Texas Mu was awarded two straight Buchanan Cup Awards at the Grand Chapter Conclaves held in San Antonio in 2003 and in Washington in 2001. Buchanan Cups are only awarded to the top 25% of Chapters throughout the United States. We continue to strive for excellence in all facets of our fraternal life. Mediocrity is simply not an option. We have worked closely with Chapter leadership to maintain high goals with action plans to achieve them. We have several retreats a year among our alumni board and chapter to insure effective communication and review. Our brotherhood bonds have become stronger at all levels. I invite you to celebrate the strides that have been made by visiting our web site, attending our tailgate events at home games, stopping by to socialize at the beautiful Chapter house, attending initiation rites at the beginning of each semester, or just by simply dropping us a line to let us know how you are doing.

You may take a "virtual tour" of our premier chapter house through a link on our web site. We continue to upgrade and continue to receive accolades for our property. We won Chapter Home of the Year at the Carlson Leadership Academies in Tulsa in January 2003 and again in February 2005 and were awarded the prestigious Cornerstone Award at Conclave in San Antonio in August 2003. The property consists of 7.5 acres, three buildings, sixteen bedrooms capable of housing twenty-nine men, eighty space concrete and illuminated parking lot, 4,800 square foot pavilion, and 800 square foot deck among other amenities. The Chapter is served meals through a caterer and has a maid service assist in maintaining the Chapter House. The property continue to help the Chapter enroll excellent new member classes. We have long term plans to make our Chapter House a Residential Learning Community by working with a Faculty Fellow who will hold office hours in a dedicated furnished space, with computer equipment, study area and lounge area to be utilized by the Chapter.

We started a tradition of tailgating in the football season of 2000. What started out as a modest affair has now turned into a significant event for designated home games. We have our own signature tent with satellite television and refreshments that is hugely popular among alumni and Chapter members alike. This event is hosted by your volunteer board and alumni association as a place for our 1,000 alumni to gather, stay in touch and visit with the current Texas Mu Chapter membership. Please make a point of coming by when you attend a home game.

We urge you to keep your contact information up to date. We have contracted with Argonaut Financial to provide a systematic web based approach to collecting dues, rent and board. They have an added feature service of an alumni database which is linked through our alumni section of this our website. You may keep us up to date with your contact information and you may locate any of your alumni brothers, all of whom are listed in our data base. If you notice any incorrect or missing information for a brother you are in contact with, please let us know! We strive hard to stay in touch and it is a big job. Minimally, you do not want to miss our Red Door newsletter that is published electronically twice a year. Texas Mu was also given a national publication award by Headquarters at Conclave in San Antonio for the Red Door newsletter. All of the current information is communicated there.

We are all proud but cannot be content. We must always be searching for ways to improve our property, our Chapter and our alumni involvement. We desperately need any support you might be able to provide either through your time, financial gifts or presence. Minimally, please join the Texas Mu Alumni Association for only $35 per year to help support our newsletter, tailgates, and other organizational expenses. We are only as strong as our members. There are those of you who have succeeded well in life. Remember the role that Sigma Phi Epsilon played in that success and sew the seeds for others and our future through your alumni organization. Your donations and involvement will allow our young members to have the same opportunity that we were fortunate to have experienced.

Fraternally,

David M. Smith, President
Texas Mu Volunteer Board