Underwood to Receive Lifetime Service Award

Jervis Underwood, Gamma Theta (North Texas) ’54, will be awarded the Fraternity’s Robert J. Rogers Lifetime Service Award during the 2009 National Convention Gala on July 18. This prestigious award has been given just five times before to some of the Fraternity’s most dedicated servants: Robert Rogers (1990), Carl Doubleday (1997), Lavan Robinson (2000), Jim Patrenos (2003), and Rolland Shaw (2006).

Underwood served as Sinfonia’s National President from 1988-91, and today is perhaps best known for his authorship of A Centennial History, the landmark chronicle of the Fraternity’s first 100 years. He was Province Governor of Province 5 for 12 years, a member of the Commission on Standards from for nine years (including three years as chairman), and a member of the National Executive Committee for nine years. In 1991 as he concluded his tenure as National President, he was appointed National Historian and spent eight years researching and compiling a staggering array of historical records to craft his comprehensive history of the Fraternity’s first century.

On the local level, he served as Faculty Advisor to the Iota Psi Chapter (Southeast Missouri State) and Epsilon Kappa Chapter (Southern Illinois-Carbondale). Today, he remains actively involved in the leadership of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area Alumni Association as Historian.

Jervis, accompanied by his wife Carmen, will be in attendance at the Convention Gala to accept the award.