Sigma Tau Gamma seeks to celebrate outstanding achievements by its undergraduate brothers, alumni, chapters, and interfraternal partners. A series of awards have evolved over the years to recognize those who have shown exceptional devotion to Sig Tau as well as a commitment to leadership, service, academic achievement, and other areas of chapter operations. Sig Tau recognizes its members for their accomplishments and advancements in the classroom, throughout the fraternity, and in their respective professions. The Fraternity and Foundation provide both scholarships and awards to undergraduates and alumni members alike. Individuals have the option to apply for these awards, and many others have been nominated by brothers. 

Chapter awards are given based on performance-based on data collected through each chapter’s submitted McCune Annual Report. The McCune Annual Report is Sig Tau’s way of determining outstanding chapter achievements as well as identifying areas of need for our chapters. It allows the Fraternity to enhance the way we tell our story and helps to promote the collective success of the Fraternity.

We hope you will join us in the digital recognition and unveiling of award recipients during the month of June. Awards will be unveiled each week on our social media pages and updated here following each unveiling.

Congratulations to all our nominees, finalists, and recipients!

Ellsworth C. Dent Man of the Year Award

Ellsworth C. Dent, Emporia State ‘22, was a Delta Chapter founding member. Dent was elected Provisional Editor at a planning meeting held October 24-25, 1924, to prepare for the first Grand Conclave. He was later elected Grand Editor at that First Conclave on May 30, 1925. He served in that office until December 1927 when he was elected second National President at the Fourth Conclave. He served nine years, stepping down at the Eighth Conclave in 1936.

This award is the highest honor bestowed upon an active member of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity in recognition of his outstanding leadership, service, and academic achievements during his active membership. From all nominees, ten finalists are selected as the Noble Man Hall of Fame Inductees. From the ten Noble Man Hall of Fame Inductees, the Dent Man of the Year is selected after an interview process at the fraternity’s summer conference.

2020 Recipient:

Paul J. Hawron, Henderson State

Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapter Award

The McCune Distinguished Chapter Award is named in honor of Edward H. McCune, Central Missouri ‘20. Dr. McCune was a Founder and our fourth National President, as well as a physiologist and scholar of history. He maintained life-long involvement in Sig Tau and was the author of the Creed and the Code of Conduct.

The Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapter Award recognizes the premier chapters in Sig Tau. It was first presented in 1966 at the 22nd Grand Conclave. Originally, the award was given to just one chapter, but beginning in 1967 four other chapters were also recognized as the “runners-up” for the prestigious award.

Early chapter winners were selected by applications and judged by a panel appointed by the Fraternity Board of Directors. The applicants documented how their chapter successfully pursued the Principles of Sig Tau.

The award is now judged by the McCune Metrics Scorecard. Using a point-based scale, the scorecard measures chapter performance in academics, finance & operations, recruitment, education & wellness, campus engagement, and community engagement.

Today, the three top scoring chapters, in predetermined size categories, are recognized as the Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapters.

2020 Recipients:

Carroll University
Michigan Tech.
Colorado Boulder

Young Distinguished Alumni Award

This award is awarded to alumni under the age of 40 at the time of recognition. The Young Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes the meritorious achievement of a brother in his profession, his leadership to free enterprise, his dedicated service to his community, and an appreciation of those eminent qualities which are an inspiration to all members of the Fraternity.

2020 Recipient:

Michael S. McCarty, Florida Tech.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

The Fraternity’s second oldest award for individual alumni is the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award was established by the Grand Council in 1950. The award recognizes the meritorious achievement of a brother in his profession, his leadership to free enterprise, his dedicated service to his community, and an appreciation of those eminent qualities which are an inspiration to all members of the Fraternity.

2020 Recipient:

Frederick P. McKenna, Jr., UNC Greensboro

Winebrenner Distinguished Fraternity Service Award

Third National President and second Chief Staff Officer, D. Kenneth Winebrenner, IU Pennsylvania ‘31, exemplified extraordinary service as an alumni leader.

This award is given in recognition of loyal and sustained fraternity service through the investment of the recipient’s time, talent, and treasure, exemplifying the true meaning of “Sig Tau for life”.

2020 Recipient:

W.P. ‘Buz’ Barlow, JR., JD, UW – Oshkosh

Alumni Association Award of Distinction

Alumni support is a vital component for chapters that excel in performance, campus involvement, and operations. This award recognizes Alumni Associations that exemplify the purpose of their association by supporting an undergraduate chapter throughout the academic year.

2020 Recipients:

Mansfield Alumni Association
UNC Greensboro Alumni Association
North Texas Alumni Association

Marvin Millsap Distinguished Foundation Service Medal

This award honors the Founder of the Wilson C. Morris Fellowship, Marvin Millsap, Central Missouri ‘26. This award recognizes extraordinary service and support to the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation.

2020 Recipient:

Paul S. Motin, Winona State

Stan Musial and Eric H. Hillman Sportsmanship Award

This award is in honor of Stan Musial, Cal U ‘62 and Eric H. Hillman, Concord ‘81, for both their athletic success and commitment to serving their communities.

