Hello, my name is Jeff Dixon (Gamma Kappa pledge class – Spring ‘91). Two years ago, I made a long-term commitment to boost the funds available for the Academic Excellence Scholarships. I wanted to help build on the momentum created by the Balanced Man and Heart Scholarships. At the time, we increased the annual awards from $250 to $1,000 and created two different awards. The first is awarded to the active brother with the highest cumulative GPA and the second is awarded to the Sigma for the highest GPA during a Sigma semester.
I am pleased to announce this year’s winners:
Academic Excellence Award (Active) – Misael Cruz, who achieved a 3.85 Cumulative GPA for the 21/22 year. Misael also won the Academic Excellence Award as a Sigma. Congratulations to Misael.
Academic Excellence Award (Sigma) – This year’s award was an amazing finish – a 6-way tie for pledges achieving a 4.0 during their Sigma semester – Matthew Blevins, JD Buckley, Andrew Taylor, Isaac Swanson, Mitchell Swayze, Jackson Sanderson. Great work Sigmas!
This isn’t the only good news. The young men of Michigan Eta posted some impressive stats for the 2021-2022 academic year:
#1 GPA – Michigan Tech Fraternities
#2 GPA – Michigan Tech Greek Life
#3 in YOY GPA increase in Michigan Tech Greek Life (only 7 of 20 increased
Jeff Dixon, ’91
I believe this is proof positive that we continue to recruit the best men on campus, and that the Balanced Man ideal is achievable (and that Sig Eps are awesome). That said, we are not done. This is just the beginning. I am increasing my commitment to the program and challenging the Board to think bigger. The short-term goal is to increase the scholarship pool to a level that will support five (5) award recipients each year:
1) Top 3 Cumulative GPAs (Actives)
2) Top GPA in a Sigma Semester
3) Most Improved GPA (Year-over-Year)
We want to reward our brothers for their academic achievement. We also need to maintain a top-notch scholarship program that will attract Michigan Tech’s best and brightest to rush Sigma Phi Epsilon. This cannot happen without more support. We need your help! Please join me and several other alumni who are already contributing to the scholarship programs. You can join us by donating HERE to the MI Eta Scholarship or MI Eta Academic Excellence Award funds .
NOTE: These donations are tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law, please consult your tax professional about your particular situation). For those who have and continue to donate, Thank you! We appreciate your generosity and look forward sharing in the success and growth in the future.
Andrew Taylor
- Pledge Class : ZZ
- Majors and minors: Mathematics with a concentration in Actuarial Science and a Minor in Ethics
- Year in school: third year
- Where are you from: Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Plans after Tech if known: Starting my career as an Actuary
- Chapter positions held: VP of Finance
- Major Campus Activities: Sigma Phi Epsilon, MUB, Club Soccer
Misael Cruz
- Pledge Class: ZE
- Majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Mathematical Science
- Year in School: 3rd
- Hometown: Pontiac, MI
- Plans after MTU: Go into my industry and hopefully find a full-time job before graduation
- Chapter Positions: VP scholarship as well as house manager
- Campus Activities: Sigma Phi Epsilon and undergraduate research
Matthew Blevins
- Pledge Class : ZZ
- Majors and minors: Computer Engineering
- Year in school: Second year
- Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky
- Plans after Tech: Work a very well-paying job
- Chapter positions held: VP Recruitment
- Major Campus Activities: Sigeps, Rugby, Skiing, Lifting