64 SOCIAL CLUBS IN MEMORY OF MARTIN Women’s social club Sigma Phi Mu names a scholarship in honor of former club president. In 1986, Vicki McMinn Martin was president of the original chapter of women’s social club Sigma Phi Mu (Sig Phi). After Martin’s passing from cancer in 2019, alumna of Sig Phi, Lisa Wagner, and Steve Lake, assistant vice president of advancement, established a memorial scholarship in her honor. “When people pass or they serve Harding in such a big way, people feel compelled to create a living legacy for them by way of a scholarship,” Lake said. “I pitched the idea. We put her name and the club’s name since she was a member and she was a president in Sig Phi. I think Sig Phi would enjoy this.” Lake workedwith 2020 Sig Phi president seniorMalloryMackie during summer to make the scholarship a reality. An official announcement regarding the scholarship was made at the club’s first meeting of the fall 2020 semester. Sig Phi was given five years to raise $25,000, with $1,200 per year awarded to a fully active member of the club. “This scholarship is going to impact the club as a whole in that it will allow us to help sisters stay in the club and not let financial reasons keep people away,” Mackie said. “This will also impact our future members because they get the chance to honor Vicki and be one of the few clubs on campus that also has this scholarship.” Sig Phi vice president junior Chelsea Croff believed the scholarship served as a great memorial to Martin and embodied the spirit of Sig Phi. “Sig Phi has, from the beginning, set out to be inclusive and be in harmony through our differences, and our aim has always been to be anchored in Christ,” Croff said. “These two things were embodied by [Martin] during her time as a member and as president, and we believe this scholarship will only further that belief. The scholarship will allow more girls to be a part of our club and allow them to grow closer to God through their sisters, and there is nothing we, as Sigma Phi Mu, want more than that.” story by Emily Sundermeier
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