The Sigma Nu fraternity at the University of Mississippi is supporting the William Magee Center for Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) and Wellness Education with a $125,000 gift, growing its support of the center to $325,000.
The funds will strengthen the support and intervention activities the Magee Center provides on campus, with the gift’s size allowing the center to plan activities in the coming and future academic years.
Tucker Sala of Biloxi, Mississippi, president of Sigma Nu and a rising senior majoring in biological sciences on the pre-dental track, said fraternity members hope their support helps the William Magee Center “achieve an even greater platform so it can continue to impact the lives of college students on this campus.
“Sigma Nu has been extremely blessed with the support of the William Magee Center. The staff helps everyone around campus, providing many services encouraging our members to become the best versions of themselves. Supporting the Magee Center is something this chapter will continue to do for many years to come.”
Established in 2019, the center is named for William Magee — an Ole Miss alumnus, Sigma Nu member, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College student, Croft Institute for International Studies participant and track & field athlete — who died of an accidental drug overdose in 2013. The center aims to change, improve and even save lives through AOD education and support. Housed in the state-of-the-art South Campus Recreation Center, the center also emphasizes total wellness.
Nick McAfee, director of the William Magee Center, said, “This support is crucial for the William Magee Center as we continue to grow and expand our programming; ultimately, this means we can help more students.”
The funds enable the center to disseminate educational content, provide harm-reduction materials that keep students safer and conduct outreach to engage students in wellness support.
“It’s important for Sigma Nu to be an active and positive member of the Ole Miss community and to help improve the lives of each individual in our community,” said Clark Trout, an Oxford, Mississippi, attorney and a Sigma Nu adviser. “The William Magee Center provides numerous resources and makes them readily available and easy to access.
“William was a Sigma Nu and his family works extremely hard through the center that bears his name to help the Ole Miss community while carrying on his legacy.”
Sigma Nu’s continuing commitment to the William Magee Center reflects the fraternity’s dedication to transforming the loss of William into a force for good and attempts to improve student well-being and reduce the harmful effects of problematic alcohol and drug use on campus.
“We have made huge strides in improving student wellness. In the past year alone, we have overseen campus-wide Narcan (a medication that reverses opioid overdoses) distribution, implemented a harm-reduction drug and alcohol intervention that aligns with the highest standards provided by federal agencies and created a team of student peer educators who provide peer-to-peer intervention and wellness education,” McAfee said.
“We’ve also created a speaker’s series, which helped bring former Bachelorette star and substance use recovery advocate Zac Clarke to campus. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished, and Sigma Nu has played a huge role in making much of this happen.”
Sala said David Magee, William Magee’s father, continues to have a major impact on the Sigma Nu chapter.
“He has given us so much insight on the fight against drugs and ways to keep up with our mental health. Daily, we use his advice and guidance to maintain the core values on which Sigma Nu was founded,” he said.
The Sigma Nu chapter at Ole Miss has a far-reaching reputation for philanthropic work.
“The members learn to give back to the community where they live. They also see, through participation in philanthropy fundraising, how a group working together can have a substantial impact on the lives of others,” said Trout.
To support the William Magee Center for AOD and Wellness Education, send a check to the University of Mississippi Foundation, with the fund written in the memo line, to 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655, or online here.
For more information, contact Brett Barefoot, executive director for central development, at bmbarefo@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2711.
By Tina H. Hahn/UM Development