March Alumni Newsletter:

To Alumni and Friends of Mu Chapter, we hope this message finds you safe and well. Despite the house being closed and classes being moved to online only, the Brothers of Mu Chapter made the most of March. We wish you good health and hope you enjoy this recap!

Spring Break:  

            Not knowing that it would be the last day of in-person classes for the semester and the last time seeing each other for several months, on March 6, the Brothers of Mu Chapter departed for various endeavors across the country on their much-anticipated Spring Break.   Brothers from the freshman candidate class rented houses in St. George, Florida, to soak up some rays on the beach. Brothers from the sophomore candidate class rented a house in Breckenridge, Colorado, where they hit the slopes for a week of skiing and snowboarding. The Brothers were even fortunate enough to catch a few powder days! Elsewhere in the country, members of Mu Chapter were in Okeechobee, Florida, attending a music festival headlined by the band Mumford and Sons.  In addition, members of the junior candidate class spent their break traveling through the Caribbean aboard a cruise. Fortunately, everyone enjoyed their break and made it back home safely before hearing the unfortunate news about COVID-19 and that UGA would be implementing online classes for the remainder of the semester.

Mu Chapters Support A Loving Brother: 

            Mark Mitcham, father of Brother William Mitcham (M 2793), passed away on March 18, 2020, after a 7-year battle with prostate cancer. Mark graduated from the University of Georgia in 1980, and he was an extremely loved and respected man whose outgoing personality and good-natured being are certainly embodied in his son William. Brother Mitcham has been an instrumental part of Mu Chapter’s most recent candidate class, serving as External Social Chair, and he has been elected as a Rush Chair for this summer’s upcoming rush process. When the devastating news broke, the chapter actively worked together to find a way to support the Mitcham family. The freshman candidate class created a fund for William’s family. Each current candidate class made generous donations to the fund, and along with contributions from other fraternities and sororities, nearly $2,000 was raised. One of the needs the Mitcham family expressed was the need for a new lawn mower which the Brothers were fortunately able to provide with a portion of the money. To honor Mark’s overwhelming love for the Dawgs, the Brothers commissioned a special painting of D’Andre Swift’s famous hurdle vs Notre Dame. Approximately $1,300 was donated to the Mitcham family fund.

Mark Mitcham was truly a man that anyone would have been lucky to meet. He was able to attend October’s Parents Weekend where everyone that met him could easily remember his graciousness and eagerness to meet all of his son’s new Brothers. Although many Mu Chapter Brothers did not have a long time to spend with Mr. Mitcham, he left a long-lasting affect which will never be forgotten. We are very fortunate to have William as a brother of Mu Chapter, and we are looking forward to continuing to support him and enjoy his presence as his father shines through him. 

Mu Brothers’ Research Projects:

            In addition to all of the impressive feats that the Brothers of Sigma Nu are accomplishing in the community and socially, a few of the Brothers majoring in science are accomplishing big things in the classroom. Brother Will Nichols (M 2696) of the junior candidate class is currently working on a research project studying how APV (Avian Polyoma Virus) affects tree aphid fitness in addition to how that virus is transmitted between insect to the environment and insect to insect. He is working on this project with two other students and is hoping to finish up his work by early May. In addition, Brothers Candler Boyett (M 2709) and Jack Nadaud (M 2698) are completing research projects within the kinesiology department. These Brothers are looking to learn more about common viruses and study the practices of medicine in the future.

Brothers Helping The Community:

            On top of balancing their academic workload and Sigma Nu responsibilities, several Mu Brothers have been helping at the after-school mentorship program called Whatever It Takes. Held four days a week after school in two locations in the Athens-Clarke County community, this program offers an hour of tutoring as well as a snack and play time for the kids attending. Brothers act as tutors, mentors, and friends to these less fortunate youth, and this incredible program gives the kids an extra leg up on school work where they may fall behind otherwise. It also provides a safe place for them to go after school in order to stay out of trouble while a majority of their parents are still at work. Helping the kids to read, write, and do math creates a special bond between Brother and kid, and once the work is done, snack time and recess allow for the kids and Brothers to have some fun playing tag, throwing football, or playing basketball. Whatever It Takes is an incredible nonprofit organization that allows Brothers to have a direct impact on the kids living just beyond the edges of campus, and a fun way for the Brothers of the Mu Chapter to give back to their community.

Marshal Elections: 

            On March 30th via our first virtual election, Brother Jack Donovan (M 2741) was elected by Mu Chapter to serve as the next Marshal for the upcoming year. Jack will replace Brother Charlie Ogletree (M 2669), who has been recognized for his outstanding efforts this past year. Looking forward to the Fall of 2020, Jack plans to emphasize the core values that all Sigma Nu hold dear – Love, Truth, and Honor.  This experience is something that Jack has been looking forward to for many months and planning for the Fall schedule is underway.  

The Move Out of Spring Semester: 

            Over the last days of spring break, the University of Georgia notified Brothers and students that classes would be suspended for two weeks in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.  Shocked by the news, Brothers returned home after the break to learn that the whole semester would be moved to an online format. Obviously, the news was devastating. After midterms and Spring Break, Brothers of Mu Chapter were looking forward to Woodstock, Classic City Bowl, and many other events planned for spring.  Freshmen had to schedule checkout times in order to retrieve their belongings from the residence halls in order to abide by the social distancing protocol. Many brothers from Georgia helped their out-of-state pledge brothers by cleaning out their dorm and saving them a trip to Athens. Sophomores also had to move out of the house by the end of March.  Although the semester in Athens was cut short, freshmen look forward to moving into The Chateau in the fall, Brothers are staying in touch via virtual chapter meetings and through phone and video chat, and everyone is excited to reunite in August, if not sooner.