Mu Chapter of Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Mission

The Sigma Pi Mu Chapter Educational Foundation, founded in 2007, is a 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Service-approved organization and is dedicated to funding educational programs for the members of Mu Chapter, enhancing the learning infrastructure of the house, and supporting education-related programming that benefits the youth of the greater Ithaca community and provides mentorship opportunities for Mu Chapter brothers.

As we continue the Educational Foundation’s 11th year of operation for Mu Chapter, I am pleased to report the progress and positive impact our organization has had on leadership and educational programs within the Sigma Pi brotherhood and the Ithaca community. The Foundation’s consistent support during the past few years toward educational and infrastructure initiatives, such as the Cahoon Tech Center and the completion of the third Entrepreneurship Conference, has helped pave the way for the Foundation’s future. With continued support of the local community and participation at a number of local school events, Mu brothers’ commitment, participation, and leadership of College Mentors for Kids remains strong. The continued focus on education, combined with the efforts of the brotherhood, has helped generate a cumulative GPA of 3.43 during the spring 2018 semester: one of the highest among all fraternities at Cornell.

Please visit the Educational Foundation’s web page for more information.

Review the Educational Foundation’s newsletter for more details.

Initiatives

College Mentors for Kids:
Since its founding in 2013, Cornell’s chapter of College Mentors for Kids has had great success partnering with Caroline and Cayuga Heights elementary schools to expand the post-high-school possibilities available to Ithaca children, almost a third of those who come from at-risk households. The impact created by College Mentors for Kids is far-reaching and nationally recognized. Former “Little Buddies” involved in the program have been observed to enjoy higher average secondary-school attendance rates when compared to the national average. Fostering personal connections between the program’s first- through fourth-grade students and Cornell mentors, College Mentors for Kids has proved to have positive effects for both mentors and “Little Buddies” alike and has consistently received high praise from both elementary schools.

For more information on the program please visit the College Mentors for Kids website.

Sigma Pi International Leadership and Educational Programs:
The Educational Foundation promoted the participation of Mu Chapter brothers to attend Sigma Pi International’s leadership and educational programs, including Sigma Pi International Fraternity Mid-Year Leadership Conference, Sigma Pi International University, and the Sigma Pi International Convocation. These programs are extremely beneficial learning experiences for the undergraduate leaders of Mu Chapter, educating the attendees on the process on leading and managing the chapter.

Enhanced Academic and Study Areas:
The Educational Foundation began looking for ways to aid the academic performance of the undergraduates through improvements to the house’s academic infrastructure in 2012.

This past year has largely been focused on supporting the Dining and Learning for the 21st Century project, with particular emphasis on the creation of the new Learning Commons. This space will be a transformational addition to the chapter house by providing brothers with a collaborative study space, a much needed attribute that has been lacking for many years.

Career and Mentoring:
One of the most frequent requests from undergraduates when they speak to alumni is for assistance with career planning, internships, mentorships, and job placement. They also want advice from alumni regarding graduate school and/or postgraduate degrees. The alumni board established the Career Development Committee a number of years ago, co-chaired by Tom Silver ’81 and Rob Novo ’79 to address these ongoing requests. Mu Chapter has established a series of programs for our undergraduates and alumni to take advantage of.

The David Harrop Memorial Scholarship:
David John Harrop was born in Houston, Texas, on June 25, 1969, and passed away in Ft. Worth, Texas, on December 21, 2000. David was a swimmer, a runner, but most of all a musician and songwriter, so the Harrop house was always filled with music. David attended Stephen F. Austin in Nagodoches, Texas, and then went to Ft. Worth, where he became a partner in a home-repair business. He was the owner of that business when he passed away. David was a generous spirit, a devoted son, brother, and friend who is missed by everyone who knew him.

A scholarship of $1,000 for educational purposes will be awarded by the Mu Chapter of Sigma Pi Educational Foundation annually to the brother who best demonstrates academic excellence and service to Sigma Pi and the greater Cornell and Ithaca communities.

The Educational Foundation Board:

Wayne Forman ’80 (President)
Tom Silver ’81 (Vice President)
Chris Olie ’78 (Treasurer)
Zach Gilbert ’16 (Secretary)
Peter Muth ’74
Joseph Zanetta ’75
Roger Carroll ’76
Michael Reiner ’78
Craig Dewey ’06
Brody Ehrlich ’10
Alex Eacker ’15
Justin Bredahl ’17
Matthew Blakley ’18

Make a gift to the Educational Foundation


 

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