By MELISSA WALKER

Staff Writer

Sigma Nu received six awards at Grand Chapter this summer.

The 61st convention was held July 21 to 25 in St. Louis.

Luke Lockwood, a junior biomedical engineering major and Sigma Nu pledge marshal, said he is proud to be from the Eta Zeta chapter.

"It's a good feeling knowing that you are part of such a great chapter," Lockwood said.

Lockwood said he has several new reasons why he is proud of his fraternity's chapter.

They received the Regents Award, which is given to the fraternity with the highest grade point average on campus.

Allan Martin, a senior marketing major and former president of Sigma Nu 2003-04, said he is especially proud of the Regents Award.

"The Regents award is important because academics is the most important thing for us. It is why we are here," Martin said.

Brandon Walpole, a senior aviation major and scholarship chairman, was honored as an Alpha Affiliate.

Walpole said the Alpha Affiliate award originates from the first chapter, Alpha chapter, of Sigma Nu.

This chapter was founded at Virginia Military Institute, located in Lexington, Va., in 1869.

Due to the removal of fraternities at VMI, Sigma Nu nationals decided to honor the Alpha chapter by inviting select present-day Sigma Nus to become honorary members of Alpha chapter.

Out of nearly 200,000 members no more than 10 Sigma Nus are selected each year after an application process.

"I was more shocked than anything. I feel undeserving of this award," Walpole said.

Martin said their most prized award is The Rock Award, which is given to the top 2 percent of the Sigma Nu chapters.

Martin said this percent is determined by campus involvement, grades, community involvement, community service, the quality of the Leadership Ethics Achievement Development program and other projects that the chapter is involved with.

Seven Rock awards were given during this year's convention.

Martin said the Eta Zeta chapter has received The Rock award nine times.

This is the first time the current active members have received this honor.

"It is great to say that we have won nine Rock awards. It is really special that one of them is ours," Martin said.

In addidtion to The Rock Award, the Eta Zeta chapter also received the LEAD Phase Two award.

"LEAD is a program about educating and building better men," Martin said.

Another award was the induction of Louisiana Senior Senator Jim McCrery, a Tech Sigma Nu alumnus, into the Sigma Nu Hall of Fame, Lockwood said.

Joe Reyes, Eta Zeta alumni adviser, also received the Alumni LEAD Facilitator of the year, Lockwood said.

"I am very impressed and honored by this award. I think that not only does it compliment me, it compliments the chapter," Reyes said.