During the Vincennes University commencement exercises this past weekend, eight brothers of Alpha Chapter turned their tassels as they became alumni of Vincennes University and went from undergraduate brothers of Sigma Pi to alumni brothers.
Congratulations to the following Alpha brothers on their recent achievement.

• Hans Bernabe '11 - AS, Business Management
• Antonio Hernandez '13 - AS, Personal Training & Wellness
• Thommy Garcia '09 - AAS, Fire Science & Safety Technology
• Chris Lane '12 - AAS, Environmental Science
• Ari Miller '12 - AS, Construction Technology
• Chase Minick '09 - AS, Restaurant Management
• Kyle Nash '09 - BS, Homeland Security
• Jake Simpson '09, - BS, Homeland Security

Pictures from graduation can be seen here.

Since January 2009, the Alpha Alumni Association and a few key Alpha Alumni, have been working tirelessly to raise $10,000 to endow the Ryan M. Donnoe Memorial Scholarship.
What started as a vision from Jason Tinker '97, came to fruition in 2009 when the Alpha Alumni Association officially became a chartered organization.  Since then, a few key alumni, including Tinker, have carried the torch on raising the funds to endow the scholarship.  Those key alumni & friends have been:

Brian Alley '00, Covey Detmer '06, Sandy Donnoe (Ryan's mother), Brad Ferguson '07, Blake Hollins '07, Christian Irvine '99, Jason Tinker '97 and Ryan Waldroup '99.

If you have not yet contributed, please consider a tax-deductible gift today to help a future VU Student.  Several Alpha Alumni have stepped up and joined the 1897 Society by contributing $18.97 a month, for a yearly donation of $227.64...only .62 cents a day!  Join the other Alpha Alumni by supporting this important cause and honor Ryan's memory by making a difference in a student's life by donating today.

"I would like to personally thank all the contributors of the Ryan M. Donnoe Memorial Scholarship. Although the number is not as large as I would like, the people listed above are committed not only to helping Sigma Pi undergrads achieve their academic goals, but in honoring such a great brother as Ryan Donnoe.  Ryan and I were pledge brothers.  Even though we grew up in Vincennes and attended the same school as kids, it wasn't until we rushed Sigma Pi together that a special bond between us was established.  He was very special to so many people.  Ryan's dedication to both his academics and Sigma Pi Fraternity inspired countless brothers to do their best academically and make the most of their college careers.  As long as I'm around, I'll strive to share Ryan's story and assist, in anyway I can, any brother who wishes to excel in their studies and within the Fraternity itself.  This is what Ryan would want all of us to do," said Jason Tinker '97.
With your help, we can easily raise the remaining $1,000 of our $10,000 endowment goal, which would qualify the scholarship to be a self-sustaining endowed scholarship, earning interest to fund the scholarship for years to come.

"If you haven't already, please consider donating to Ryan's scholarship.  We are so close to the endowment goal; it would mean so much to his family and the brothers of Alpha Chapter if his legacy lived on through this scholarship," added Tinker.

To donate to the Ryan M. Donnoe Memorial Scholarship, please visit alumni.vinu.edu/give and select the last bullet point (an existing Scholarship or College Fund).  From here, you can search for 'Donnoe'.
All donations to the Ryan M. Donnoe Memorial Scholarship are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable by law.

You can find more information on the Ryan M. Donnoe Memorial Scholarship here.

In just three months, the James L. Hills Memorial Scholarship has raised over $6,000, which is 60% of the initial endowment goal.  Thank you to everyone who has helped to make this happen!

If you have not yet contributed, please consider a tax-deductible gift today to help a future VU Student.  Several Alpha Alumni have stepped up and joined the 1897 Society by contributing $18.97 a month, for a yearly donation of $227.64...only .62 cents a day!  Join the other Alpha Alumni by supporting this important cause and honor Jim's memory by making a difference in a student's life by donating today.

Give now at alumni.vinu.edu/give (select the 5th scholarship listed).

All donations to the James L. Hills Memorial Scholarship are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable by law.

You can find more information on the James L. Hills Memorial Scholarship here.

By: Annie McMindes, Vincennes Sun Commercial

A new scholarship for Vincennes University students in memory of Sigma Pi Honorary Grand Sage Jim L. Hills will open new funds for local college students.

Hills, who died last month, joined the fraternity at the University of Maryland in 1948, launching a 66-year relationship with the organization. Throughout his membership, Hills held numerous national positions, including one that brought him to Vincennes in 1963.

“He has been instrumental with the local chapter, he has spent 60-plus years in the organization, and he’s been a significant influence on the organization as a whole,” said VU alumni association director Jennifer Gilmore. “He came to Vincennes after holding several other national positions, and actually facilitated the move of the headquarters to Vincennes many, many years ago.”

In the 1960s, Hills played a vital role in re-establishing the fraternity’s
 Alpha chapter at Vincennes University after a 55-year hiatus, Gilmore said. He was instrumental in the construction of the current chapter house on Second Street, and helped to raise the funds and building the Sigma Pi Clock Tower on the VU campus in commemoration of the centennial of the Fraternity’s founding nationally and at the university.

The street behind the university is named in Hills’ honor, as well.

Gilmore said Hills’ family is spread throughout the country, but because of the leader’s commitment and passion for the Vincennes community, the scholarship will remain local.

“He helped to start the Alpha chapter back up which was founded here at VU, and started the Alpha alumni chapter, so when the opportunity came to leave, he chose not to, he stayed in Vincennes,” she said. “He was always at the house and he was a leader and a friend to all of the members for generations, so the family decided they wanted to do something in his memory for the students here at Vincennes.”

President of the VU Foundation Bumper Hostetler said the award will allow Hills to continue establishing an influence to the future generations of Sigma Pi brothers.

“This scholarship, in memory and honor of Jim, is a positive reflection upon his dedication to the Sigma Pi fraternity, to the generations of fraternity brothers he influenced and to his commitment to higher education,” Hostetler said. “We are grateful to the members of Sigma Pi Fraternity Alumni Association Alpha Chapter and to Jim’s family for their efforts and support in establishing this scholarship to recognize the many years of service given by one of the most respected Sigma Pi brothers.”

The scholarship is expected to be awarded to a local humanitarian annually. Gilmore said the only requirements for the scholarship dictate the recipient of the Sigma Pi fraternity and a current VU student.

“It can go to a traditional or non-traditional student, someone who is attending classes part-time or full-time, majoring in any field,” she explained. “It’s definitely one of our more open-ended scholarships, which makes awarding it a lot easier.

“Students will just have to fill out our general scholarship application and on that they’ll then let us know they are a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity,” she added. “Then we’ll narrow down the candidates from there.”

Funding for the award is ongoing, she said. Additional information regarding the scholarship, and information on how to support the scholarship, is available by contacting the VU Foundation at 812-888-4510.

You can read more about the James L. Hills Memorial Scholarship here.