History of DP/SP Scholarships

The Delta Pi / Sigma Pi Alumni Association (DPSPAA) is a proud, established leader within the Greek community at Bloomsburg University. We will always lead the way to enrich the lives of our Brothers and Alumni as we go through life. Once a Brother, always a Brother.

• DP/SP was the first local Fraternity to buy a house, the Crag Mansion, through the sale of bonds.

• The first Fraternity to offer a scholarship via an endowment with the Bloomsburg University Foundation.

• And the first Fraternity to establish a 501(c)(3) Charitable non-profit Corporation, “The Delta Pi/Sigma Pi Scholarship Foundation." to provide scholarships to Brothers, Alumni and their immediate families.

In 2008, Brother Chuck Rank, #11, established a DPSPAA scholarship fund through an endowment into the Bloomsburg University Foundation (BUF). This endowment provides scholarships to active Bloomsburg University students and was funded by alumni donations. Currently there is over $100,000in the Bloomsburg University Foundation for DPSPAA scholarships. Since 2008, DPSPAA has awarded scholarships at over $68,500 to 44 Brothers and deserving students. Note: We still award scholarships from the Bloomsburg University Foundation. However, driven by shifting perceptions and policies at Bloomsburg University of the Greek community, the DPSPAA no longer actively donates to our endowment at the Bloomsburg University Foundation. Rather, we are strategically directing new donations dollars to our own 501.c3, The Delta Pi / Sigma Pi Scholarship Foundation. Bloomsburg University’s decision to not recognize Greek life motivated DPSPAA to start our own

scholarship program. We established the Delta Pi Sigma Pi Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3)

Charitable Non-Profit Corporation, in 2021 exclusively for charitable, and educational purposes. Through

this Foundation we can support all DP/SP brothers and their immediate families through charitable

donations and scholarships. We have had over $260,000 generously donated to the foundation from

brothers through August of 2025.

Currently over $10,000 is available EACH YEAR through SIX scholarships. We grant these scholarships via

two distinct pathways, two scholarships through the Bloomsburg University Foundation and two

scholarships through the DPSPAA Scholarship Foundation our own 501(c)(3). Through the BUF we

provide the DP/SP Alumni Association Scholarship (established 2010) and the Bill Welk Scholarship

(Established in 2012 in the memory of Bill Welk, #681, who was a Sage and unexpectedly passed away at

the age of 24. Funded by the Welk family via our endowment with the Bloomsburg Foundation).

Through the DPSP Scholarship Foundation we provide the, Galen Purcell Scholarship (Established in

2024 in memory of Galen Purcell, #328. He was an exemplary Brother and an extraordinary alumni.

Funded by 24th pledge class.), The 36 th Pledge Class Scholarship (Established in 2023 to bring awareness

to the life-long bond of their pledge class. Funded by 36th pledge class), The First Pledge Class

Scholarship (established 2025), and the DPSP Foundation General Fund Scholarship (established 2025).

We have also had other charitable efforts in our past that attest to the true values of our brotherhood.

On 6 March 2024 Brother Andy Hergan, #164, died. In memory of Andy, we used our DPSPAA

Scholarship Foundation (501(c)(3)) to collect tax deductible contributions from the brother hood to be

consolidated into a single "Delta Pi" contribution to the Andrew M Hergan Transition Fund. (This fund

issues an annual scholarship to a Special Needs Student within Central Pa to help them transition from

high school into a meaningful adult life.)

In 2013, Tony Vannicola, established and funded, the Dave “Weez” Vanicola Fund Scholarship in

memoriam of his brother Dave (#369) pledged Delta Pi in the spring of 1983, graduating in May, 1986

who tragically passed away. Tony discontinued this scholarship in 2024 due to the lack of suitable

applicants… no one could live up to the legacy!

Giving back is a way to show appreciation for the past, while demonstrating vision for the future. And

what better way to give back than by creating scholarships that honor both outstanding individuals in

our organization and some of our most cherished principles for brotherhood.