Jess Wilder ’15Hometown: Longtown, TN
Major: German
Academic Interests: Languages, political science, business, law
Extracurricular activities: Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature, Rhodes College Democrats, Sigma Nu, Rhodes Better Together, golf, motocross
Hometown: Fairhope, Alabama
Major: Political Economy
Minor: International Studies, Religious Studies
Academic interests: International relations, foreign trade and business, Christian religious theology, political philosophy
Extracurricular activities: President of Sigma Nu, Rhodes College Golf Team, Catholic Students Association, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL), Rhodes Diplomats, Intern in Admission Office
Mason Levy ’15Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Majors: Physics and Theatre
Research interests: I helped Dr. Shubho Banerjee of the Department of Physics in his modeling and research over the summer after my sophomore year and throughout my junior year. He has derived closed-form expressions that describe the interaction between two charged spheres. We spent the time verifying these results by using Mathematica to analyze and graph the equations that were developed. We also came up with an approximation for these interactions that is easier to use than the closed-form expression and significantly more accurate than what currently exists.
Brothers,
I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas holiday.
The Epsilon Sigma Chapter had an outstanding 2014. The Active Chapter received the Fraternity of the Year Award from Rhodes College and is rumored to be in contention for a future Rock Chapter Award from Sigma Nu Headquarters, Sigma Nu’s highest Chapter-level award. In 2014, we also saw the reestablishment of the Sigma Nu House Corporation of Memphis as well as the rekindling of the Alumni Chapter and alumni social activities in preparation for the 80th Anniversary Celebration.
After nearly 20 years of inactivity, the necessary paperwork to reinstate the charter of the Sigma Nu House Corporation of Memphis has been filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State, with formal approval expected shortly!
I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the members of the Board of Directors for all their hard work over the past year and a half as we have worked to reach this point. I would also like to extend a big THANK YOU to Nate Mahoney, Worthy Commander of the Epsilon Sigma Alumni Chapter, for his help researching the reinstatement requirements, and Jeff Davis, past Secretary/Treasurer of the Sigma Nu House Corporation of Memphis, for his help finalizing the past Annual Reports.
Andrew Tait ’15Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: Urban Studies
Minor: Anthropology/Sociology and Religious Studies
Research interests: In the spring I conducted asset-based research about the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood as part of a Plough Fellowship and was a member of Dr. Jamerson’s HOPE VI evaluation team analyzing the employment-related effects of case-management services on former public housing residents. Both projects were presented at the Rhodes Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium (URCAS).
Brothers,
As many of you are aware, Homecoming Weekend has come and gone and, along with it, a rekindling of goals set by both the Active and Alumni Chapter. As the Worthy Commander, I am pleased to provide you all with a brief update on the progress made toward some of our most important objectives, along with a timeline and some next steps to keep progress marching on.
Over the course of the last year, a great deal of effort has been invested in re-activating the Epsilon Sigma Housing Corporation of Memphis. Defunct since the early 1990’s, the Alumni Chapter has identified it as an important, if not necessary, fulcrum for the House’s longevity that will serve to address issues both current and longer term. With structure like this in place and expanded involvement from the alumni community, it is my belief that much needed good will come of the House to return it to the glory days of old, for active members and for those in the future. Please see the attached flyer that was provided over Homecoming weekend for details on the Corporation’s membership along with its initial priorities. The Corporation has set a January 1, 2014 date as the official launch of the reorganization which will hopefully be the beginning of a string of many more successes to come.
As we approach the new year, budgeting efforts have been renewed in order to ensure that the Alumni Board can fund and organize special events in tandem with the Active Chapter. Your annual membership donation provides a means for the Board to provide receptions at campus-wide events, maintain a presence in the Sigma Nu community, and continue to broaden its purview. With the Housing Corporation poised to hit the ground running after the start of the new year, this will be especially true as the Alumni Chapter will set its sights on organizing a capital campaign to help support these efforts. If you could consider make a contribution according to the schedule below, your support will be put to good use.
For those who have graduated within the last 3 years – $20
For those who have graduated within the last 3-10 years – $35
For those who have graduated in the last 10+ years – $50
A PayPal account has been set up to help facilitate the donations process. Please see the link above and help us achieve our goals in the coming year.
I am very excited about the progress that has been made to reform and reconstitute the Housing Corporation. I believe the level of enthusiasm has never been higher and I hope you can join us to keep the momentum going!
LTH,
Nate Mahoney
Worthy Commander
Brian Tchang ’14Hometown: Memphis, TN
Major: Business
Minor: Chinese Studies
Extracurricular activities: Burrow Armstrong Committee, Campus Values Steering Chairman; GlobeMed, finance director; Rhodes Jazz Band; Sigma Nu Fraternity; Bonner Scholar; senior intern at the Bonner Center for Faith & Service; Becker Professional Education Campus Ambassador; International Peer Assistant
David Bergen ′13Hometown: Atlanta
Major: Film Studies/Art
Minor: Education
Research interests: I have enjoyed doing research on both the importance and impact of film studies and media literacy for high-school students. By implementing film studies into a high-school classroom and thoroughly researching the topic, I have observed that introducing the analytical value of relatively new mediums (especially film) can speak to students who may either lack in reading ability or who simply enjoy watching films. I plan to continue my research into my career and hope to eventually make a documentary on the subject.
Franklin Dakin ’14Hometown: Millington, TN
Major: Political Economy
This past summer, Frankie Dakin did what many of us will only talk about doing: he ran for public office. More impressively, he won. Dakin, a member of the Rhodes Class of 2014, was elected to a seat on the Board of Aldermen in his hometown of Millington, TN. Many might wonder what would motivate a college junior to run for political office and how he could win against an incumbent who held the position for more than a decade. The USA Today College website even noted Dakin’s win in a article that ran Oct. 22. But Frankie’s victory came as no surprise to those who have witnessed his on-campus leadership and activism throughout the community.