At the 2015 Conclave Brotherhood Luncheon, Matthew Davis, Ohio State ’17, received the inaugural Frank Rader Memorial Wrestling Award. The award recognizes undergraduates who embody the ideals of Sound Mind and Sound Body by engaging in competitive wrestling during college while demonstrating strong community leadership and academic performance. Past Grand President and Order of the Golden Heart recipient Gary Griffith, Texas-Austin ’70, announced the award.

Frank E. Rader, Davidson ’71, was
a national figure in the world of wrestling, Griffith said. “His impact on SigEp was beyond measure. As a wrestler at Davidson, Frank learned to balance
his academic endeavors, social life and athletic interests. Over the course of his career, he would find repeated opportunities to merge his interests, using wrestling as a way to serve others and share the lessons he learned through SigEp.”

In 1982, Rader was named USA Wrestling Man of the Year. He went on to serve on the Olympic wrestling staff for the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Throughout his life, Rader served as a chapter volunteer and was known for his willingness to invest time in brothers and continually challenge himself and others to learn and grow. Rader was inducted into the Order of the Golden Heart in 1999. Following his passing in May 2015, fellow North Carolina
Epsilon brother
and lifelong friend
Jay Hurt, ’88,
established the
scholarship in
Rader’s honor.

“Like Frank, Matthew lives his life in order to serve others,”
Griffith said.

Davis has served as a campus mentor and recently created a program to empower minority voices in the Greek community. He has helped raise more than $10,000 for Relay for Life, assisted with Red Cross blood drives, led group Bible studies, and spent time visiting with a 6-year-old cancer survivor and his family. He currently maintains a 3.94 GPA as a biomedical science major with a minor in economics. “Matthew, like Frank, you are a servant to those around you, a force for good in the world and a leading example for every SigEp,” Griffith said.

The recognition was a complete surprise to Davis, who was attending
his first Conclave as a member of the Ohio State delegation. “I am extremely honored and humbled to have received the inaugural Frank Rader Memorial Wrestling Award,” he said. “I would not be in the position I am in today without the supportive environment and role models I’ve found in SigEp. The greatest benefit of the award has been the number of relationships formed with SigEps who share my passion for the Fraternity and wrestling.”