Growing from $13,000 to $38,000 in scholarship awards in the last four years, our endowment has officially reached critical mass. Next year we will have $38,000 to award, and now the challenge is to make sure our undergraduate brothers successfully apply by the deadline which will be approximately March 1, 2021.

Last February, Scholarship Chairman, Christian Reta (18-F), held a successful scholarship application workshop at the Chapter House where nineteen brothers successfully applied online on the Fresno State scholarship portal. The next workshop will be organized by newly-elected Scholarship Chairman, Nolan Long (20-S). Both brothers Reta and Long achieved 4.0 GPAs last semester.

Our undergraduate chapter achieved academic excellence last semester by besting the all-men’s average at Fresno State with their chapter average of 3.22. Out of 48 undergraduates in the chapter, 23 had a GPA of at least 3.50, one short of 50% while 14 brothers achieved a 4.00 GPA!

We Sigma Chi alumni appreciate the value in studying hard and getting good grades, and our scholarship program certainly encourages academics. Today most of our undergraduate brothers must work while attending the university, and several brothers have more than one job. Many have no financial support from their families. The monies we award in many cases allow brothers to work fewer hours so that they can spend that time studying, or possibly use that time to learn leadership skills serving as a Chapter officer.

Thanks to all of you brothers who have supported our endowments through our donor brick program, our annual wine tasting and simply making cash contributions.

Sigma Tau was founded at Fresno State on November 10, 1921 by five men, all of whom were active in the Sigma Tau Alumni Association when Sigma Tau became Epsilon Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi thirty years later. The five founders were Edmond A. Chevalier, John W. Greeley, William F. Peters, Dr. J. Mack Humphreys and Albert J. Wilson. All but brother Wilson attended the installation banquet, he had to be in Louisiana that night.

Sigma Tau, the second fraternity by a few short weeks according to Fresno State records, was the oldest continuously active fraternity on campus. Throughout its history it maintained the position as one of the top fraternities. It has a record of participation in campus activities that cannot be equaled by any other fraternity. Over their thirty years Sigma Taus held 40% of the student body presidents, 40% of IFC presidents and 35% of the associated men student presidents.

Wheeler Wright’s Sigma Tau Pin

The Sigma Tau Alumni Association was formed on April 17, 1935 to create the first active fraternity alumni group at Fresno State. They maintained contact with members by a monthly publication, and held regular monthly dinner meetings.

There were many notable Taus including the following: Robert G (Bud) Fisher, founder of what became the largest general contractor in Fresno and among the top-200 in the US, great track coach Flint Hanner, Jim Harkness uncle of Bill Colgate (65-S) and great-uncle of Mike Colgate (14-S), Ray Harris owner of Harris Construction (builder of our Chapter House) and father of brother Larry Harris (66-F), Clarence Harris owner of Harris Construction (builder of our Chapter House) and father of brother Walt Harris (63-S, U of Florida), Rodger Jensen who turned 100 years old this year and is a pioneer in US-grown pistachios, Oran McNeil was treasurer for our House Corporation, Alumni Chapter and Endowment for decades, and his wife, Carol, was Epsilon Eta’s first sweetheart, Walter Munday father of brother Doug Munday (65-F), Philip V. Sanchez who accepted the Sigma Chi Charter on behalf of Fresno Sigma Chi Active Chapter, was first Consul of Epsilon Eta and father of brother Mark Sanchez (70-F), Bob Sherrill owner of Sherrill’s Ice Cream across from Fresno High, Traves Summers father of the late brother Tim Summers (64-F), Sy Tacchino who accepted the Sigma Chi Charter on behalf of the Sigma Tau Alumni Chapter and father of Jack Tacchino, (66-S) and finally Wheeler Wright biological father of brother Greg Baxter (67-S).

Epsilon Eta Active Charter Members

Loren Stevens-52, Donald Ralph Heintz-52, Edward Harris Chidlaw-52, Richard Mason Rice-52, Rodney Darrel Guild-52, Stanley Delbert Alloway-54, Richard Lowell Beers-53, James Louis Browning, Jr.-54, Aaron Donald Davis, Jr.-54, Roy Lee Davis, Jr.-54, Arthur Duane Deeter-54, Herbert Francis Reusch-53, Ronald Sidney DeWing-54, Harold Elmer Samuel-53, Phillip Victor Sanchez-52, Samuel Frederick Reid-55, George Stelios Palios-53, Oran George McNeil-53, George Robert Campidonica-54, Robert Clark Curtis-54, James Richard Herron-52, Louis Randolph Ingraham-53, Kenneth Edward Carter-54, Edward Earl Harrison-55. William Homer Potts-53 and John Edward Mullins-53.

Fresno Sigma Chi House Corporation

Several Sigma Taus were the original members of the House Corporation and they worked hard for years to raise money for a chapter house.  They include Jim Mayer, Max Hayden, Ray Harris, Clarence Harris and Oran McNeil.

Epsilon Eta will celebrate its 100th anniversary on November 10, 2021.  Get out your silver goblets.

Alumni President Brad Fischer (78-S) opened the meeting at 7:00 PM.  He noted that as we have more virtual meetings more and more brothers are attending, especially brothers we have not seen for a long while because they live far away from Fresno.  He noted that on September 24 our alumni chapter held a Zoom meeting to honor several Semi-Century Sigs, and introduced Jordon Ayerza (17-F) who gave his Active Chapter Report.

Brad mentioned that he was working to include some guest speakers for future Zoom meetings, and after about thirty minutes of free discussion, the closed the meeting with the non-secret ritual.

Brothers attending included Consul Jordan Ayerza  (17’F), John Ballinger (65’S), Past Consul Tom Downing (62’F), Brad Fischer (78’S), Tony Flores (56’S), T.A Heckel (82’F), Past Consul Ron LaRocca (61’F), Bill Matesso (63’F), Rick Nelson (65’S), Mike Patton (63’S), Bruce Quan (72’F), Gary Renner (62’S), Dave Reuland (69’F), Bill Robinson (70’F), Evan Selander (12’S),  Bill Smittcamp (73’S), Mark Springer (09’F), Tim Vaux (66’F), Jerry Waters (62’F) and Kevin Wren (74’F).