Kappa Sigma – Iota Chapter

From the Facebook group formed in Rob’s honor:

Texas (Southwestern University) Memorial Service for Rob Atkinson

Date/Time: Friday, January 23, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

Location: Southwestern University Chapel (Lois Perkins Chapel), 1001 East University Ave., Georgetown, Texas, 78626. Phone: 512-863-6511.

Type of Service: The service will be non-denominational. It will include prayers, music, a eulogy, and speakers. It will last about two hours.

Who May Attend: The service is open to everyone who would like to attend. Parents who want to bring their children, and who feel their children could handle the intensity and length of a service like this, are welcome to bring them.

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Local media coverage:
CBS keyetv.com – Remembering Central Texas Student

More…
The Peace Alliance – Campaign for a Department of Peace – In Memoriam: Rob Atkinson

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Dearest Brothers,
Last night as I’m sure most of you are aware our brother Mr. Robert Patrick Atkinson was hit by a car. Rob died without any suffering immediately thereafter. The active brothers are pulling together and have received an immense amount of support from the Southwestern community. What we can all walk away from this tragedy with, is gratitude. Gratitude for being fortunate enough to know Rob intimately he was and is a beacon of hope and peace for all of us. I sincerely apologize for not contacting you all sooner if you have any questions or need support please feel free to contact me. With that my only wish is that you will show the people nearest you how much you love them and that we will see you soon. As Rob would say with Love and Respect.
A.E.K.D.B
G.M. Tanner Garth
Please forward this to your brothers

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It is with a heavy heart that we report on the death of Rob Atkinson, our active brother and student at Southwestern. We are all praying for Rob’s family, and his extended family, as we cope with the loss of someone so special.

As more information becomes available, we will post it on this site.

Copied here is the communication from SU President Jake Schrum to the Southwestern campus community.

Dear Members of the Southwestern Community,

Tragedy struck the campus Thursday night when senior Robert Atkinson was hit and killed by a car as he was crossing University Avenue around 8:20 p.m.

Rob was a leader on campus and was involved with numerous organizations, including the Theatre for Social Justice group and the Student Peace Alliance. His death is a tremendous loss for us, particularly coming at this time of year.

Those who knew Rob and would like to gather together today may do so at 1 p.m. in the ballrooms. We will keep you posted as additional services are scheduled. As always, members of our Counseling Services staff are available in the Robertson Center for those who need help coping with this tragedy.

Please keep Rob’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Jake B. Schrum
President

Local news coverage:
KVUE.com news report
KXAN.com story and video

Rob in his own words:

Students Unite for a Department of Peace
by Rob Atkinson

My motivation in doing political and social activism work is rooted in a strong spiritual desire for strengthening community identity and creating a normalization of compassion, which can be significantly furthered through political work. Along with being very involved in the Student Peace Alliance, I practice the Lakota spiritual tradition and am president of a Native American student organization on my campus, I am a musician, painter, and public speaker. I have also studied urban environmental sustainability through a collective I lived at last summer, and am looking forward to a possible internship this next summer working with nonprofit violence-prevention groups in central Texas. For me, it all boils down to political and social activism as a vehicle of spiritual integrity, and the deep joy that emerges when our abstract visions for a good world actualize into realistic and concrete initiatives.
—Rob Atkinson

Rob Atkinson – Teaching Peace Conference – Part 1

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Thanks to all of the Brothers and friends of the Fraternity who have made contributions to Southwestern University in the name of the “Kappa Sigma Iota Endowed Scholarship Fund.”

Active Brother John “Johnny B” Burden was awarded the scholarship for the 2008/09 academic term.

Johnny B is pictured far left, with the group who participated in the SING competition at Homecoming.

For those not familiar with the scholarship, here’s a full copy of the Memorandum of Understanding with the University

KAPPA SIGMA IOTA

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Memorandum of Understanding

This permanent endowment fund is established by the Iota Alumni Association, and shall be named and known in perpetuity as the Kappa Sigma Iota Endowed Scholarship.

The University agrees to invest the funds donated to this endowment in a prudent manner pursuant to the applicable endowment investment policies promulgated by the Board of Trustees of the University, as may be revised from time to time, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Any policy to the contrary notwithstanding, the University agrees that all annual withdrawals from the Kappa Sigma Iota Endowed Scholarship Fund shall be applied at least annually to support the purposes described herein and shall not be applied to any other account or used or distributed in any manner except as provided below.

This Endowment is permanent, and therefore, only the annual withdrawals are available to support the purposes described herein. Annual withdrawals from the endowment shall be calculated by applying the spending formula determined by the Board of Trustees, as revised from time to time. The University shall endeavor to make the first scholarship distribution from this scholarship fund within the first year from the date this endowment reaches the collective funding level of $25,000.

Subject to the distribution provisions above, the University’s Office of Financial Aid shall award scholarships on an annual or semi-annual basis to students of the University who meet the characteristics set forth below as evaluated by the University annually or semi-annually.

First Preference: University students in good standing who are members of the Iota Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Among such eligible recipients, preference should be given to such members who demonstrate the highest levels of academic excellence and/or leadership in the University community.

Second Preference: If no University students meet the First Preference guidelines above, the annual withdrawal will be awarded to University students in good standing who are members of any fraternity which is traditionally social in nature (for example, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity or Kappa Alpha Order). Among such eligible recipients, preference should be given to fraternity members who demonstrate the highest levels of academic excellence and/or leadership in the University community.

Third Preference: If no University students meet the First or Second Preference guidelines above, the University may award the annual withdrawal to any University students of its choice.

The Fund shall become active when gifts to the fund attain a level of $25,000 or more.

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