Four fund accounts have been established through the SigEp Educational Foundation to ensure sustainable operational excellence of the Virginia Kappa Chapter at Virginia Tech. The purpose of these funds is to provide scholarships and financial support for operational programming for undergraduate members in leadership, personal development, and the chapter's SigEp Learning Community.
Alumni donations to the SigEp Education Foundation accounts are 100% tax deductible. A description of each fund is given below. Please click on this link below to donate to any of the funds - thank you for your generosity!
VA Kappa Robert M. Bennett SigEp Learning Community Support Fund
The specific purposes of this fund are to provide financial support of the "educational operations" of the chapter's accredited SigEp Learning Community ("SLC") in, but not limited to, the following ways:
- Stipend or honorarium for a Graduate Scholar (Resident Scholar, if housed) who is a graduate student at Virginia Tech
- VA Kappa Need-Basis Financial Aid Scholarship for chapter members residing in the chapter facility for an academic year
- SigEp Learning Community events and programming including:
- Non-SigEp Leadership Training such as training offered through the Fraternity & Sorority Office at Virginia Tech
- Leadership education, mental health and wellness, and other training and workshops offered by guest speakers of alumni, university faculty, and community and industry leaders
- Guest speaker's travel and related costs
- Equipment to facilitate learning
- Venue or facility rental, when used for educational purposes
- AVC/Mentor Committee sponsored retreats and programming activities
- Chapter leadership retreat and related officer transition activities which are educational in nature
- Developmental opportunities for chapter members aligned with ExperienceVT that provides tools, resources, and guidance to assist undergraduates in their personal development
- Development and establishment of a leadership course for credit sponsored by a Faculty Fellow that is approved by and registered within the university
- Endowment (or partial endowment) of faculty fellow(s) stipend
- Chapter Support Specialist service costs
- Housing facilities, land, furniture and fixtures for the educational portions of a chapter facility
- Capital improvements to the educational portions of a chapter facility
- Purchase of SigEp Ritual equipment
- Other uses may include:
- Registration, lodging and transportation costs for SigEp programs and events (Ruck, Carlson, Conclave, etc.)
- BMP programming and events
- Alumni Communication Program (ACP)
Note: Funding for specific SLC support needs will be prioritized by the Alumni & Volunteer Corporation in coordination with the chapter's leadership, the Chapter Counselor, the Faculty Fellow, the Graduate Scholar, the SLC mentor, and SigEp staff, as deemed necessary.
VA Kappa Ron Clary Chapter Leadership Endowment
This is an endowed fund (2020) for the specific purpose of increasing the participation undergraduate members of the chapter in leadership training events offered by Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity regional and national leadership programs to include: bi-annual Grand Chapter Conclave, Carlson Leadership Academy, Ruck Leadership Institute, Tragos Quest to Greece, and Life After College. While this fund is endowed, the greater this fund is the better capacity the chapter has to send more undergraduate leaders to these development events. As an endowment, these funds are invested and provide an available amount each fiscal year based on the Foundation's spending policy.
It was Ron’s wish that scholarships be awarded annually to Virginia Kappa brothers, with the funds to be used to attend these leadership training events. Ron wished the recipients be somebody like himself, a leader, an athlete, an average academic student, paid his own way through college (or a portion) and a “brother’s brother”.
VA Kappa Frank Booze III Memorial Scholarship Endowment
This scholarship is given in memory and honor of Brother Booze, who was the first of our brotherhood to pass away. This is an endowed fund (2021) to provide an annual academic scholarship to a deserving sophomore, junior or senior undergraduate member of Virginia Kappa that exemplifies the overall spirit of brotherhood and fraternity. The alumni brothers are pleased to offer a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of high academic achievement and personification of the ideals of SigEp. As an endowment, these funds are invested and provide an available amount each fiscal year based on the Foundation's spending policy.
VA Kappa Balanced Man Scholarship
The Balanced Man Scholarship (BMS) is offered every year by the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity to award men who have shown academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to their health and well-being during their time in high school. The scholarship is open to all incoming men of Virginia Tech. Sigma Phi Epsilon most recently awarded four $1,000 and two $500 Balanced Man Scholarships for Fall 2024.
The scholarships will be awarded to the applicants who can exemplify the fraternity’s values by being a balanced man in their everyday lives. The next awards will be presented at the Balanced Man Scholarship Celebration, date TBD in Fall 2025.
There is no requirement of joining the fraternity in order to be eligible to apply or win the scholarship. The application deadline is in early Fall 2025 and it only takes 15 minutes to apply!