. This year is as served as the Commander. In addition, Will participated in the Global Leaders Scholars program in the Haslam College of Business and studied in London, England spring semester of his sophomore year.
Jason McNeight is a senior from McDonough, Georgia. He is a Business Analytics and served the chapter as Alumni Contact. He is a member of the All Campus Events committee and served as the Vice President of IFC for Administration.
Chris Moriconi is a junior Nursing student from Lutherville, Maryland. This year he was the chapter LEAD chair.
Snake Daze Held for Camp Koinonia
During the Fall Semester, the chapter hosted their annual Snake Daze event for the chapter charity. Eleven different sororities participated in events. The events consisted of a flag football and volleyball tournament with sorority members competed and a banner painting contest representing the theme of the philanthropy event. Chapter brothers coached the individual sorority volleyball and football teams. KKG won the banner contest and AOII won both the volleyball and flag football competition. The chapter raised $3,500 for Camp Koinonia from the event.
Recruitment 2019 – 20
Fall Recruitment started a week before class for the Fall 2019 fraternity recruitment process. Bid Day occurred the night before the first day of classes. The Epsilon Eta chapter initiated 27 new brothers from the Fall 2019 Candidate process. Spring 2020 there are 13 candidates who will be initiated in August due to the University moving to online classes. Once again, the chapter held their annual Riverboat event to officially end the fall recruitment process and welcome the new candidates to the chapter. Due to chapter size and new Riverboat regulations the chapter rented the Riverboat for on two consecutive evenings. Dr. Jack Lacey (EH #754) hosted the chapter at his house for the annual recruitment pool party again this year. The event celebrated the new candidates and another very successful fall rush.
