2021 Alpha Affiliate Award Recipients
Brandon S. Avers (Colorado State)
Brandon Avers graduated from Colorado State University with a 3.59 GPA majoring in Mechanical Engineering and started Duke Law School this fall. He served Delta Rho Chapter (Colorado State) as Commander (President) and Lt. Commander (Vice President). Service to the Fraternity included a term as a collegiate board member of the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation and panelist for the 2021 College of Chapters.
Within his campus community he held the position of Deputy Chief Justice for the Student Government and as a teacher’s assistant for the Colorado State physics lab. He also served as a board member for the Rocky Mountain Student Media Company, member of Order of Omega and the pre-law club.
David Mainella, Chief Development Officer of the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation, and one of Brandon’s nominators describes him as “one of the top three students I have worked with in 25 years in terms of leadership ability, focus, and character. Simply put, he is a superstar of a human being.”
Cole M. Barnhill (Mississippi)
Cole Barnhill graduated from University of Mississippi with a 3.93 GPA majoring in Management. This fall he started Mississippi’s master’s program in business administration. He served Epsilon Xi Chapter (Mississippi) as Alumni Relations Chairman, LEAD Chairman (membership development), and Philanthropy Chairman for the largest single-chapter philanthropy in the Greek world. His service to the fraternal community included turns as Interfraternity Council President, Vice President of Standards, and member of the Judicial Board. He also served as a member of the Fraternity’s High Council (board of directors) and on the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
Cole’s leadership and service were recognized with the University of Mississippi’s Leadership and Organization President of the Year and Fraternity Man of the Year awards. He was also honored with the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values’ Changemaker award.
Cole served his campus community as an Ole Miss and School of Business Administration Ambassador, Interim Vice Chairman of the Associate Student Body’s Judicial Council, and as a member of the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary honor society – Phi Kappa Phi.
John Green, advisor to Epsilon Xi Chapter (Mississippi) says, “Cole distinguishes himself as not only a natural leader but as an altruistic individual who leads by example. He is one of the more accomplished young men to come through our chapter in all my happy years of affiliation.”
Brett M. Benigno (Southern Mississippi)
Brett Benigno graduated from University of Southern Mississippi with a 3.70 GPA majoring in Business Administration. This fall he started the master’s program in Student Personnel at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He served Theta Gamma Chapter (Southern Mississippi) as Commander (President) and Scholarship Chairman, as well as on numerous committees including COVID-19 Mitigation, Recruitment, Honor Board, and Philanthropy. He served the fraternal community as a
Recruitment Counselor and member of the Tri-Council Presidents Committee. On campus he was involved as a Southern Style Orientation Leader, University Ambassador, Election Commission Coordinator for the Student Government Association, Sexual Assault Prevention Ambassador, and member of multiple honor societies. He also played in both the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and University Jazz Band.
In addition to receiving multiple competitive scholarships, Brett was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Hall of Fame and selected as an Outstanding Student in Business Administration.
Kayla L. Mitchell, M.A., Assistant Director of Orientation and Transition Programs, says, “Brett embodies the Sigma Nu values – Love. Truth. Honor. To know Brett is to know his heart, which is full of love for his fraternity.”
Dominic A. Frattura (Arizona State)
Dominic Frattura graduated from Arizona State University with a 3.67 GPA majoring in Business with a concentration in Global Politics. He served Zeta Upsilon Chapter (Arizona State) as House Manager, Philanthropy Chairman, and Professional Development Chairman. He also serves on the General Fraternity’s High Council (Board of Directors) as a Collegiate Grand Councilman and member of the Finance Committee.
Within his campus community he received Most Involved on Campus Award in 2020 and also served as President, Business School Senator, and Finance Chairman of the Undergraduate Student Government. Additionally, he was Founder, President, and Vice President of the Leadership Forum at Arizona State University.