The Stan Musial and Eric H. Hillman Sportsmanship Award is presented annually to a member of Sig Tau who has participated in varsity or intercollegiate athletics at his college or university. The recipient is also someone who has distinguished traits of athletic performance, scholastic achievement, leadership, and service to his college or within his local community.

2020 Recipient:

Matthew J. Quint, Carroll

Michael H. Steinbeck Graduate Fellowship

The Michael J. Steinbeck Graduate Fellowship opportunity began in 1987. It is named in honor of Michael J. Steinbeck, Central Arkansas ‘63. This award is a $1,000 scholarship from the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation that recognizes and assists talented young brothers, firmly committed to the ideals of Sig Tau, in the pursuit of graduate and professional degrees. The award promotes the advancement of ethical young men into the highest levels of leadership in our society.

2020 Recipient:

Dean Anderson, Purdue

Ted and Thersa Priem Undergraduate Scholarship

Ted Priem, UW – Eau Claire ‘61, earned his degree in Psychology and Business Administration. Ted and his wife Theresa, and the Priem Foundation, have generously created a $5,000 scholarship through the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation. The scholarship rewards undergraduate members who have achieved a 3.0 cumulative GPA, demonstrate financial need, and illustrate active participation and leadership in their chapter and campus community

2020 Recipient:

Ryan T. Jobman, Alabama

Michael Schermer & Doug Lichtenberger Foundation Advocate Award

The Foundation Advocate Award is named after Michael Schermer, Illinois State ‘78, and Doug Lichtenberger and honors their commitment to the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation and the way the two men continually embody the spirit of philanthropy in their lives.
The Michael Schermer & Doug Lichtenberger Foundation Advocate Award recognizes chapters who have taken the initiative to reinvest in their chapter and the future of the organization through the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation. Recipients are determined based on their support of the Azure & White Undergraduate Giving Club, chapter funds, and the Founders Day Challenge.

2020 Recipients:

Henderson State
Robert Morris
Kansas

Robert N. Jones Charitable Projects Award

Robert Jones, Truman State ‘26, was known for his selfless service. As the ninth National President, he was a highly skilled attorney who never hesitated to donate the considerable value of his knowledge and wisdom to Sig Tau. With that wisdom, and vision to accompany it, he created the founding documents for the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation, Inc.

This award recognizes the chapters of Sig Tau that exemplify the Robert Jones spirit of giving and the Principle of Citizenship through philanthropic efforts and service to their campuses and communities.

2020 Recipients:

Emporia State
UNC Charlotte
Kansas State

Distinguished Interfraternal Leadership Award

This award recognizes a Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisor with meritorious achievement in the profession of higher education and who demonstrates a commitment to the success of their students, our members, and the greater interfraternal community.

2020 Recipient:

Laura Bates, Director of the Student Union and Campus Activities, Truman State University

Professor O.F. Grubbs Advisor of the Year Award

The award is named in honor of Professor O.F. Grubbs, Pittsburg State ’24, advisor to the Epsilon Chapter at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. This award recognizes a chapter advisor who is judged worthy by evidence of his or her longstanding and effective service to the fraternity and to an undergraduate chapter.

2020 Recipient:

Michael E. Matznick, Illinois State

Dr. Emmett Ellis Chapter Scholarship Award

Dr. Emmett Ellis, Central Missouri ’20, was a mathematics professor and perhaps the greatest academic among the extraordinary scholars that comprised the Founders. Ellis recruited the first chapter advisor, professor of physics Dr. Wilson C. Morris, to be the Sponsor of the Founders at the time. Dr. Wilson C. Morris was the unequaled intellect among the faculty at their campus.

Ellis believed that a true fraternal gentleman must be an intellectual as well as a social creature.

This award recognizes chapters that strive for intellectual excellence and show an emphasis on scholarship as reflected by their chapter GPA as well as academic programming initiatives.

2020 Recipients:

Carroll University
Northwest Missouri State University
University of Colorado Boulder

E. Kennedy Whitesitt Communication Award

This award is named after E. Kennedy Whitesitt, Pittsburg State ‘24. Whitesitt was a Founder of the Epsilon Chapter, and a Society of Seventeen Inductee. During Whitesitt’s time as the Fraternity’s Executive Secretary, a new system of communication and personnel records was created.

This award is presented to the chapters with the most impressive communication strategy including the use of the Sig Tau brand and utilization of printed materials and social media pages to positively tell their chapter’s story to the community at large.

2020 Recipients:

Youngstown State University
Michigan Technological University
Kansas State University

Earl A. Webb Most Improved Chapter Award

When Earl A. Webb Sr., Central Missouri ’38, entered college at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Alpha Chapter was ready for growth and operational improvement. When asked why he joined Sig Tau, Earl said that he was in search of someplace where he could help, and help he did.

With Earl’s leadership, Alpha Chapter experienced an incredible revival. Within ten years of his graduation, he became the National President, and with a record of more than 60 years of extraordinary leadership and service, he is now known as “Mr. Sig Tau”.

