Bro. Ron Lewis Editor-In-Chief Greetings Brothers, This is an exciting time to be a Sigma. As Editor-In-Chief of the Crescent Magazine, I am extremely honored to write to you on behalf of the talented brothers who contribute their time and talents to making this great publication of ours even greater. As predicted, writers have emerged who, until now, were undiscovered. It’s exciting to watch as these budding Cullens, Ellisons, Hughes, and Bontemps, find their literary voices. One thing’s for sure; the love for Sigma shines through in their writing and photography. This issue focuses on Sigma brothers in academia. Many have made their marks as chancellors, presidents, provosts, deans, principals, superintendents, and administrators. Let us not forget the countless instructors who give of themselves to educate others. Many teachers, those of the formal and informal type, have made an impact on the lives of young people by being positive role models. By reading their stories it is my hope that we all become inspired. I have long maintained that access to higher education has been one of the most cherished accomplishments coming out of the Civil Rights era. Many of our brothers and sisters endured extreme hardship and duress in order to earn degrees and thereby open up opportunities to future generations. Many of us reading this now can reflect back on our experiences in college. As Sigmas, we should all summon a collective expression of gratitude to the pioneers who paved the way for us. In this issue, you will read about some of those pioneers. Sigma men like Dr. Alain Leroy Locke, the first African-American Rhodes Scholar and Dr. Georg Iggers who, along with his wife Wilma surreptitiously collected data and prepared the report that lead to the landmark Supreme Court case that dismantled segregated Central High School in Little Rock, AR in 1957. Featured in this issue are other inspiring stories. Our next issue will profile brothers in politics and government. Proverbs 4:7 states: “Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” As Sigma moves forward let us prepare to meet the challenges that lie ahead by first preparing ourselves with wisdom believing that understanding will follow. With a right spirit and a firm conviction that education at all cost is the right course, we can follow the advice of Thoreau who said, “Go confidently in the direction of our dreams, live the life you’ve imagined.”
Fraternally, Bro. Ron Lewis Editor-In-Chief
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