“Dom represents the Zeta Upsilon Chapter of the Sigma Nu Fraternity in a manner that would make our founders proud. He is a man that they would have recruited to be a member of the Legion of Honor. I cannot think of anyone more worthy to be accepted as an Alpha Affiliate.” – Scott Rutledge, Alumni Advisor and House Corporation President.
Justin S. Jacobs (Southeast Missouri State)
Justin Jacobs graduated in December 2020 from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) with a 3.79 GPA majoring in Business Administration: Accounting. After graduating early, he began his career at a medium-sized accounting firm in St. Louis and is studying for the CPA exam. He served Mu Kappa Chapter (Southeast Missouri State) as Commander (President), LEAD Chairman (member development), and Alumni Relations Chairman. As a young alumnus he has already joined the Sigma Nu volunteer ranks as a member of the Mu Kappa Alumni Advisory Board.
As Commander (President) he helped lead his chapter to its first Rock Chapter Award (top Sigma Nu chapters in the country) since 2014. He was also recognized by his campus community as IFC President and Man of the Year. In 2020 he was presented with the North American Interfraternity Conference’s Undergraduate Award of Distinction.
Within his campus community he held the positions of Interfraternity Council Vice President of Rick Management, member of the Greek Week Steering Committee, Treasurer and Secretary of Order of
Omega, Treasurer of the Student Government, and Presidential Ambassador. Service to Sigma Nu Fraternity included a term as a collegiate member of the board of directors.
Chapter Advisor Chris Foeste said of him, “Justin served, learned, educated, and did all the gritty work to help take a chapter that was good, and make them desire greatness. Understand, it was his focus and mindset that helped drive the discussions, meetings, the strategic sessions, all the behind the scenes work to get a group of college age men to hold themselves and their peers accountable to our fraternity’s values, adopt the values into their everyday life, and then say that ‘we can be more, we can be better than good.’”
Another of his nominators, Katie Krodinger, Director of New Student Programs at SEMO says, “my favorite trait is his contagious enthusiasm and that he always has a smile on his face. He is an excellent example of school spirit, and the Sigma Nu values of honor, integrity, and character.”
Christopher R. McClintock (Birmingham-Southern)
Christopher McClintock graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a 3.71 GPA majoring in Applied Computer Science and started a sales career with Landing in Birmingham, Alabama. He served Lambda Theta Chapter (Birmingham-Southern) as Commander (President), Philanthropy Chairman, and Social Chairman. Service to the fraternity community included a term as the Interfraternity Council’s Vice President of Public Relations and Philanthropy, as well as year on the Fraternity’s High Council (board of directors).
Within his campus community he was recognized with admission to multiple honors societies, including Alpha Lambda Delta (academic excellence), Mortarboard (scholarship, leadership, service), and Kappa Mu Epsilon (mathematics). He served on the Student Programming Board, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, as an Applied Computer Science Tutor, as a Residence Life Advisor, and as a member of the men’s swimming and diving team. Christopher also served as the Aquatics Director and Head Swim Coach for the Country Club of Mobile, where he was selected as the Mobile County Aquatics League Coach of the Year in 2019.
David Dearing, advisor to Lambda Theta Chapter, says, ““Christopher truly lives out the values of Love, Honor, and Truth in everything he does. I cannot imagine a candidate more deserving of recognition than Brother McClintock.”
Robert Ortega, Jr. (Fresno State)
Robert Ortega, Jr. graduated from California State University, Fresno with a 3.95 GPA double majoring in Communication & Media and Broadcast Journalism. He served Zeta Kappa Chapter (Fresno State) as Commander (President), Lt. Commander (Vice President), Treasurer, Marshal (new member educator), and on numerous committees.
His campus involvement included membership in Lambda Pi Eta (national communications honor society), the College of Arts and Humanities honors program, and the Smittcamp Family Honors College. He served as a multi-media journalist and lead producer for the Fresno State Focus, and participated in a winter study abroad program in London. He was the recipient of several competitive scholarships,
including a four-year President’s Honors Scholarship and recognition as a Student of Distinction and Dean’s Medal Nominee in the Fresno State Department of Communication.
