The 37th National President Tom Morgan, Phi ’85, presented a charter on Sunday October 20, 2013 to 47 collegiate members of the Epsilon Upsilon Chapter at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. The installation ceremony was held on the campus of Virginia Tech, officially welcoming them to the Brotherhood of Sigma Tau Gamma. More than 70 people, which included family members, significant others and Sigma Tau Gamma alumni attended this event.

Featured speakers included chapter president Matt Perez, Epsilon Upsilon ’15, Atlantic Coast Regional Vice President Ken Vaughn, Delta Delta ’86, and Director of Expansion Michael Smoll, Delta ’03.

Morgan delivered the Installation Address, which focused on the Principle of Excellence. He challenged the collegiate members to continue building a chapter focused on leadership, scholastic achievement and the ideals and principles of Sigma Tau Gamma.

In addition to the speeches and installation address, the collegiate members presented several awards based on the Six Principles of the Fraternity to several outstanding brothers. The chapter gave a bouquet of white roses to their first White Rose Sweetheart and sang the “Rose of Sigma Tau” to her.

In recognition of their chartering, the collegiate members presented to Morgan and Smoll an encased piece of “Hokie Stone” which will be displayed in the Headquarters Building, at the Founding site, in Warrensburg for brothers and guest from across the country to see.

œ”Sigma Tau Gamma’s expansion to Virginia Tech is a story of vision,” said Smoll. œI was contacted in 2010 by a small group of students who wanted to start a new tradition of excellence on their campus. From this small group of students, Sig Tau was able to grow into the 47 men it is today and be among the top fraternities in terms of GPA. He also added, It is has been a team effort to help the collegiate members charter the Epsilon Upsilon Chapter. Over the last several semesters area chapters, regional and national volunteers and the Headquarters Staff have provided a high level of support to help make the chartering of Epsilon Upsilon a reality.

This is the first Sig Tau chapter chartered at Virginia Tech. A group of students led by Sean Conner, Epsilon Upsilon ’14 and Kasra Ekbatani, Epsilon Upsilon ’14, began the initial recruitment of interested students. Expansion Counselor Frank Vanco, Gamma Psi ’09, assisted with the recruitment and chapter development efforts during the Spring 2011 semester.