The New York Iota Chapter hosted its first-ever Balanced Man Scholarship Awards Ceremony on campus. The event celebrated outstanding incoming and returning students who embody SigEp’s values of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love through academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement.

This year’s scholarship program was especially noteworthy, drawing a record 24 applicants—the highest number the chapter has ever received. From this talented pool, 9 finalists were selected and recognized during the ceremony.

AVC President Sean Murphy served as the evening’s guest speaker, sharing insights on the importance of striving for excellence both in and out of the classroom. He also recognized the many achievements of New York Iota’s undergraduate brothers this year, as well as the critical role chapter volunteers play in supporting the fraternity’s success.

The ceremony was led by Vice President of Recruitment Nathan Errington, who introduced each finalist and highlighted their many accomplishments.

After a competitive selection process, three students were honored as the first Balanced Man Scholarship recipients:

• Rozir Kirkland – $1,000 Award
  A first-year student studying Music Education at Jamesville-Dewitt High School. With a 3.5 GPA, he has received multiple awards for his commitment to choral performance and volunteering, including the National Choral Award, Peter Sahyoun Memorial Award, and Spirit of JD Award. He has also volunteered with Interfaith Work of NY and assisted teachers in the Syracuse City School District.

• Noah Fay – $500 Award
  A first-year student studying Chemistry Adolescent Education. A 4.0 GPA student, he has served as president of multiple high school clubs, participated in cross country and track, and worked as a camp counselor at the Rochester Museum and Science Center and YMCA. He has earned numerous academic and athletic awards, including high honor roll, a cross country sportsmanship award, and a high school math excellency award.

• Tómas Berg Þórðarson – $500 Award
  Hailing from Iceland, Tómas is a first-year student studying Music Industry with plans to minor in Music. A 3.87 GPA student, he has served as captain of his soccer team, competed in a national entrepreneurial competition where his startup placed in the top five, and has been active in community service and leadership. At Fredonia, he has been accepted into the Honors Program and the prestigious Keeper of the Dream program, in addition to receiving the President’s Out-of-State Scholarship Award and the President’s Award for Excellence.

In addition to the winners, the chapter proudly recognized an impressive group of finalists:

• Wyatt Michalski – a first-year student from Springville Griffith Institute, studying Business Administration. A 4.0 student and recipient of multiple scholarships including the UCFW scholarship, McDonald’s scholarship, Amvets scholarship, and Springville Field and Stream scholarship. Wyatt is active in the ACE program, community service, high school sports, and Future Business Leaders of America. Wyatt couldn’t be here tonight due to a time conflict, but the chapter still recognized him with a round of applause.
• Robert Mashtare – a first-year student from Lackawanna High School, studying Physics Education. With a 3.5 GPA, he graduated with honors and served as a Writer’s Guild student council representative.
• Daniel Benacci – a first-year student from Bishop Kearney High School, studying Communication. He earned the Triple C Award from his school and has been involved with Best Buddies and community service, in his native Rochester.
• David Cumbe – a first-year student from Paul D. Schreiber High School, studying Sound Recording Technology. With a 3.5 GPA, he has earned both music and community scholarships, performed at Harbor Fest, and volunteers with his church’s music band.
• Aiden Grenier – a first-year student studying Theater Arts. With a 3.0 GPA, he has earned a Music Booster Scholarship, contributed to charity work in his hometown, and gained experience as a teaching assistant.
• Kevin Jones – a first-year student studying Music Education. With a 3.7 GPA, he has served as a section leader for five high school music groups, taught private lessons, and held leadership roles in NJROTC. He is a member of the National Honor Society and Tri-M, and has received the Presidential Award of Excellence and Principal’s Honor Roll recognition.
• Jack Tuccio – a second-year student studying Musical Theatre at Fredonia. With a 3.67 GPA, he has been active in numerous high school and college performing arts productions, served as an assistant instructor in karate, and is a member of both the National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society. He has earned multiple awards, including the Gertrude Prushaw Maytum Scholarship for Theater Arts, the President’s Award for Excellence, and several local community foundation scholarships.
• Alexander Bucknam – a second-year student studying Journalism with a minor in Political Science at Fredonia. With a 3.53 GPA, he has served as assistant news editor of The Leader, student representative for ADP, and volunteer with ACE, helping students academically and presenting on peer conflict. He has also been recognized as a Dean’s List scholar, Scholar Athlete, and recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship.
• Munachimso Ezinwa – a first-year student studying Computer Science. A graduate of Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn, he entered college well-prepared, carrying a 3.7 GPA, completing college-level courses early, and gaining professional experience through an internship with Chase Bank. His biggest inspiration is serving as a role model for his younger siblings, motivating him to lead by example both academically and personally.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Nathan Errington praised all the finalists and winners for their hard work and dedication, emphasizing that their achievements exemplify the Balanced Man ideal.

Importantly, the Balanced Man Scholarship is made possible through the generosity of donors—many of whom are Fredonia Sigma Phi Epsilon alumni.

The chapter looks forward to continuing this new tradition each year, building on the success of its inaugural event and celebrating Fredonia students who exemplify leadership, scholarship, and service.