The following Tragos Quest to Greece Scholars were announced in February 2021.
Learn more about the Tragos Quest to Greece.
Thomas Acquista, Connecticut ’22
Thomas has served his chapter as vice president of member development and Phi challenge coordinator. A former Ruck scholar, he maintains a 3.9 GPA majoring in molecular and cellular biology while playing bass clarinet in his university’s symphony orchestra. He is passionate about helping those less fortunate, donating his time to the Ronald McDonald House. Upon graduation, he plans to take his talents to dentistry school and eventually work in dental education.
Brady Alexander, Florida ’22
Brady has served his chapter as vice president of communications and VP of programming. He's a leader in student government, serving as a senator on multiple committees and representing the voice of his class members. Active in Blue Key, he established a leadership program for freshmen, marketing the organization and helping select those in the program out of hundreds of applications. He's a physiology and kinesiology major and hopes to eventually become a physical therapist and help people recover from injuries.
Richard Beck, SIU-Edwardsville ’22
Richard has served his chapter as Sigma coordinator and on the standards board, while also serving his school on the student government. Passionate about investing, he’s double-majoring in accounting and finance while earning a 3.6 GPA. A Ruck scholar, he gives time to his community through several organizations benefiting local families who are experiencing hardships. After graduation, he has ambitions to start multiple businesses, all focused on social responsibility. Recognized by his IFC community as an emerging leader, this scholar is driven by a vision to leave his chapter, campus, and community a better place than he found it.
Jasper Bishop, South Carolina ’22
Jasper has served his chapter as vice president of member development. A Ruck scholar, he’s an exercise science major with a 3.97 GPA and has been recognized on the Dean’s list and the President’s Honors list at his university. Driven to pursue both sound body and sound mind in his daily life, he serves as an Honors peer mentor and participates in organizations like the Barbell Club. His vision is to one day serve as a physical therapist in underdeveloped communities in Latin America.
Ean Buffington, Missouri S&T ’22
Ean has served his chapter as chaplain and Phi challenge coordinator. An aerospace engineering major with a 3.93 GPA, he also passionately broadens his sound mind perspective by exploring world religions. This scholar diligently gives back to his community, including by helping provide meals to low-income families and serving as a guide runner for a legally blind high school cross country athlete. A former Boston Marathon qualifier, he focuses his sound body efforts through running. Upon graduation, he plans to commission into the United States Space Force as a 2nd Lieutenant.
Brian Carter, Morehead State ’22
Brian has served his chapter as vice president of finance, vice president of programming and chapter president. Achieving a 3.98 GPA while majoring in biomedical sciences, he is also an active member in the Order of Omega and Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, and has been on the Dean’s List four times. He volunteers time with a regional medical center and a rural health association in his home state. Following graduation, he hopes to attend medical school to fulfill his mission of serving his community by practicing medicine.
Alex Cheema, Massachusetts ’22
Alex has served his chapter as vice president of recruitment. At an important time for the chapter's manpower, with a large number of members leaving the previous semester, his chapter asked him to take on this larger role. Even though he didn't have much experience with recruitment, he took over and built a viable recruitment strategy that helped the chapter recover, with a 30% increase in manpower. He's an economics major and loves mathematics, and he hopes to work in finance after graduation. As a volunteer with the student alumni association, he manages their social media presence, and he maintains a sound body through the Spikeball Club and Ski and Board Club. He's also volunteered at an assisted living center and in local elementary schools.
Navy Coggins, Louisiana State ’23
Navy has served his chapter as vice president of communications. A pre-medical kinesiology major with a 3.88 GPA, he is passionate about a positive campus experience, serving on the Greek Board of Directors and as a student ambassador for LSU. He also dedicates his time to his community, participating in organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the regional food bank and his local Boys State program. He enjoys running for the benefits it gives to both body and mind, and hopes to one day hike across the United States. Driven by his own life experience, he plans to attend medical school after graduation and positively impact children’s lives through his work.