The Earl A. Webb Most Improved Chapter Award recognizes the chapter with the greatest year-over-year improvement in their McCune Annual Report.

2020 Recipients:

Black Hills State University
Stephen F. Austin University
Pennsylvania State University

J. Gregory Rumpf Recruitment & Growth Award

This award is named in honor of J. Gregory Rumpf, Truman State ’76. As a Dent Man of the Year and Society of Seventeen Inductee, Greg understood the need for continued growth and the importance it plays in our ever-evolving and expanding brotherhood.

This award recognizes chapters that meet and exceed their recruitment goals throughout the academic year. It distinguishes chapters who excel in recruitment and retention of members and emphasize creating a quality associate member experience.

2020 Recipients:

Carroll University
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Arizona State University

Ronald W. Erickson Alumni Engagement Award

This award is named in honor of Ron Erickson, UW – Superior ’65. As the 23rd National President, a Foundation Trustee, and the creator of Webb Academy. Erickson exemplified the importance of engaging with undergraduate chapters and the role it plays in chapter development.

This award recognizes chapters who exemplify excellence in alumni engagement through effective communication, incorporating alumni in ritual, and hosting sponsored events for alumni and families.

2020 Recipients:

Emporia State University
Michigan Technological University
Texas Tech University

Thomas H. Hutsell Chapter Efficiency Award

This chapter award is named in honor of Thomas M. Hutsell, Truman State ‘25, the first Executive Secretary. The office of Executive Secretary, then Executive Vice President, and now Chief Executive Officer, was created when the delegates of the Third Conclave in 1927 realized the Fraternity could not be sustained without a central office and reliable records. In order to encourage chapters to submit their records, reports, and dues on time, Hutsell created the Chapter Efficiency Cup, the first chapter award for Sigma Tau Gamma.

The Thomas M. Hutsell Chapter Efficiency Award carries on the tradition of the Chapter Efficiency Cup and recognizes the chapters who excel in meeting reporting deadlines and are efficient with their chapter operations and finances.

2020 Recipients:

Salisbury University
University of Arizona
University of Colorado Boulder

W.T. “Bill” Hembree Campus Leadership Award

This award is named in honor of W. T. “Bill” Hembree, Pittsburg State ‘41, the Sig Tau leader whose more than 50 years of service is so significant his name has become synonymous with Sig Tau leadership. The Founders of the early chapters of Sig Tau were campus leaders first, and many current chapters continue to uphold this tradition.

When visiting a chapter of Sig Tau, it is expected to find among its members a president of the Student Government Association, chairman of the Student Activities Board, or a student representative to the University Governing Board. Members of Sig Tau present themselves around campus as athletic team captains, mentors and tutors, orientation leaders, and so much more.

This award recognizes chapters whose members are actively involved in campus organizations outside of the chapter, including campus-wide activities, events, clubs and teams, as well as National Sig Tau programs for leadership development and member enrichment.

2020 Recipients:

Emporia State University
University of Central Missouri
Michigan State University

Undergraduate Principle Awards

In 2017, Sigma Tau Gamma introduced six new awards, earning their namesake after our six Principles: Learning, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership, Citizenship, and Brotherhood. For each of these awards, recipients must exemplify the qualities of the specific Principle in their everyday life. The awards recognize brothers with outstanding scholastic achievements, contributions, involvement in the chapter and on campus, learning habits, and accomplishments both inside and outside of the classroom.

2020 Recipients:

Learning: Zach Hanson, UW – LaCrosse
Integrity: Caleb Liles, Northwest Missouri
Excellence: Nicholas Gangwer, Alabama
Leadership: Thomas Torres, Emporia State
Citizenship: Brian Winkelmann, William Woods
Brotherhood: Matthew Abel, UNC Charlotte

National White Rose Scholarship

The first National Rose of Sigma Tau Gamma was chosen in 1940 but became an annual award in 1952. Now, the National White Rose Scholarship goes to one chapter’s White Rose who has made positive contributions to the chapter and best embodies the ideals and Principles of Sigma Tau Gamma.

There have been five individuals bestowed the National White Rose title after their collegiate career. Mrs. Maurine P. Achauer Ph.D., was awarded the title in 1972 for her tireless work with the Alpha Chapter and 101 Ming Street, and Mary Cunningham in 1984 for her national efforts. In 2008, Holly Mauer Alello was awarded the title at the Christopher Mauer Grand Chapter in St. Louis. At the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Headquarters in Indianapolis, Vanessa Ryan and Amanda Clark, were both awarded the title as National White Rose in 2018 for their efforts and dedication to the Headquarters building at 8741 Founders Road.

2020 Recipient:

Stormy Stacks, University of Central Arkansas

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ABOUT SIGMA TAU GAMMA FRATERNITY
Founded at the University of Central Missouri on June 28, 1920, the organization will commemorate its 100th Anniversary in 2020. With a presence on 81 campuses in 29 states, our membership includes more than 2,700 undergraduate men and 63,000 living alumni. The Headquarters, which is home to the Fraternity, Foundation, and WPN Housing Company, is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, 12 miles from the center of downtown. Visit https://sigtau.org for additional information.