William H. Davies, advisor to Zeta Kappa Chapter (Fresno State) says, “Robert has been a consistently determined individual whose performance and contributions in all aspects of his college life have made Sigma Nu Fraternity, and his University better.”
Stephen Jerod Sharp (Jacksonville State)
Jerod Sharp graduated from Jacksonville State University in May 2021 with a 4.00 GPA majoring in Biology and this fall started a Ph.D. program in Biology at The University of Alabama. He served Iota Lambda Chapter (Jacksonville State) as Treasurer, Recorder (Secretary), Finance Chairman, Philanthropy Chairman, and LEAD Chairman.
Within his campus community he held the positions of Student Government Association President and Vice President of the Student Senate, Parliamentarian of the Organizational Council, Entertainment Committee Head of the Student Activities Council, and Freshman Forum Mentor. He also served as Speaker of the House, House Floor Leader, and Committee Head of the YMCA Collegiate Legislature.
Jerod was selected for membership into multiple honor societies, including Alpha Phi Sigma, Order of Omega, and the American Chemistry Society. He was recognized with the Dr. Clarence William Daugette Award as the male with the highest GPA in his graduating class. He was also selected as the Jacksonville State University Interfraternity Council’s Member of the Year and Sigma Nu Fraternity’s 2019-2020 Scholar of the Year.
Joshua Robinson, Associate Dean of Students at Jacksonville State says, “Jerod has been instrumental in developing processes and procedures to ensure effective and efficient chapter operations. He is an ideal member of our fraternity and sorority community and Sigma Nu is lucky to have him as a member.”
Maxwell L. Smith (Stetson)
Maxwell Smith graduated from Stetson University in May 2021 with a 3.47 GPA majoring in Political Science and this fall joined the team of HUB International. He served Delta Mu Chapter (Stetson) as Commander (President), Recorder (Secretary), and Scholarship Chairman. Service to Sigma Nu included a term as a collegiate board member of the Educational Foundation.
Within his campus community he held the positions of Student Government Association Director of Student Engagement and Senator at Large, Senator for the Mock Senate, Secretary of the Russian Club, Vice President of Stetson’s young alumni involvement association, Radio Host of the Hatter Network, Orientation Leader, and Journalist for The Reporter. He was also chosen to lead Stetson’s oldest philanthropic tradition, Greenfeather, as its Executive Director and raised $17,000 for a local homeless shelter.
Maxwell has been recognized by Stetson University with the Presidential Scholarship, Values Award for Global Citizenship, and as Fraternity President of the Year.
Renee Dubois, Associate Director of Campus Vibrancy, says, “Maxwell is a such an amazing student leader who not only inspires his brothers but other members of the Greek community.”
Jonathan M. Thomas (Missouri S&T)
Jonathan Thomas graduated from the Missouri University of Science and Technology in May 2021 with a 3.20 GPA majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and this summer started work as a Project Engineer for Lockheed Martin. He served Gamma Xi Chapter (Missouri S&T) as Commander (President), Chaplain, Recruitment Chairman, and LEAD Chairman (member development). Jonathan led the local Interfraternity Council as President and Greek Week Chairman. Service to Sigma Nu Fraternity included a term as a collegiate member of the board of directors.
Within his campus community he was a member of the Phi Eta Sigma honor society, AIAA aerospace professional society, presenter for campus bystander intervention programs, head of the campus mental health committee, and member of the campus leadership committee.
In 2021 he was presented with the North American Interfraternity Conference’s Undergraduate Award of Distinction.
Alison Ayers, Assistant Director of Student Involvement at Missouri S&T says, “In seven years in my fraternity and sorority advising role, working with Jonathan has been the most rewarding experience I have had working with a student leader. I cannot think of a student more deserving of this honor.”