Sigma Nu Recognized for Advancing Personal Growth and Promoting Better Citizens

Lexington, Va. – August 22, 2008 – Sigma Nu Fraternity was recently honored by HRH/Kirklin & Co., LLC as runner-up for the 2008 HRH Fellow Award in recognition of its innovative LEAD (Leadership, Ethics, Achievement, Development) Program. The award was announced in July at the 78th annual Fraternity Executives Association Conference held in Miami, Florida.

The purpose of LEAD, the flagship leadership development program of Sigma Nu Fraternity, is to develop ethical leaders for society and to grow the mind, heart, and character of Sigma Nu members. Each component of the four-year, four-phase LEAD curriculum is designed to uniquely match the student’s developmental needs, based on his year in the chapter. The program has undergone two curriculum and design overhauls since its origination 20

years ago. LEAD sessions today are interactive and allow participants to learn by doing. Experiential learning exercises, simulations, case studies and discussions highlight the leadership issues students currently face in their chapters and will face after graduation.

Having invested more than $10 million in the LEAD Program, funded generously by the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation, Sigma Nu Fraternity has recently launched an independent, scientific evaluation of the program to provide a measurement of its effectiveness. Results from the first two years of the study indicate that the LEAD Program has a positive effect on student participants and chapters compared to no programming at all. In addition, the research shows that the more exposure students have to the program, the better the outcomes.

To continue to realize the promise of the LEAD Program, Sigma Nu began planning earlier this year to develop a new online format to allow students access to a self-paced component of the program that complements chapter-based activities. The online format will debut this fall and be available to all new members of Sigma Nu. "We are honored to be recognized by our peers through the HRH Fellow Award.

We believe in investing in the leadership potential of ALL our members, not just those elected to chapter offices. With the launch of our online curriculum, students will be able to work at their own pace, on their own schedule, in manageable chunks of time. Since the LEAD Program ties directly to the Fraternity’s mission to develop ethical leaders for society, we expect that this enhancement will produce even more growth for the individuals who engage with LEAD at this level," says Brad Beacham, Executive Director of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

HRH/Kirklin & Co., LLC, a property and casualty insurance provider, created the Fellow Award to celebrate exceptional educational programs that encourage education and leadership and promote better citizens within the Greek community. Initiatives are evaluated based on innovation, focus, impact, adaptability and breadth of the program. A record-setting number of nominations from the Greek community were received for this year’s award. Sigma Nu’s LEAD Program received a $1,000 prize and was selected second after Gamma Phi Beta’s winning submission of its advisor development and volunteer training initiatives.

Headquartered in Lexington, Va., Sigma Nu Fraternity was founded in 1869 at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and currently has 184 active chapters and colonies on college campuses throughout North America.

CONTACT:
Brad Beacham, Executive Director
Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc.
Lexington, Virginia 24450
(540) 463-1869