5 Questions with SNEF Chairman Robert Durham (Georgia)
Interview
With the Legion of Honor’s 150th Anniversary 8 months away from kicking off and our 150th Anniversary Brick campaign under way, we sat down with SNEF Chairman Robert Durham to see what the future holds and how anyone can help Sigma Nu maintain its obligation to excellence.
What exactly is this Pathway of Honor at Headquarters?
The Pathway of Honor is a brick pathway that winds around the Headquarters property all the way from the main building, past the Memorial Flag Pavilion, past the Ethical Leadership Center, and into the Rose Arbor. It recognizes brothers who have supported our mission by contributing to the Foundation.
Why is a 150th Anniversary Brick important?
More and more alumni and collegians, family and friends, are visiting Headquarters than ever before. This is an opportunity to honor our brothers’ commitment to the Legion of Honor during a very special time as we celebrate our 150th. The object is not to just sell bricks. The purpose is to honor our history and give brothers an opportunity to walk down that pathway, look down, and see a brother’s name…someone they’ve never met before but who made an impact on their fraternal experience.
What are some future plans to celebrate the 150th Anniversary?
We’ve got a lot of exciting ideas and plans that a lot of dedicated alumni representing the Fraternity and Foundation have been investing their time into for several years now. I can’t give away all the surprises, but I can tell you we’ll be doing regional events starting with the kickoff of the celebration at Grand Chapter in 2018 and concluding in the late spring of 2019 with one of these planned for the actual 150th anniversary on January 1, 2019.
What is the Foundation focusing on for the next couple of years?
We want to continue to support the educational programming like that which was developed when the Fraternity restructured the College of Chapters. For that program, it means a commitment to garner resources to continue the highly focused training for Commanders—and to provide support for a similar program for other officer positions in the future. It’s critical that we continue to be diligent in supporting the best membership experience for our brothers and further the Fraternity’s mission of developing ethical leaders.
What can a young alumnus or collegian do to support the Foundation?
Neil Gilpin (Oklahoma State) has a saying that I believe hits the nail on the head. “Don’t be ashamed of what you give, be ashamed of what you don’t give.” Basically, everything helps and the worst someone could do is to give nothing. And that’s not just giving money. That’s giving time. Just having your physical presence at some events can go a long way. I would advise any collegian or young alumnus today that they are the face of the modern Fraternity. They are the finished product off the assembly line, so-to-speak. Be the best face of the Legion of Honor to any alumnus you meet or person you interact with.