At the 2015 Conclave, SigEp’s National Board introduced a new plan for celebrating volunteers. This alumni and volunteer awards and recognition plan seeks to express the immense appreciation felt for SigEp’s volunteers, the time they invest in the Fraternity experience, and the resulting impact of their service. Among the new awards established, two will serve as pinnacles of volunteer recognition at the annual Carlson Leadership Academies: The Exemplary Service Award (see page 38) and University Partner of the Year.

The University Partner of the Year Award recognizes faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond to create a meaningful partnership with SigEp on their campus. They connect members with faculty to enhance academic development. They act as mentors and advisors. And they work to support the implementation of critical, life-changing experiences through the Balanced Man Program and Residential Learning Community.

Kenna Marie Allen
Coordinator of Alumni and Constituent Relations,Morehead State University

An alumnus of Kappa Delta Sorority, Allen has shown a strong, interfraternal commitment to SigEp. She encourages talented non-Greek men to consider joining SigEp and provides brothers with opportunities to serve as student ambassadors and hosts for distinguished guests on campus. From her post within the university’s alumni relations and development office, Allen has played critical roles in the planning and execution of SigEp’s chapter and alumni events, including a recent 45th anniversary celebration. She even helps Kentucky Zeta promote a memorial scholarship honoring Brother J.B. Blakeman, ’79. At a home basketball game each year, Allen presents the scholarship check alongside Blakeman’s mother at center court.

Stephanie Lake
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Intervention Services Coordinator, University of California-Davis

Lake’s passion for student health has made her an invaluable resource for the California-Davis Chapter. She serves as vice president of risk management on the AVC, mentors chapter officers on risk management, and maintains an open-door policy for SigEp brothers who want to seek out her advice privately. Her unique understanding of trends in Greek organizations and student life has helped the chapter remain proactive in their mentoring relationships. She is a regular presence in the life of the chapter and hosts four seminars each year where she engages with members about facts and risks associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Mirta M. Martin
President, Fort Hays State University

During her first two years at Fort Hays State, Martin has been hands-on in her support of the Kansas Zeta Chapter. She believes in the group’s ability to facilitate life-changing experiences for students and has served as the keynote speaker at each of the chapter’s Balanced Man Scholarship banquets. There, scholarship finalists, prospective members and their parents have learned about SigEp directly from their university president.

Martin is also helping SigEp build the infrastructure required to operate a new Residential Learning Community. The university has put forward funds required to construct an on-campus housing complex for the chapter. The facility will open in 2017, and a $250,000 capital campaign previously initiated by SigEp alumni will now be directed to fund chapter scholarships.

C. Dennis Simpson
Professor and Program Director of the Specialty Program in Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Western Michigan University

Simpson has served as a SigEp faculty fellow since 2008. He counsels members on academic probation, is an active participant in AVC activities, and plays an integral role in the chapter’s risk management and prevention program. His perspective as a member of both the President’s Council on Alcohol and the Department of Health and Human Services Ethics Board has made him a vital sounding board for the chapter. Simpson has leveraged experience as a senior consultant to Fortune 100 firms to help the chapter plan for district retreats and strengthen partnerships across the university community. An alumnus of Tau Kappa Epsilon, his SigEp service is an outstanding model of interfraternal commitment.

Thea Zunick
Associate Director of Student Life, Stevens Institute of Technology

Zunick’s interest in SigEp began in graduate school when she was recruited to mentor Columbia’s chapter officers as balanced man steward. Impressed with the chapter’s success and innovative programming, she is writing her doctoral dissertation on SigEp’s Residential Learning Communities. At Stevens Institute of Technology, Zunick has built community awareness about SigEp’s innovative approach to student development. She advises chapter leaders on Balanced Man Program and Residential Learning Community implementation and has even helped foster mentoring relationships among nearby chapters to facilitate the exchange of best practices.