Mario Madness Raises $17,000
Two members of the Lambda Omicron Chapter of Sigma Nu, along with a dedicated team, hosted a three-day video game marathon called Mario Madness to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event – held in July – was a great success with over $17,000 raised for the hospital!
Mario Madness is an independent, fan-run event created by Kyle Lambky. The event was run by Kyle Lambky and Michael Carlson, both alumni members of the Lambda Omicron Chapter at University of California, Irvine. Mario Madness is an approved event working in full partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The goal for this year’s event was to raise $10,000, which was met and exceeded.
During the event, the Mario Madness team played various Mario games for three days straight, broadcasting the games live from their website, www.mariomadness.com. Participation in the event is as simple as going to the website and watching the team work their way through Mario video games.
Donations were made on the website and all proceeds went directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event was designed to be completely audience interactive with a live chat on the website that allowed anyone to interact with players and contribute to the success of the event.
Brotherhood is for Life
On June 8, a large group of alumni gathered from Mu Chapter’s “Greatest Generation.” The group was made up of alumni from the 1950s and 1960s and the de facto theme of the event was, “Brotherhood is for Life.” In addition to the alumni gathered from this era, there were several alumni representing Mu Chapter’s younger generations. Brothers Mike Malcom, George Hearn IV, current Vice Regent John Hearn, George Hearn III, past Division Commander Speer Mabry, and Mu Chapter Commander, Ben Booth were all in attendance.
Old stories were told and all in attendance were pleased to rekindle the fraternal fire while conversing over a BBQ lunch. Also, spouses and significant others were in attendance, which together boasted a crowd of over 80. The event was held at Fairweather Farms in Monroe, Ga. and was hosted by Betty and George Hearn.
Reunited in Arizona
Nine brothers of Gamma Xi Chapter at Missouri S&T, gathered in Tucson, Ariz., on Monday, April 29, 2013, accompanied by six of the “girls who wear the five-armed star.” Although longer in tooth and a bit slower in walk, wit and tongue were still sharp as jokes, wisecracks, nicknames and other stories of the past filled the air. 
Festivities began at the Catalina Foothills home of Dorothy Walters, where spectacular views of surrounding mountains were enhanced by a beautiful Arizona sunset and the lights of the city emerging in the valley below. All were proud that they remembered the words to “The White Star of Sigma Nu.” This was promptly followed by a rousing “Hull-a-ba-loo, ter-ri-ka-hoo, etc.,” with which the desert creatures around were treated. It was not a bad performance for a bunch of 80+ year olds.
Tours of local attractions, culinary delights (Mexican food and Mariachis, of course, in Tucson) and much reminiscing filled the next three days, which flew past in a flash. Backs were slapped, hands were shaken and hugs went all around with promises to meet again next year, as the group parted on Friday.
Bonds of friendship which were established through fellowship in Sigma Nu have survived for many years for this band of brothers. They still have great times and enjoy one another – a grand testimony to the principles of this Fraternity.
Commemorating Theta Rho
June 21-22, 2013, was the weekend selected by the Theta Rho Alumni Chapter of Sigma Nu (Illinois State University) for a long overdue reunion. Theta Rho chartered on May 21st, 1972 and remains one of the fastest Sigma Nu colonies to obtain its charter. The chapter boasts the 1976 Talent-of-the-Year, two former regional consultants, and one Alpha Affiliate. The chapter had initiated 458 men when the charter was suspended in 1994.
Alumni Brothers Jim Mounier, Gary Kreiger, and Dan Heinz were instrumental in driving the reunion. Nearly 100 brothers and spouses began the weekend with a Friday night cocktail party at the University union supported the Illinois State University Foundation. The group was first addressed by Al Bowman, University president, which was followed by a memorial of those brothers from Theta Rho who have joined the Chapter Eternal. The evening concluded with a select group of brothers being presented with Sigma Nu 40 year membership pins. Saturday was another full day of catching up, a golf outing at DA Weibring Golf Course, and another cocktail party and formal dinner.
Much fun was had by all and many discussions were held on formalizing the Theta Rho Alumni Chapter moving forward to study reestablishing Sigma Nu as a colony at ISU. Plans are in place to rejoin in the fall of 2014 for a weekend at ISU Homecoming. More details will be coming to alumni this fall for next year.
Dukes Selected as Clemson Trustee
David E. Dukes (Clemson), of Columbia S.C., chairman of the executive committee and former managing partner of South Carolina’s largest law firm, was selected to serve as a trustee at his alma mater last year. His appointment began in May, 2012. Dukes chairs the executive committee of Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP, one of the nation’s largest law firms with more than 450 lawyers and 1,000 employees. The firm has 13 offices from Florida to Massachusetts.
“I am honored to have this opportunity to serve my alma mater. My education and experience at Clemson provided a solid foundation for me to pursue opportunities in the law and business world. I look forward to being able to give back to Clemson,” said Dukes.
Dukes succeeded Thomas B. McTeer, 75, of Columbia, who retired after more than 35 years of service as a trustee — making him one of the longest-serving trustees in Clemson history. Like McTeer, Dukes has been an active and engaged Clemson student and alumnus, having previously served on the university’s Board of Visitors and the President’s Advisory Board. He is a longtime supporter of IPTAY and the Clemson Fund.
Other leadership and service positions include membership on the boards of First Citizens Bank, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Math Foundation, the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts Foundation, the Business Partnership Foundation of the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business and the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence.
Dukes also has served as past president of Washington D.C.-based Lawyers for Civil Justice; past president of DRI, a 22,000-member national professional organization of lawyers who defend companies and individuals in civil litigation; and on the board of the Georgetown University Law Center Advisory Committee of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project in Washington, D.C.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in financial management from Clemson in 1981, where he served as president of the Interfraternity Council; on the Student Alumni Council; and was named to Mortar Board, Blue Key honor society and Tiger Brotherhood. He earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1984.
Serve in the Light of Truth 