Braden Dobson, Toledo ’22
Braden has been on the dean's list three times and is a past Hickman Scholar. A member of the Order of Omega, he was also selected for an honor society as a sophomore and was picked as one of the most prominent freshmen in his major. He exhibits a sound mind as a criminal justice major with a 3.8 GPA and hopes to become a lawyer after graduation. He also maintains a sound body, with a passion for soccer and spikeball. He's served his chapter as philanthropy chair and standards board member, and he's been a leader in the criminal justice society and Relay for Life as well as a member of Order of Omega. He's also active in an organization that provides meals for the community and and another group to provide food for children around the world.
Calvin Dugger, Old Dominion ’22
Calvin has served his chapter as president and Phi challenge coordinator. A former Ruck scholar, he is active in his campus community, engaged in different organizations to help proactively combat sexual assault and keep his campus clean. He practices sound body by participating on the club teams for soccer and ultimate frisbee. This scholar has appeared on his university’s Dean’s List with a 3.5 GPA while majoring in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Mason Dunn, North Dakota ’22
Mason has served his chapter as vice president of communications and president. He has a 4.0 GPA in his mechanical engineering major and is a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Fraternity as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He invests time in organizations like Meals on Wheels and Backpacks for Buddies, doing his part to help underserved communities. This scholar balances his sound mind activities by pushing himself through at-home workout circuits and recreational sports.
Patrick Holton, Westminster ’22
Patrick has served his chapter as vice president of programming and president. A history major, this scholar is also a part of his university’s swim and dive team and the campus inter-fraternity council. He dedicates time to his school’s sexuality and gender alliance group, helping provide support to all those who seek it. Upon graduation, he intends to pursue a master’s degree in hopes to teach at a high school or university.
Garrett Kincaid, Stevens ’22
Garrett has served his chapter as chaplain and exercises sound mind in wide-ranging ways – engaging in his university’s A Cappella group, self-publishing his own book, and by earning a 3.63 GPA while majoring in quantitative finance. Beyond that, he is a varsity athlete on the tennis team and has regularly given back to his community through this experience. Upon graduation, this scholar plans to move to Iceland before beginning a consulting career, aimed to help people reach their dreams.
Andy Nguyen, Virginia ’23
Andy has served his chapter as vice president of communications. He demonstrates a passion for helping those younger than him by volunteering time at after-school programs and providing support to other first-generation college students in similar situations as him. Outside of his social innovation and psychology major, where he earns a 3.88 GPA, this scholar has artistic talent as a member of the university marching band and the dance company. Upon graduation, he hopes to travel across the world, gaining new perspectives and experiences in order to eventually be able to serve underprivileged children in diverse cultural contexts.
Ian Pitt, Louisville ’22
Ian is a former Ruck scholar and has served his chapter as vice president of communications and president. He is active in several campus and community organizations, including some that work with companies to focus on big-picture efforts, like corporate social responsibility and clean drinking water across the country. This scholar has appeared on his university’s Dean’s list three consecutive years while earning a 4.0 GPA with a marketing major. Upon graduation, he plans to take a year putting his marketing degree to work before attending law school.
Paul Schlotman, South Dakota ’23
Paul has served his chapter as vice president of recruitment. He has a 4.0 GPA while majoring in Agricultural and Biosystems engineering. Passionate about leadership, he gives his time to organizations both on and off campus aimed at helping others reach their fullest leadership potential. When not with these organizations, he commits to routines helping him balance sound mind and sound body. In the future, this scholar hopes to make a career out of designing agricultural machinery.
Blaine Smith, Memphis ’22
Blaine has served his chapter as vice president of finance, vice president of member development and president. He’s passionate about improving his campus community, holding leadership positions on IFC and student government association while also serving as a student ambassador. A member of the Order of Omega, he has a 3.87 GPA while majoring in sport and leisure management and interning for his university’s athletic department. Upon graduation, he plans to pursue graduate school and eventually become an associate athletic director at a Division 1 university.
