Cleveland, TN–Upsilon Xi, a Greek letter men’s social service society founded on the Lee campus in 1962, celebrated their 50th anniversary at the recent Homecoming weekend on the Lee campus.
[1]PHOTO: Members and alumni of Upsilon Xi gather around the newly-dedicated North Gate Arch at Lee University
Upsilon was the first club of its kind founded at Lee back when the Church of God institution had an enrollment of just under 600 students. Since then, seven other similar groups have emerged, including Alpha Gamma Chi, which was founded the next year and Delta Zeta Tau, the first women’s group on the campus in 1964.
Upsilon marked their milestone year with a weekend of events for alumni and current members. They gathered at meal functions to reminisce and recall the many service and ministry projects through five decades. The final event took place on Sunday, November 4 in the Lee Chapel where the special speaker was Church of God General Overseer Mark Williams. At the conclusion of the consecration service, Upsilon tapped Williams as an honorary member of the organization.
A highlight of the group’s 50th commemoration began last year when solicitations were made to the group’s alumni and friends to contribute toward a campus landmark, an arch gate way on the north side of campus. The first request for donations was made in mid-July 2011, and by the end of September of that year the goal of $25,000 had been raised which went toward the total cost of the project. The North Gate Arch is the centerpiece of a renovated north entrance that included new parking, sidewalks and landscaping. Construction of the plaza and arch was completed just prior to Homecoming. On one side of the arch rests a plaque that honors the contributions of Upsilon Xi over the decades and another for the specific donors to the project.