Media Releases
Fraternity Partners With American Heart Association, Sponsors 'Bear' Bryant Coaching Awards
CONTACT:
Brad Beacham, Executive Director
Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc.
(540) 463-1869
brad.beacham@sigmanu.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2011
Fraternity To Sponsor Paul “Bear” Bryant Coaching Awards in Heart Association Partnership
Lexington, Va. – Earlier today, the Regent (national president) of Sigma Nu Fraternity, RobertE. Durham (Georgia), announced that the Fraternity has entered into a partnership with the American Heart Association to sponsor the 2012 Marathon Oil Corporation Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards.
The announcement was made at the home of the Theta Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity inTuscaloosa, Alabama, where Paul “Bear” Bryant became a Sigma Nu in 1938 after enrolling atthe University of Alabama. Fifty years later, after becoming the most successful coach in thehistory of college football, Coach Bryant was inducted into the Fraternity’s Hall of Fame, in1988.
“Because of who Coach Bryant was and what he accomplished and how he accomplished it, he isuniversally loved and respected, regardless of rivalry and regardless of whether you are a fan ofcollege football or not. We believe that the legacy of this great man provides an example thatcan inspire our collegiate Brothers to meet their own obligation to excellence in all endeavors, inthe same way that Coach Bryant inspired his players, his colleagues and this remarkable institution,” said Durham.
The Bryant family, longtime partners with American Heart Association, was represented by PaulBryant Jr. and Marc Tyson, grandson of Coach Bryant, who delivered remarks on behalf of thefamily.
“When you think of Sigma Nu you think of building ethical leaders who believe in Love, Honorand Truth,” Tyson said. “I can’t think of any other thing I would want my grandfather’s nameassociated with than building ethical leaders for this country.
”The partnership, part of the Fraternity’s larger Helping Hand Initiative, will focus the attention ofSigma Nu’s 177 collegiate chapters, almost 10,000 collegiate members and more than 150,000living alumni on Coach Bryant’s legacy of excellence and the worthy example he set. The fundsraised will go to support the worthy mission of the American Heart Association. Last academicyear, Sigma Nu’s collegiate chapters reported raising more than $500,000 for charitable purposesand volunteered for more than 100,000 hours of community service work.
Kristin Rodriguez, Director of the Bryant Awards for the American Heart Association, said,“Coach Bryant took groups of individuals and guided them to become teams. He builtbrotherhoods, much like the brotherhood of college football coaches we honor each year at theBryant Awards and like your own brotherhood, the Sigma Nu Fraternity. All funds raisedthrough our partnership will benefit the mission of the American Heart Association: ‘Buildinghealthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.’ Thanks to supporters such as SigmaNu Fraternity and our Title Sponsor, Marathon Oil Corporation, the Bryant Awards has raisedmore than $5 million over its history in support of the mission of the American HeartAssociation, helping us ensure that Coach Bryant’s legacy of excellence lives on. We aregrateful for the opportunity to continue to grow that legacy with [Sigma Nu’s] support.
Sigma Nu Fraternity
One of the largest men’s Greek-letter fraternities in North America, Sigma Nu Fraternity was founded in 1869 at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. The only Fraternity founded upon the honor principle, Sigma Nu’s mission is to develop ethical leaders for society;since its founding, more than 227,000 thousand men have become members by dedicatingthemselves to the Fraternity’s cardinal principles of Love, Honor and Truth. The Fraternity is headquartered in Lexington, Virginia, and currently has 177 active chapters and colonies on college campuses throughout North America.
The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards
The College Football Coach of the Year Award began in 1957 and was renamed for CoachBryant in 1986, following his death of a heart attack in 1983. It has since benefited theAmerican Heart Association. The award honors excellence in college football coaching, both onand off the field. In the first 25 years, the Bryant Awards program has raised more than$5,000,000 toward the mission of the American Heart Association.
Theta Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity
Founded on the University of Alabama campus in 1874, the Theta Chapter of Sigma NuFraternity is one of the Fraternity’s oldest and largest collegiate chapters. Since its founding,Theta Chapter has initiated more than 2,300 members. Paul “Bear” Bryant became an initiate ofthe chapter in 1938 while attending and playing football at the University. Fifty years later,Coach Bryant was inducted into the Fraternity’s Hall of Fame.
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a national, voluntary health organization dedicated to themission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The AHA hasadopted a new Health Impact Goal: By 2020, to improve cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20%.
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